Unintentionally, her least ambitious project and most laid back recording experience have resulted in a compendium of poetry and… ¿orchestrated folk-pop? In which –Irene claims – the largest influence has been “silence”. In fact, during the months that preceded the recording she never listened to music or bought records – there was already too much noise going on in her head. She spent most of October and November of 2004 sleeping. She mostly had nightmares such as the one that inspired “A dream”. The only recording she did listen to was Elliot Smith’s posthumous record; it depressed her so that she hid it away and still hasn’t found it.
The lyrics are portraits of real experiences. Of course, the courtyard is a pretty obvious metaphor, but it’s also a place where photographs for the CD’s artwork were taken: the garden of the house where “The Last Laugh” was completed. “Into the courtyard” – the song- speaks of another temporary home where Irene lived for months out of a suitcase, accumulating books, pictures, bottle corks, papers, sad memories and very occasionally a triumphant moment. Ever since she set aside the idea of an entirely Spanish EP that would bear the title “Objetos Perdidos” (an expression she translates loosely as Lost & Found) she has been obsessed with the idea of with the necessity/lack of necessity of such material possessions.
After years of concerts and tribulations, two full-length recordings, two EPs and various tours in different circumstances – more or less rock-like, with assorted line-ups- Aroah introduces us to her best song-writing to date. The single cover on the record, “Caroline Says II”, owes more influence to Nico’s “Chelsea Girls” or Lisa Germano than to Lou Reed’s original recording. On the five new songs Irene seems to be waving goodbye to all her possible influences – Joni Mitchell, Vashti Bunyan…-. This is what happens to the best of artists when, after a long time searching for something they didn’t want to find, they find something they weren’t actually looking for: a code, a unique poetic language of symbols that continuously change while pronouncing every word and playing every note as if they were the last.
Upside Down
Aroah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And though you'd like to show you care, your moods are clumsy
The mystery remains unsolved, of why his sister's name was called
And though you'd like to show you care, your manners are rusty
And you live wall to wall to the soul that you've lost
But you can't get it together to piece it back again
It looks like you've cut off your shadow
Do you need it now, to know who you are?
You've been hearing the truths at night
Did you just hear the word "coward"?
What is brave? What is brave if you're not brave?
In Aroah's song Upside Down, the lyrics suggest a deep sense of confusion and uncertainty. The first few lines seem to reflect the difficulty of understanding someone else's life, even if you care for them. The singer acknowledges that some people really do belong to the path they've chosen, and yet their own attempts to express care come off as awkward or "clumsy." Meanwhile, an unsolved mystery lingers in the air, as the singer wonders about a person whose sister's name was called, perhaps in connection to her fate. There's a sense of frustration in the repetition of "and though you'd like to show you care," as if the singer can't quite connect to the people around them.
The next few lines delve deeper into the singer's personal struggles. They mention living "wall to wall to the soul that you've lost," which suggests a profound sense of loneliness and perhaps even dissociation from one's own identity. The singer seems to have cut off their shadow, as if losing touch with the very essence of themselves. The lines that follow are full of questions, addressing the confusion and fear that can arise when trying to figure oneself out. The final question, "What is brave if you're not brave?" is almost a rhetorical one, underscoring the difficulty of truly understanding courage.
Overall, Upside Down is a song that explores the complexities of identity, relationships, and self-awareness. Its lyrics capture a sense of yearning and uncertainty, suggesting that even when we care deeply about the people and world around us, it can be difficult to express that caring or understand ourselves fully.
Line by Line Meaning
Some sincerely do belong to the direction they live on
Some people truly identify with and belong to the place where they live.
And though you'd like to show you care, your moods are clumsy
Although you want to demonstrate empathy, your emotions come across awkwardly.
The mystery remains unsolved, of why his sister's name was called
The reason for his sister's name is still a perplexing unknown.
And though you'd like to show you care, your manners are rusty
Despite your desire to express concern, your social skills are in need of improvement.
And you live wall to wall to the soul that you've lost
You are in close proximity to the person you've lost and their absence consumes you.
But you can't get it together to piece it back again
However, you are unable to pull yourself together and move on from the loss.
It looks like you've cut off your shadow
You appear to have disconnected from your own identity and sense of self.
Do you need it now, to know who you are?
Are you seeking external validation to define your own identity?
You've been hearing the truths at night
You have been contemplating harsh realities during moments of solitude.
Did you just hear the word 'coward'?
Did you recently hear someone question your courage or bravery?
What is brave? What is brave if you're not brave?
What truly constitutes bravery, and how can you embody it if you lack courage?
Contributed by Kennedy B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.