Asaf Avidan (born March 23, 1980) is an Israeli singer-songwriter. From 200… Read Full Bio ↴Asaf Avidan (born March 23, 1980) is an Israeli singer-songwriter. From 2006 to 2011, he was part of the group Asaf Avidan & the Mojos, independently releasing three studio albums. In 2012, Avidan started a solo career

His vocal - sounding very much like the legendary Janis Joplin - is unmatched; and he sings primarily in English. "A genius... A new Messiah" (Rolling Stone Mexico) and "The most interesting voice in the Israeli music scene" are some of the accolades he has received.

Born in Jerusalem, Israel, to diplomats for the Israeli Foreign Office, Avidan spent four years of his childhood in Jamaica and also grew up in New York. In 2006, after breaking up with his long-time girlfriend, he moved back to Jerusalem desiring to pursue a music career. From 2006–2011 he featured in Asaf Avidan & the Mojos.

In 2012, Avidan released the single "Different Pulses", followed by the premiere of his debut solo studio album of the same name. The singer's follow-up record Gold Shadow (2015) was similarly successful in Europe, reaching Gold status in France. The Study on Falling followed in 2017.

Ode to My Thalamus
Asaf Avidan Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All signs point to that I'm getting old
The waves are rising and I take that dive
To hold a breath is not to be alive
I felt it then, I feel it now
I know its coming but I don't know how

It's taking us apart
this Helicase of love
We're nothing but post-modern art
what were we thinking of
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be
I'm constructing but I shouldn't be

My blood is boiling and the callus is hot
My veins are twisting in a sailor's knot
My Thalamus is growing down into my tongue
And all I taste is pain in every kiss and song
I know this story, and I know it well
The cracks are showing in my pearly shell

Outside I'm shaking and I feel them chills
There go both of my Achilles Heels
I fall down naked waiting for the storm
My arms are open, waiting to transform
The birds go flying, I hear them cry
I know it's coming but I don't know why

It's taking us apart, this
Helicase of love
We're nothing but post-modern art
what were we thinking of
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be

This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be

This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be

Overall Meaning

The song "Ode To My Thalamus" by Asaf Avidan is a poetic depiction of the turmoil caused by lost love. The opening lines' imagery suggests the arrival of an impending storm that will cause pain to the singer's heart. The birds are metaphors for the singer's intuition that can sense the difference between the calmness of a gentle breeze and the destruction brought by a storm.

The singer talks about feeling the same pain before, possibly hinting at a failed relationship that they might have experienced in the past. The lyrics describe the singer's sense of growing old and feeling different from their younger self, where they would go out and take risks, symbolized by a dive into the deep waters. But now, the singer cannot take that breath, indicating an inner struggle to live fully and embrace life.

The Helicase of Love is a metaphor used to describe the process of DNA replication involving unwinding of DNA strands. It signifies that love, like DNA, can break apart and need repair. The singer reflects on the transient nature of love and recognizes that they are nothing but post-modern art - a creation that is admired but ultimately worthless. The singer realizes the inevitability of the pain that comes with love, indicating that it is just how it has to be.

Line by Line Meaning

The clouds are gathering in the sky above
A feeling of impending trouble or darkness is approaching.

I know this one's gonna hurt my love
I know this pain is going to harm my loved one.

Birds are shouting through the Mangrove trees
Animals can sense trouble and the upcoming storm.

They know the difference between a storm and breeze
They can differentiate between a calm and a storm.

I too have felt this once before
I have experienced this same pain and upheaval before.

I hear that pounding and it's at my door
I hear trouble approaching, and it feels like it is at my doorstep.

Outside it's boiling, but the water is cold
The outside world may appear heated, but inside I can feel the chill of fear.

All signs point to that I'm getting old
My body and mind are showing signs of aging and wear and tear.

The waves are rising and I take that dive
I am bracing for impact while diving headfirst into the approaching storm.

To hold a breath is not to be alive
True life and living is the ability to let go and breathe, rather than holding onto fear and pain.

I felt it then, I feel it now
I have experienced this pain before, and it still feels the same.

I know its coming but I don't know how
I am aware of the approaching pain but have no idea how to handle it.

It's taking us apart this Helicase of love
This force of love that once bonded us is now tearing us apart like a helicase enzyme that separates DNA strands.

We're nothing but post-modern art what were we thinking of
Our relationship is nothing but art for display, and we did not think about the consequences.

This is how it has to be I'm constructing but I shouldn't be
This is the natural course of events, but I am still trying to build and change things, which I should not be doing.

My blood is boiling and the callus is hot
My emotions are running high, and my heart is hardened.

My veins are twisting in a sailor's knot
My emotions are contorted and entangled, like the knots in a sailor's rope.

My Thalamus is growing down into my tongue And all I taste is pain in every kiss and song
My emotions are affecting my physical sensations, and I can only taste pain in every aspect of my life.

I know this story, and I know it well The cracks are showing in my pearly shell
I am familiar with this pain and heartbreak, and it is starting to show in my exterior, even though I try to hide it.

Outside I'm shaking and I feel them chills There go both of my Achilles Heels
I am outside, and my body is trembling with fear, knowing that both my weaknesses are vulnerable and exposed.

I fall down naked waiting for the storm My arms are open, waiting to transform
I am surrendering to the pain and waiting for it to pass, openly allowing a transformation and change.

The birds go flying, I hear them cry I know it's coming but I don't know why
Even nature is warning of the upcoming storm and expressing a sense of mourning, but the reason for the pain is unclear.

This is how it has to be This is how it has to be This is how it has to be I'm constructing but I shouldn't be
Repeating the idea that this is how it has to be, even though efforts are being made to change things and redirect the outcome.

Writer(s): Asaf Avidan

Contributed by Samuel D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Cesar Espinal

The clouds are gathering in the sky above
I know this one's gonna hurt my love
Birds are shouting through the Mangrove trees
They know the difference between a storm and breeze
I too have felt this once before
I hear that pounding and it's at my door

Outside it's boiling but the water is cold
All signs point to that I'm getting old
The waves are rising and I take that dive
To hold a breath is not to be alive
I felt it then, I feel it now
I know its coming but I don't know how

It's taking us apart, this helicase of love
We're nothing but post-modern art, what were we thinking of?
This is how it has to be – This is how it has to be
I'm constructing but I shouldn't be

My blood is boiling and the callus is hot
My veins are twisting in a sailor's knot
My Thalamus is growing down into my tongue
And all I taste is pain in every kiss and song
I know this story, and I know it well
The cracks are showing in my pearly shell

Outside I'm shaking and I feel them chills
There go both of my Achilles Heels
I fall down naked waiting for the storm
My arms are open, waiting to transform
The birds go flying, I hear them cry
I know it's coming but I don't know why

It's taking us apart, this helicase of love
We're nothing but post-modern art, what were we thinking of
This is how it has to be, This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be, This is how it has to be
This is how it has to be, This is how it has to be