She appeared in the September edition of Now! Magazine. She also appeared on the LOLA 2007 line-up, using her lush instrumental back-ups to accompany her reedy voice. Her first album has been hailed in the Exclaim! monthly newspaper and on several online publications.
Basia was nominated in 2010 for a Polaris Music Prize and nominated in 2011 for a Juno in the Best New Artist category.
Heart Of My Own
Basia Bulat Lyrics
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Down on these walls
Burning my arms
I've been alarmed of what is said by you
For every word I could undo
I've been uncrossed, and I've been untrue
I've been the thorn, I've been the heart
The light in your verse and the shadow between
The way that I was when I used to know
If I go, what do I hold?
Oh, the maid or the mother I'll be
If only the loom and the thread were whole
It is work to be dancing out here
If tomorrow I'm mending the empty bones
There are roses that come without seeking
There are the ones that I have to sow
In your verses that I am repeating
The way that I was when I used to know
I wrote on these walls a simple charm to keep the wolves at bay
Gave all my heart the strength of my arms
To hold you close and safe
But I kept my eyes closed, I'll never know
Where the shadows are these days
I stood in the room of a house divided
And it washed away from me
Oh, and it washed away from me
Oh, and it washed away from me
It washed away from me to take my own
Burn it down low
The light in your verse and the shadow between
The way that I was when I used to know
If I go, what do I hold?
Oh, the maid or the mother I'll be
If only the loom and the thread were whole
It is work to be dancing out here
If tomorrow I'm mending the empty bones
There are roses that come without seeking
There are the ones that I have to sow
In your verses that I am repeating
The way that I was when I used to know
The lyrics to Basia Bulat's song Heart Of My Own reflect a sense of introspection and exploration of identity. The opening lines refer to being burned by someone's words and the desire to undo them. The singer acknowledges that she has not always been true to herself and has been both a thorn and a heart to others. Despite this, she identifies that she has her own heart that she must protect and keep burning low. The references to the "light in your verse and the shadow between" hint at a complicated relationship dynamic that has caused turmoil within the singer. She questions what she will hold onto if she goes and whether she will be a maid or a mother, suggesting a choice between independence and nurturing.
The chorus then repeats the lines about burning down low and the roses that come without seeking, suggesting a continued need for introspection and growth. The singer also acknowledges that there are certain things she must sow and repeat in order to continue to grow in the way she used to know. The closing lines talk about a charm to keep the wolves at bay, but also the realization that the shadows have washed away from her and she is left to take her own path.
Overall, the lyrics to Heart Of My Own convey a sense of personal growth, introspection, and the struggles of identity. The singer acknowledges past mistakes and the need to protect her own heart and grow in her own way.
Line by Line Meaning
Under that burning ether that falls
Amidst the intense heat and discomfort
Down on these walls
Within these confines
Burning my arms
Causing physical pain and harm
I've been alarmed of what is said by you
Feeling anxious and worried about your words
For every word I could undo
Wishing to take back and erase every word spoken
I've been uncrossed, and I've been untrue
Having acted without integrity and honesty
I've been the thorn, I've been the heart
Alternating between causing harm and love
But the heart of my own - burn it down low
Keeping my own emotions hidden and subdued
The light in your verse and the shadow between
The balance between your words and their impact
The way that I was when I used to know
The way I used to understand things
If I go, what do I hold?
If I leave, what will I keep with me?
Oh, the maid or the mother I'll be
Deciding between different roles in life
If only the loom and the thread were whole
If only everything in life was complete and perfect
It is work to be dancing out here
It takes effort to navigate through life
If tomorrow I'm mending the empty bones
If I spend my time fixing what's broken and empty
There are roses that come without seeking
There are good things that come unexpectedly
There are the ones that I have to sow
There are good things that require effort and patience
In your verses that I am repeating
In the words I hear from you and repeat
I wrote on these walls a simple charm to keep the wolves at bay
I tried to protect myself from danger with a simple solution
Gave all my heart the strength of my arms
Gave all of myself to love and protect you
To hold you close and safe
To keep you out of harm's way
But I kept my eyes closed, I'll never know
I avoided seeing the truth and will never fully understand
Where the shadows are these days
Where danger and harm might be lurking now
I stood in the room of a house divided
I was caught in a conflicted and divided situation
And it washed away from me
All of it disappeared and left me alone
It washed away from me to take my own
It left me with only my own thoughts and feelings
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Basia Bulat
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dn2817
Under that burning ether that falls
Down on these walls
Burning my arms
I've been alarmed of what is said by you
For every word I could undo
I've been uncrossed, and I've been untrue
I've been the thorn, I've been the heart
But the heart of my own - burn it down low
The light in your verse and the shadow between
The way that I was when I used to know
If I go, what do I hold?
Oh, the maid or the mother I'll be
If only the loom and the thread were whole
It is work to be dancing out here
If tomorrow I'm mending the empty bones
There are roses that come without seeking
There are the ones that I have to sow
In your verses that I am repeating
The way that I was when I used to know
I wrote on these walls a simple charm to keep the wolves at bay
Gave all my heart the strength of my arms
To hold you close and safe
But I kept my eyes closed, I'll never know
Where the shadows are these days
I stood in the room of a house divided
And it washed away from me
Oh, and it washed away from me
Oh, and it washed away from me
It washed away from me to take my own
Burn it down low
The light in your verse and the shadow between
The way that I was when I used to know
If I go, what do I hold?
Oh, the maid or the mother I'll be
If only the loom and the thread were whole
It is work to be dancing out here
If tomorrow I'm mending the empty bones
There are roses that come without seeking
There are the ones that I have to sow
In your verses that I am repeating
The way that I was when I used to know
@aliciasai3296
LYRICS
Under that burning
Ether that falls
Down on these walls
Burnin' my arms
I've been alone
When I sat by you
For every word I could undo
I've been uncrossed
And I've been untrue
I've been the thorn
I've been the hunt
With a heart of my own
Burn it down low
The light in your verse
And the shadow between
The way that I was when I used to roam
Back home
What do I hold?
For the maid or the mother I'll be
If only the loom and a thread will hold
It is work too but as that I hear it
Tomorrow I'll mend it
The empty bones
There are the roses that come without seekin'
They are the ones that I have to sow
In your verses that I have repeated
The way that I was when I used to know
I wrote on these walls
A simple charm
To keep the wounds at bay
Gave of a heart
The strength of my arms
To hold you close and safe
But I kept my eyes closed
I'll never know
Where the shadows are these days
I stood in the room of a house divided
Ah, and it washed away from me
It washed away from me, oh
And It washed away from me
It washed away to take my own
Burn it down low
The light in your verse
And the shadow between
The way that I was when I used to roam
Back home
What do I hold?
For the maid or the mother I'll be
If only the loom and a thread will hold
It is work too but as that I hear it
Tomorrow I meant it
The empty bones
There are the roses that come without sinkin'
They are the ones that I have to sow
In your verses that I have repeated
The way that I was when I used to know
@deprofundis3293
Have I said how much I love this song? It's been life changing. Seriously.
@risumotus
I believe you. Basia is great.
@caracoolio
she opened for wintersleep in my town and in between her songs someone yelled "youre beautiful" and she said back "so are you". her raw talent is incredible and shes a beautiful person! i bought her album that night and spoke to her, she was so nice. this video deserves so many more views :c
@risumotus
Basia's music is not for everybody. She doesn't make commercial music, but music of a real musically talented musician. I think she has a group of steady admirers. I am a big fan already for many years. Absolutely love her music.
@deprofundis3293
This song is one of my anthems. I can't express how much I love it!
@samanthahaugen9567
That was amazing! I’ve never heard her before, but wow, absolutely beautiful lyrics and perfect voice for it, too. Made my night!
@Wythergrange
Never heard of her before NOW!!! LOVE that voice!!!!
@iandavidson3223
I love this song so much! I especially liked it when she sang it live in Massey Hall. 🙂
@highlyfavored2434
I watched her live and she plays all sorts of instruments.. I was blown away:)
@risumotus
Yes, she plays also very strange instruments. She is so talented.