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.
Snakes and Ladders
Basia Bulat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Salt and pepper shakers over your shoulders, cross your heart.
Don't you know it's bad luck to stay in one place for too long?
You've been listening to voices in your head, helpless when they go.
So we play a game of snakes and ladders,
Gambled our mistakes, didn't know what could come after.
Threw away the cards. Who thinks it could matter?
When only you could be the one
To win out over me,
When it isn't just a game. It's the way we come undone.
What a perfect accident. How we dance around and,
oh, like we didn't even notice, oh oh oh oh oh.
I love the way we come undone.
Thought I saw something hiding in the yard
but it was bad weather to keep a watch out in the dark.
You know, all this time we've been playing for your heart
But I never let it on. I'll love watch you play the part.
So we played a game of snakes and ladders,
Gambled our mistakes, didn't know what could come after.
Threw away the cards. Who thinks it could matter?
Oh, who believes in fate anyway?
When only you could be the one
To win out over me,
When it isn't just a game. It's the way we come undone.
What a perfect accident. How we dance around and,
oh, like we didn't even notice, oh oh oh oh oh.
I love the way we come undone.
The lyrics of Basia Bulat's song Snakes and Ladders are full of metaphors, leaving room for different interpretations. The song seems to be about a relationship that is going through ups and downs, like a game of snakes and ladders. The first stanza talks about broken mirrors being a cry for art, which may suggest that the person is trying to create something beautiful out of the broken pieces of their life. The salt and pepper shakers over the shoulders are a superstitious gesture that may signify the person's belief in luck and their attempt to ward off bad luck. The line "Don't you know it's bad luck to stay in one place for too long?" may suggest that the person is restless and always seeking new experiences.
The chorus brings up the idea of fate and how it's difficult to believe in it when life is full of unexpected twists and turns. The person seems to be taking responsibility for their actions, even their mistakes, by saying that they gambled them away and threw away the cards. The second stanza talks about the person being the object of the game, with the other player (presumably the singer) playing along but not revealing their true feelings. The line "What a perfect accident. How we dance around and, oh, like we didn't even notice" suggests that the relationship may have been inadvertently sparked or developed despite the players' attempts to control it.
Overall, the song seems to be about the messy, unpredictable nature of relationships, and the challenges of navigating them.
Line by Line Meaning
These mirrors you've broken are your cry for art.
You've been searching for a way to express yourself, and breaking these mirrors is your attempt at making a statement or creating art.
Salt and pepper shakers over your shoulders, cross your heart.
You're feeling superstitious and trying to ward off bad luck with this action.
Don't you know it's bad luck to stay in one place for too long?
Stagnation is not good for you, and you should keep moving forward to avoid getting stuck in a rut.
You've been listening to voices in your head, helpless when they go.
You're struggling with your own thoughts and emotions, and sometimes feel powerless to control them.
So we play a game of snakes and ladders,
Life is like a game of snakes and ladders, with ups and downs and unexpected twists and turns.
Gambled our mistakes, didn't know what could come after.
You took risks and made some bad choices, without considering the consequences.
Threw away the cards. Who thinks it could matter?
You're questioning the importance of the decisions you've made, wondering if they even mattered in the grand scheme of things.
Oh, who believes in fate anyway?
You're questioning the idea of fate and whether it has any real control over your life.
When only you could be the one
You're realizing that ultimately, you are the only one who has control over your life and destiny.
To win out over me,
You or someone else has to come out on top in this competition or game.
When it isn't just a game. It's the way we come undone.
This isn't just a casual or fun game, it's something that's causing a lot of tension and may even be tearing you apart.
What a perfect accident. How we dance around and,
You're seeing the irony in how things have turned out, and how you and others are trying to avoid facing the consequences of your actions.
oh, like we didn't even notice, oh oh oh oh oh.
You're pretending that everything is okay and trying to cover up the mistakes that have been made.
I love the way we come undone.
Despite the chaos and turmoil, you still find beauty in the way things are falling apart.
Contributed by Julia Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ste - lios
***