Howl
Bat for Lashes Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Howl into the night
To the still of the dark
Shout into the silence
And etch out your bark
How angry you are
You won't take it anymore
And watch as the people run to your door
They hurt your heart
They hurt it well
And came to your assistance
In a humanitarian swell

Werewolf howl
Werewolf howl
Roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl
Werewolf howl

(Roar, scream, shriek)
Howl
(Yip, yowl)
Howl
(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek)
Howl
(Yip, yowl)
(Werewolf)

They came from the sky
They came from the fields
They rode in unsinking boats
Rented their gloves and coats

They hurt your heart
They hurt it well
And came to your assistance
In a humanitarian swell

Werewolf howl
Werewolf howl
Roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl
Werewolf howl

(Roar, scream, shriek)
Howl
(Yip, yowl)
Howl
(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek)
Howl
(Yip, yowl)

(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl)
(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl)
(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl)
(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl)




(Werewolf)
(Werewolf)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of this song by Bat for Lashes, 'Howl', revolve around expressing one's anger, standing up for oneself and unleashing one's inner strength. The singer exhorts the listener to howl into the night, shout into the silence and etch out their bark, indicating that she wants them to make themselves heard and mark their presence. The repeated line 'Werewolf howl' is a metaphor for shedding one's inhibitions, letting go of societal norms, and unleashing one's primal instincts. The reference to werewolf is apt since it symbolizes the duality of human nature, the ability to be both gentle and fierce.


The second half of the song talks about people who hurt the singer's heart and the humane ones who came to her assistance. This may refer to a personal situation or a broader perspective on society's injustices. The line 'They came from the sky, They came from the fields, They rode in unsinking boats' hints at the fact that help could come from unexpected places, and from those who are not like us. The message conveyed is that we must howl and scream to let the world know of our pain and that help can come; we need to look beyond our immediate surroundings and seek out those who are willing to help us.


Line by Line Meaning

Howl into the night
Shout out your feelings loudly and fiercely with a sense of urgency and desperation, into the darkness of the night.


To the still of the dark
To the quietness and calmness of the night where not even the slightest sound can be heard.


Shout into the silence
Speak out despite the absence of any sound, in defiance of the quiet environment around you.


And etch out your bark
Forcefully and permanently engrave your words into the memories of your audience by giving them a lasting impact.


How angry you are
The depth of anger and frustration you have experienced.


You won't take it anymore
You have reached your limit, and you will not tolerate it any longer.


And watch as the people run to your door
Your outburst has attracted attention, and now people are coming to you to express their support.


They hurt your heart
Someone or something has caused you deep emotional pain.


They hurt it well
The situation has caused the pain to penetrate deep into your being, and it feels very real.


And came to your assistance
Others have stepped in to help you, offering sympathy and support.


In a humanitarian swell
The response from the community is one of compassion and empathy, with an overwhelming desire to help.


Werewolf howl
A powerful, intense expression of emotion, resembling that of a werewolf's howl.


Roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl
A list of sounds that contribute to the overall wildness and ferocity of the howl.


They came from the sky
People arrive suddenly and dramatically, without warning, as if falling from the heavens.


They came from the fields
People arrive after working hard in the fields, or from farming areas.


They rode in unsinking boats
People arrive on stable boats, providing a sense of consistency and reliability.


Rented their gloves and coats
People are willing to go out of their way to help, even to the extent of renting equipment they do not normally have.


(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek)
A more specific reference to the sounds of a werewolf's howl, including the guttural and ferocious noises.


(Yip, yowl)
Softer and higher-pitched noises, reminiscent of animals such as dogs and foxes, but still contributing to a sense of wildness.


(Werewolf roar, scream, shriek, yip, yowl)
The combination of all of these different sounds together create an intense, emotional expression of inner turmoil and ferocity.


(Werewolf)
A final reference to the werewolf, as a symbol of the wildness and untamed emotions being expressed in the song.




Contributed by Eliana C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Elinia Tollea

I thought about this song out of blue after so long. It still sounds just as lovely.

56bluegold

Love this song !

Diana Lechuga

awesomeeeee♥ if someone asked me wish bat for lashes song is my favorite I don't think I'd be able to pick only one of 'em. I think they are all great and special.

looloo jenkinz

how come ive never heard this song beforee? :O its great xx

IndigoPhlogiston

I love her! I'm On Fire was on our feminist discussion group's summer mix. Now I'm hooked!

Tom J

That's such a phenomenal cover

Karen Bashley

I was sectioned once, for not taking the medicines I was prescribed and because the doctors refused to listen. I heard grown men screaming out of sight in the middle of the night. :d*

NS222

MartinJrMedina, I want to buy all the BFL singles and EP's ... But I cannot find them ! Did you buy them all from Ebay ? Nice upload btw, thanks ! :) I love Natasha's music !

Sharon Simons

She wolf

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