Khan graduated Brighton University, in music and visual arts, where her experimental multi-media / installation / animation / performance art's influences spanned tape loop / effects pioneer Steve Reich and installation / performance artist Susan Hiller. Afterwards, when working as a nursery school teacher, she began writing for her début. "Whenever I'm writing music it's a very visual place in my mind," she said, "It has a location full of characters and colours and landscapes, so those two things really complement each other, and they help the other one to blossom and support the other. They are like brother and sister." Bat for Lashes music has been likened to that of Björk (who herself attended Khan's early gigs), Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Annie Lennox, Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.
"The Wizard" was primarily released on 7-inch from Khan's own She Bear label and subsequently Fur and Gold on Echo. In 2007, she was honoured with a ASCAP Vanguard Award and selected to open the prestigious ASCAP Presents… 2007, 14 Mar in Austin, TX, USA (an industry showcase, within SXSW 2007). Later, via a small Manimal Vinyl Fur and Gold pressing (May 2007), Bat for Lashes transferred to Parlophone. She appeared at Glastonbury 2007 (23 June).
In July 2007, Fur and Gold, Joe's Pub, NYC, on 1 May 2007 recordings and a Plaid remix, yielded EP What's A Girl To Do? (7 Jul 2007, EMI). Then on the 17th, the album's 2007 Mercury Prize nomination was announced - despite being a UK media favourite to win, it lost to Klaxons' Myths of the Near Future. 25 Jul 2007, at Knitting Factory, Brooklyn, NY was the fist gig of a three month North American tour, interrupted only by European festival appearances.
In 2008, Bat for Lashes was nominated for Brit Awards ('Best British Breakthrough Act' and 'Best British Female'), her distinctive What's a Girl to Do? video brought her to prominence and, starting with Malahide Castle, Dublin, IE, on 6 Jun 2008, she toured with Radiohead for a month, opening more than a dozen European shows. Perfect As Cats: A Tribute to the Cure (Oct 2008, Manimal Vinyl), included her cover of A Forest.
The lead single for her second album was "Daniel" and released in March. On 23 February, Khan revealed in an interview on radio station XFM that the cover for the single had been shot on Brighton beach, near her home. She also designed a limited edition cover for Fact Magazine which coincided with an interview she did for them. Bat for Lashes released her second album Two Suns in April 2009, which received comparisons to the work of Stevie Nicks, Dolores O'Riordan and Fleetwood Mac.
Bat for Lashes live backing during the Two Suns tours, as March 2009, included among others: Ben Christophers, Charlotte Hatherley and Sarah Jones (drums - of New Young Pony Club). She appeared on BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. She performed an acoustic version of the single, "Daniel," and also covered "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon. Her first appearance on US broadcast television was 1 May 2009 on The Late Show with David Letterman, performing the song "Daniel". On May 15, 2009 she appeared on NPR (World Cafe) where she performed "Daniel", "Moon and Moon (piano only) and Prescilla".
On June 13, 2012 Bat for Lashes announced the title of her upcoming third studio album "The Haunted Man" to be released in October. The album was produced, as with Fur And Gold and Two Suns, by Faultline. While not performing as well in Europe as Two Suns, The Haunted Man was her highest charting album in the US to date, at #64. Singles "Laura", "All Your Gold", "A Wall", and "Lilies" followed.
Trophy
Bat for Lashes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In fur and gold
Got into the wrong pair of hands
And truth was sold
They bought it for, oh, so much less
Then it was worth
And every man that touched it
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
The queens and the court jesters
Clapped, adored
Their hearts swelled to overdrive
And mercy soared
Mercy this and mercy that
Let justice prevail
But I just want my trophy back
It's not for sale
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Creatures of mercy, shoot, shoot
Shoot them down and set me free
Creatures of mercy, shoot, shoot
Shoot them down and set me free
When I got my trophy back
It took some time
To polish it to gold from black
And shoot the lion
When I put it back inside
And locked the door
Our trophy of mercy
Is a trophy no more
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms
Creatures of mercy, shoot, shoot
Shoot them down and set me free
Creatures of mercy, shoot, shoot
Shoot them down and set me free
The lyrics of "Trophy" by Bat for Lashes narrate a story of a woman who made a trophy for her and her love. It's made of fur and gold and represents their love - a priceless and irreplaceable treasure. However, the trophy gets into the wrong hands, and it's sold for much less than it's worth. Everybody who touches it found a moment of heaven on earth, except for the singer. She wants her trophy back, but it seems like she's fighting a losing battle against the "queens and court jesters."
Throughout the song, there's a recurring theme of heaven and the singer's perception of it. She sings, "Heaven is a feeling I get in your arms," implying that the heaven she's been seeking all along can only be found with her lover. The meaning of the term is left ambiguous as it can mean different things to different people, but it's clear that the singer finds solace in her lover's arms.
In the final verse, the singer retakes her trophy and shoots the lion, signaling a clear triumph. This time, she takes time to polish it to its former glory and puts it back inside, locked away from unworthy hands. She concludes by saying that their trophy of mercy is no longer a trophy - it's something that belongs to them, it has gained a greater meaning, and no price can be put on it.
Line by Line Meaning
The trophy that I made for us
In fur and gold
Got into the wrong pair of hands
And truth was sold
The trophy that I crafted with care and affection from luxurious materials has been taken by someone who doesn't value it as I do, and they have misrepresented its true value.
They bought it for, oh, so much less
Then it was worth
And every man that touched it
Found a heaven on earth
The trophy was sold for much less than its actual value, and those who have possession of it feel immense happiness and satisfaction from having it.
The queens and the court jesters
Clapped, adored
Their hearts swelled to overdrive
And mercy soared
Even the highest members of society showed their admiration for the trophy, their hearts filled with joy and compassion.
Mercy this and mercy that
Let justice prevail
But I just want my trophy back
It's not for sale
While others talk of mercy and justice, the artist simply wants their trophy back and will not be convinced to sell it.
Creatures of mercy, shoot, shoot
Shoot them down and set me free
Creatures of mercy, shoot, shoot
Shoot them down and set me free
The artist is so desperate to regain their trophy that they wish harm upon those who possess it.
When I got my trophy back
It took some time
To polish it to gold from black
And shoot the lion
When the singer finally retrieves their trophy, it is in a disheveled state and needs to be cleaned and restored to its former glory. The reference to shooting the lion could be a metaphor for overcoming obstacles in order to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
When I put it back inside
And locked the door
Our trophy of mercy
Is a trophy no more
After successfully reclaiming and restoring their trophy, the singer decides to keep it locked away and out of the hands of those who do not appreciate it. The trophy is now a symbol of power rather than of compassion.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: NATASHA KHAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind