Ditto came to wider public attention in November 2006 when she was selected by NME as the coolest person in rock - placing at number one in the magazine's annual Cool List. The magazine cited her 'non-conformity' as the reason for her selection - she is a lesbian, an outspoken advocate of gay rights, and a punk.
Her debut release was the self-titled EP, "Beth Ditto", in 2011.
In 2017, her newest album "Fake Sugar" came out.
Clouds
Beth Ditto Lyrics
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Get a feel for this place
And maybe I'll just stay put
It won't go anywhere
There's not a whole lot that I could do
To get you off my mind
Not that I wanted to
Not that I haven't tried
And then I go
Oh woah, oh woah-oh-oh
Oh woah, will they ever know?
Oh woah, oh woah-oh-oh
Oh woah, will they ever know?
In there's the sun
The kind of quiet that hurts
The kind you can't explain
You can't quite put into words
I'm surrounded by pieces of you
Frozen in time
For no good reason
Mmm
But you're only as far as the moon and stars
I'm remembering how great you are
And I'm wondering
Mmm
If they know
Oh woah, will they ever know?
Oh woah, will they ever know?
Oh woah, will they ever know?
Oh woah, will they ever know?
And in the sun
You'd run more
The lyrics of Beth Ditto’s song Clouds are about the aftermath of a breakup and the internal struggle to move on from someone who has left a significant impact on one's life. The singer starts by acknowledging that she’s in a new place and that she might move around to get a feel of the new environment, but no matter where she goes, the memories of her former lover persist in her mind. She admits that she has tried to forget about the person, but it seems impossible. The verse ends with the singer wondering if anyone will ever know what she’s going through.
In the chorus, the singer expresses her frustration with the complicated emotions she’s experiencing. The repetition of “oh woah, will they ever know?” emphasizes the feeling of loneliness and isolation she’s feeling. The bridge describes the type of quiet that hurts, the one that surrounds her after the end of a relationship. She expresses her thoughts on how her former lover is still present in her life, frozen in time, even though she has tried to put the relationship behind her. She acknowledges how great the person was and wonders if anyone else knows just how amazing the person is.
Overall, Clouds is a haunting and melancholic song that explores the complexity of emotions after a breakup. It’s a relatable feeling that many people go through, where the memories of a past relationship linger, and the internal struggle to move on from them can feel overwhelming.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I'll walk around
Contemplating exploring the area
Get a feel for this place
Sensing the atmosphere of the surroundings
And maybe I'll just stay put
Considering remaining stationary
It won't go anywhere
Awareness that the environment will not transform
There's not a whole lot that I could do
Acknowledging lack of influence in a situation
To get you off my mind
Attempts to forget someone prove unsuccessful
Not that I wanted to
No desire to forget this person
Not that I haven't tried
Struggling with letting go despite efforts to do so
And then I go
Escaping reality
Oh woah, oh woah-oh-oh
Expression of emotions that can't be described
Oh woah, will they ever know?
Questioning if others can relate
In there's the sun
Referring to a dreamlike state
The kind of quiet that hurts
A silence that is painful
The kind you can't explain
Difficulty in justifying the sensation being experienced
You can't quite put into words
Inability to articulate thoughts or feelings
I'm surrounded by pieces of you
Reminders of a person who is no longer present
Frozen in time
Memories that remain unchanged
For no good reason
Without any logical justification
But you're only as far as the moon and stars
Distance does not diminish feelings
I'm remembering how great you are
Thoughts of fondness
And I'm wondering
Pondering a question
Oh woah, will they ever know?
Asking if others can understand such emotions
And in the sun
Reference to a pleasant memory
You'd run more
Recollection of someone's playful nature
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Mary Beth Patterson, Jennifer Decilveo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind