Tabula Rasa
Björk Lyrics


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We are all swollen
From hiding his affairs
Let's put it all on the table
Let it all out
It is time
He mustn't steal our light

Clean plate
Tabula rasa for my children
Clean plate
Not repeating the fuckups of the fathers

My deepest wish
Is that you're immersed in grace and dignity
But you will have to deal with shit soon enough
I hoped to give you the least amount of luggage
Got the right to make your own fresh mistakes
And not repeat others' failures

Clean plate
Tabula rasa for my children
Let's clean up
Break the chain of the fuckups of the fathers
It is time
For us women to rise and not just take it lying down
It is time
The world is listening

Oh, how I love you
Embarrassed to pass this mess over to you
But he led two lives
Thought ours was the only one

You are strong
You are strong




You are strong
You're so strong

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Tabula Rasa by Björk speak to the theme of generational cycles and how they can impact the lives of future generations. The opening lines, "We are all swollen, from hiding his affairs," suggest that there has been a history of secrets and infidelity in the family. The singer is calling for honesty and transparency, to "put it all on the table" and "let it all out." The line "He mustn't steal our light" reflects a desire to break free from the cycle of lies and deception that has been passed down.


The chorus speaks to the concept of tabula rasa, Latin for "blank slate," which refers to the idea that humans are born with a blank slate and that their experiences and environment shape who they become. The singer wants to create a "clean plate" for their children, to break the cycle of mistakes made by previous generations. They hope to give their children the "least amount of luggage" possible, meaning they don't want their children to carry the burden of their mistakes and failures.


Line by Line Meaning

We are all swollen
We are all burdened and overwhelmed


From hiding his affairs
From concealing his wrongdoing from others


Let's put it all on the table
Let's be open and honest about everything


Let it all out
Let's express all of our emotions and feelings


It is time
It is necessary and overdue


He mustn't steal our light
He must not diminish our worth or potential


Clean plate
Starting anew with a fresh beginning


Tabula rasa for my children
A blank slate for my children to start on


Not repeating the fuckups of the fathers
Not making the same mistakes future generations have


My deepest wish
My greatest desire


Is that you're immersed in grace and dignity
Is that you live with elegance and poise


But you will have to deal with shit soon enough
But you will eventually have to face difficult situations


I hoped to give you the least amount of luggage
I wanted to spare you unnecessary baggage


Got the right to make your own fresh mistakes
Have the freedom to make new and different mistakes


And not repeat others' failures
And learn from the mistakes of others so as not to repeat them


Let's clean up
Let's remove the clutter and mess


Break the chain of the fuckups of the fathers
End the cycle of repeating past mistakes


For us women to rise and not just take it lying down
For women to stand up and assert themselves rather than being passive


The world is listening
The world is paying attention and receptive to change


Oh, how I love you
Oh, how I deeply care for you


Embarrassed to pass this mess over to you
Ashamed to present this complicated situation to you


But he led two lives
But he was living a double life


Thought ours was the only one
Thought our relationship was the only one he had


You are strong
You possess inner strength


You're so strong
Your strength is remarkable


You are strong
Once again affirming the recipient's inner strength




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Bjork Guomundsdottir

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

yours inminoli

[Verse 1]
We are all swollen
From hiding his affairs
Let's put it all on the table
Let it all out
It is time
He mustn't steal our light

[Chorus 1]
Clean plate: Tabula rasa for my children
Clean plate: Not repeating the fuck-ups of the fathers

[Verse 2]
My deepest wish
Is that you’re immersed in grace and dignity
But you will have to deal with shit soon enough
I hoped to give you the least amount of luggage
Got the right to make your own fresh mistakes
And not repeat others' failures

[Chorus 2]
Clean plate: Tabula rasa for my children
Let's clean up: Break the chain of the fuck-ups of the fathers
It is time: For us women to rise and not just take it lying down
It is time: The world is listening

[Interlude]
Oh, how I love you
Embarrassed to pass this mess over to you
But he led two lives
Thought ours was the only one

[Outro]
You are strong
You are strong
You are strong
You're so strong



minty

Lyrics

We are all swollen
From hiding his affairs
Let's put it all on the table
Let it all out
It is time
He mustn't steal our light
Clean plate
Tabula rasa for my children
Clean plate
Not repeating the fuckups of the fathers
My deepest wish
Is that you're immersed in grace and dignity
But you will have to deal with shit soon enough
I hoped to give you the least amount of luggage
Got the right to make your own fresh mistakes
And not repeat others' failures
Clean plate
Tabula rasa for my children
Let's clean up
Break the chain of the fuckups of the fathers
It is time
For us women to rise and not just take it lying down
It is time
The world is listening
Oh, how I love you
Embarrassed to pass this mess over to you
But he led two lives
Thought ours was the only one
You are strong
You are strong
You are strong
You're so strong



All comments from YouTube:

Emma Jones

i am quite certain he simply filmed Bjork as she is, without the human filter . beautiful.

Loot Leo

Emma Jones agreed!

D's Enlightened Edits

This lol 🧚‍♀️👽🧚‍♀️

crypthor

you are goddamn right!

Livyatan1988uk

She's 'woke, famme.

suzy2anyone

Wow I was thinking same 🌺🧜🦋🌻

7 More Replies...

Jahfre Colbert

"break the chain of the fuck up of the fathers...for us women to rise up and not just take it lying down. The world is listening" WOW. This is just gorgeous. She's so raw and explicit with her emotions in this track, the message is so clear and I'm crying now. Tabula Rasa is IT.

Lachlan Keddie

I love the fact that despite the fact that she's been around for so many years, she hasn't lost the quintessential qualities and unique features that make Björk who she is.

Like, how many artists can manage to remain so thoroughly true to form whilst still coming up with such new, groundbreaking content after literally decades? A small handful, sure, but not many...

Dr. B. THINKIN

Genius.

Valentino Miller

How does one lose their quintessential qualities? Because fans fail to continue to connect to their faves does not mean their faves have lost their qualities that make them them. Certain fans refuse to understand that their faves, just like EVERYONE ELSE, grow, evolve, and sometimes that evolution is no longer aligned with where certain fans are; when that happens, we should move on and enjoy our faves' laurels, since the newer output is no longer connecting. I want to understand what you mean, but your wording is arrogant and possessive. We don't own these people.

Many would argue this evolved version of Bjork is less attractive than the Bjork of "Pluto'', "Big Time Sensuality", "Human Behaviour", etc., so...

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