Their first album, Native Speaker (2011), has received mostly praise from critics, remarkable for its innovative melodies and Standell-Preston's "dynamic" vocals.
Keyboardist Katie Lee left the group during the recording of their 2013 album, Flourish // Perish. Raphaelle Standell-Preston is also the vocal half of Blue Hawaii.
The 30th of April 2015 they released 'Deep In The Iris', their third album.
Glass Deers
Braids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I found my place not feeling well
Now I'm at such great heights here
Now look at me, my deers
Oh, I'm fucked up
Oh, I'm fucked up
Oh, I'm fucked up
I found my place in the wishing well
I found my place not feeling well
Now I'm at such great heights here
Now look at me, my deers
Oh, I'm fucked up
Oh, I'm fucked up
Oh, I'm fucked up
Oh, I'm fucked up
He, doesn't make any sound
He, doesn't make any sound
He just slaps my thighs
He just slaps my thighs
He just slaps my thighs
And his back bone
Is grabbing my hand
'Cause God knows
God knows what I do best
And his back bone
Is sipping up sand
'Cause I know
I know what makes a man
So I
Should you
He doesn't make any sound
He doesn't make any sound
He just slaps my thighs
He just slaps my thighs
He just slaps my thighs
He just slaps my
He just slaps my thighs
The opening lines of Braids’ Glass Deers appear to be a proclamation of finding oneself after a period of self-discovery. The wishing well is a metaphor for introspection, as if the persona had to dig deep within themselves and work through their inner turmoil. The second line about not feeling well could either refer to a physical illness or mental state. Either way, it serves as a contrast to finding their place in the wishing well. The third and fourth lines are an acknowledgement of their current state of feeling ‘at such great heights,’ possibly the result of the journey they went through. This is reinforced by the repetition of ‘now’ in the line, ‘Now I’m at such great heights here.’ It’s almost as if they’re looking at themselves from an outsider’s perspective, saying ‘look at me, my deers’, as if to celebrate the achievement of finding themselves and reaching this moment.
The chorus, which consists of only four words, ‘Oh, I’m fucked up,’ is an interesting contrast to the opening lines, which seem to imply a newfound state of self-awareness. Instead, it seems to suggest that despite finding their place in the wishing well and being at great heights, there’s still something that is causing them distress or discomfort. The repetition of the line reinforces this idea, almost like an internal mantra constantly reminding them of their shortcomings.
The second half of the song is more abstract and difficult to interpret. It appears to be a stream of consciousness, or a series of fragmented thoughts that don’t necessarily connect to one another. The lines ‘He just slaps my thighs/and his back bone/is grabbing my hand’ seem to suggest a sexual activity or encounter, but it’s not clear who ‘he’ is. The line ‘God knows what I do best’ could imply a level of intimacy or familiarity with the act being performed. The final lines of the song, ‘So I/Should you/He just slaps my thighs’ create a sense of confusion, as if the persona is unsure of what they’re feeling or what they should do next.
Line by Line Meaning
I found my place in the wishing well
I have found a place of comfort where I can escape my troubles, similar to throwing a penny into a wishing well.
I found my place not feeling well
I have found a place where I can feel unwell and not judged for it, perhaps a mental state or a physical location.
Now I'm at such great heights here
I have achieved a certain level of success or euphoria beyond my previous state of being.
Now look at me, my deers
I have achieved something great and want to show it off to those close to me.
Oh, I'm fucked up
I am not in a good mental or emotional state, and may be struggling with addiction or other issues.
He doesn't make any sound
The person(s) involved in this situation are not vocal about their emotions or thoughts.
He just slaps my thighs
There is some sort of physical intimacy or roughness in this situation.
And his back bone
The other person involved has a strong or sturdy backbone, potentially metaphorical.
Is grabbing my hand
They are pulling the artist in, potentially manipulating them or exerting power over them.
'Cause God knows
This phrase may serve as an emphasis, indicating that something significant or possibly divine is involved.
God knows what I do best
The singer has a particular skill or talent that they excel at, potentially something forbidden or taboo.
And his back bone
The other person involved still has a strong, sturdy backbone.
Is sipping up sand
They are taking in something dirty or undesirable, perhaps related to the physical environment or drugs.
'Cause I know
This phrase may indicate a sense of understanding, wisdom, or confidence on the singer's part.
I know what makes a man
The singer has knowledge of what qualities or actions define masculinity or manhood, potentially in a negative or degrading way.
So I
The artist may be about to take a particular action or make a decision.
Should you
The other person involved should follow the artist's lead or do what they say.
He just slaps my thighs
The physical intimacy or roughness continues.
He just slaps my thighs
The physical intimacy or roughness continues.
He just slaps my thighs
The physical intimacy or roughness continues.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Austin Tufts, Katherine Lee, Raphaelle Standell Preston, Taylor Bonner Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind