Chelsea Joy Wolfe was born in Roseville, California, and grew up in Sacramento. She is of Norwegian and German descent. Her father was in a country band and owned a home studio. By the age of 7, she had written her first poem and by the age of 9, she had written and recorded songs which she later described as "basically Casio-based gothy R&B songs."
Inspired by the dark state of the world and the strange connection between all things, she creates a unique musical blend of goth-folk, experimental rock and spiritual realm funeral songs. With influences ranging from the great minds of Ingmar Bergman and David Lynch to Soviet and end-times literature, her songs conjure visions of other dimensions, claustrophobic echo-rooms and parking garage cathedrals.
Wolfe has recorded seven full length studio albums: The Grime and the Glow, which was released on December 28th, 2010 on limited vinyl through Brooklyn’s Pendu Sound Recordings; Ἀποκάλυψις (pronounced “Apokalypsis”), which was released as a 12” LP on August 23rd, 2011; Unknown Rooms: a Collection of Acoustic Songs, which was released on October, 2012 through Sargent House; Pain Is Beauty, out September 3rd, 2013; Abyss, which was released August 7th, 2015; and Hiss Spun, out September 22nd, 2017; Birth of Violence[7i] which was released on September 13th, 2019.
Simple Death
Chelsea Wolfe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Compared to the end of it all
Dark, dark world
Dangerous religion
And all we have left to learn
Empty within
Empty without
Surrounded and estranged
Sometimes I don′t know
If I'll find the answer
Or if I′ve ever asked the question
Some nights I know I'll find the answer
In silence and I hear it cry
Lost and alone in confusion
I'm screaming
But I can′t wake up
We looked around
And all was dead
Our rotting bodies so deeply in love
Empty within
Empty without
But a voice keeps on whispering
Blue haze
White light
A desert storm
Midnight
Blue haze
White light
A desert storm
Midnight
The roads become rivers
The water starts to rise
Let me swim
I′m so scared to find
Sometimes I don't know
If I′ll find the answer
Or if I've ever asked the question
Some nights I know I′ll find the answer
In silence and I hear it cry
Lost and alone in confusion
I'm screaming
But I can′t wake up
The end of the beauty of it all
The end of the beauty of it all
The end of the beauty of it all
The end of the beauty of it all
The lyrics to Chelsea Wolfe's song "Simple Death" delve into themes of existentialism, despair, and the search for meaning in a dark and dangerous world. The opening line, "Simple death feels infinite compared to the end of it all," suggests that death may be a preferable alternative to the struggles and pain of life. The reference to a "dark, dark world" and a "dangerous religion" implies a sense of hopelessness and a lack of guidance or salvation.
The lines "Empty within, empty without" reflect a feeling of emptiness and detachment from oneself and the external world, while being "surrounded and estranged." This sense of disconnection is further emphasized in the following verses, where the singer expresses uncertainty about finding answers and questioning whether the right questions have been asked.
The repeated phrase "Lost and alone in confusion, I'm screaming but I can't wake up" implies a state of being trapped in a never-ending cycle of suffering and confusion. The despair deepens as the song progresses, with the mention of "rotting bodies deeply in love" suggesting the decay and futility of relationships.
The chorus, represented by the verses "Blue haze, white light, a desert storm, midnight," introduces a range of conflicting and intense emotions. The shifting imagery captures the turbulence and chaos experienced by the singer, perhaps symbolizing an internal struggle or a search for clarity.
Ultimately, the repetition of "The end of the beauty of it all" at the end of the song points to a bleak realization or acceptance that in the face of suffering and emptiness, the beauty that once existed has been extinguished.
Line by Line Meaning
Simple death feels infinite
The experience of death, despite being simple in its nature, feels never-ending
Compared to the end of it all
When compared to the ultimate end or cessation of existence
Dark, dark world
A world filled with darkness and despair
Dangerous religion
A belief system or ideology that poses risks and threats
And all we have left to learn
The only thing remaining for us to discover or understand
Empty within
Feeling devoid of emotions or a sense of fulfillment internally
Empty without
Feeling vacant or incomplete externally, lacking something meaningful
Surrounded and estranged
Feeling isolated and disconnected despite being in the midst of others
Sometimes I don't know
Occasionally, I experience uncertainty or doubt
If I'll find the answer
Whether I will discover the solution or truth
Or if I've ever asked the question
If I have actually posed the inquiry or doubt in the first place
Some nights I know I'll find the answer
Certain nights, I am confident that I will uncover the solution
In silence and I hear it cry
During moments of quiet reflection, I perceive the truth crying out or revealing itself
Lost and alone in confusion
Feeling adrift, isolated, and bewildered
I'm screaming
I express my desperation or anguish loudly
But I can't wake up
However, I am unable to escape or snap out of this state
We looked around
We observed our surroundings
And all was dead
Everything appeared lifeless or devoid of vitality
Our rotting bodies so deeply in love
Despite our decaying physical forms, our love was profoundly strong
But a voice keeps on whispering
Nevertheless, a voice persistently murmurs or speaks softly
Blue haze
A bluish or misty atmosphere
White light
An intense and bright illumination
A desert storm
A tempest or tumultuous event in a barren landscape
Midnight
The dark hour of nighttime
The roads become rivers
The paths transform into waterways
The water starts to rise
The water level begins to increase
Let me swim
Allow me to navigate or move through the water
I'm so scared to find
I am filled with fear at the prospect of discovering something
The end of the beauty of it all
The ultimate conclusion or termination of the splendor present in everything
Writer(s): Chelsea Joy Wolfe
Contributed by Victoria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@johannamoya479
Simple Death Lyrics
simple death feels infinite
compared to the end of it all
dark, dark world
dangerous religion
and all we have left to learn
empty within, empty without
surrounded and estranged
sometimes i don't know
if i'll find the answer
or if
i've ever asked the question
some nights i know i'll find the answer
in silence
i hear it cry
lost and alone in confusion
i'm screaming
but i can't wake up
we looked around
and all was dead
our rotting bodies so deeply in love
empty within, empty without
but a voice keeps on whispering:
blue haze
white light
a desert storm
midnight
blue haze
white light
a desert storm
midnight
the roads become rivers
the water starts to rise
let me swim
i'm so scared to find.
sometimes i don't know
if i'll find the answer
or if
i've ever asked the question
some nights i know i'll find the answer
in silence
i hear it cry
lost and alone in confusion
i'm screaming
but i can't wake up
the end of the beauty of it all
@timothyvancil4965
"Sometimes I don't know if I'll find the answer or if I've ever asked the question
some nights I know I'll find the answer in silence and I hear it cry
lost and alone in confusion I'm screaming but I can't wake up"
This lyric has haunted me since I first heard it in 2015.
@Thalamea7
i cant describe in words, how wonderful this song is...
@ASWV
Maw, Iron Moon and Simple Death, my favorites <3 but the entire album is..... more than amazing and beautiful. Masterpiece.
@XxInvaderLillyxX
When I first heard this song I felt my soul leave my body. I'm so in love
@CristinaMassieu
This song breaks my heart in the most beautiful way possible.
@miguelitomarques8
It's like loving and being loved by sadness and death. A beautiful darkened embrace.
@raquelsantos8184
totally ! this is magical
@brent45928
I'm in love. This album is nearly perfect.
@rainbo32
This song makes me cry every time ... Such a strong feeling of the approaching end. It's like I'm getting closer to the edge of life.
Same as "Eve" by Converge.
@andrzejsyrkowski3626
My life captured in one piece. How is it possible?