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.
Survive
Chelsea Wolfe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unless you do
You said you won't fall apart
Until the end
Did we travel all this way
Just to survive
Did you stay another day?
We could survive
All the sinners and the saints
Move in the same direction
They walk in place
Until the end
Ramble on this barren place
We call our home
Dreams of endless landscapes
Morphing, in love
In Chelsea Wolfe's song "Survive," the lyrics are poignant yet melancholic which seems to reflect on the themes of love, brokenness and the pain of survival. The lyrics suggest a person who is afraid of heartbreak, someone who has been through difficult times and is unsure of whether or not they are ready for love again. The opening line "You said you won't break my heart, unless you do" implies the fear of heartbreak and the paradoxical nature of trust- it's a leap of faith, something that can easily be dashed to pieces.
The following line "You said you won't fall apart until the end," highlights the idea that one person may rely on another for survival, holding onto each other through thick and thin. As the song progresses, it seems to suggest that survival is the main goal of a broken relationship, and the couple has come to this understanding.
The chorus drives this point by questioning whether they have gone through everything together to merely survive. The closing line of the chorus "We could survive" stands as a possibility, a hope, that they can keep going together.
The second verse of the song talks about how all people, good or bad, walk in the same direction. It is an observation that despite all our differences, we all strive to survive, to live through our challenges, to come out of the other side mostly intact. The barren place is a metaphor for a world that is often cruel, unforgiving and inhospitable, where one has to fight to survive. The song seems to suggest that in spite of all the pain, hope still exists, as the singer dreams of endless landscapes morphing in love.
Line by Line Meaning
You said you won′t break my heart
You promised not to hurt me emotionally
Unless you do
But there's a possibility that you might
You said you won't fall apart
You assured me that you won't break down
Until the end
Until the very end of our journey
Did we travel all this way
Have we come this far
Just to survive
Just to stay alive and make it through
Did you stay another day?
Did you choose to keep going despite the struggles?
We could survive
Together, we have the ability to make it through anything
All the sinners and the saints
Everyone, regardless of their moral compass
Move in the same direction
We all strive towards the same goals
They walk in place
Yet, sometimes we feel like we're not making any progress
Until the end
Until the end of their journey
Ramble on this barren place
Wandering aimlessly in this desolate space
We call our home
The place we reside, whether it's comforting or not
Dreams of endless landscapes
Fantasies of boundless wonder
Morphing, in love
Evolving and changing, through the power of love
Writer(s): Chelsea Joy Wolfe
Contributed by Victoria P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Natália Germano
YOU SAID YOU WON’T BREAK MY HEART
UNLESS YOU DO
YOU SAID YOU WON’T FALL APART
UNTIL THE END
DID WE TRAVEL ALL THIS WAY
JUST TO SURVIVE
DID YOU STAY ANOTHER DAY?
WE COULD SURVIVE
ALL THE SINNERS AND THE SAINTS
MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION
THEY WALK IN PLACE
UNTIL THE END
RAMBLE ON THIS BARREN PLACE
WE CALL OUR HOME
DREAMS OF ENDLESS LANDSCAPES
MORPHING, IN LOVE
God's Warrior
You said you won't break my heart
Unless you do
You said you won't fall apart
Until the end
Did we travel all this way
Just to survive?
Did you stay another day?
We could survive
All the sinners and the saints
Move in the same direction
They walk in place
Until the end
Ramble on this barren place
We call our home
Dreams of endless landscapes
Morphing in love
Анастасия Кошман
You said you won't break my heart
Unless you do
You said you won't fall apart
Until the end
Did we travel all this way
Just to survive?
Did you stay another day?
We could survive
All the sinners and the saints
Move in the same direction
They walk in place
Until the end
Ramble on this barren place
We call our home
Dreams of endless landscapes
Morphing in love
Harry Osborne
@Steve Dambro I think you missed the entire point of bryces last scene. He said what he had to say in order to goad Alex into pushing him off.
“But he yelled help” Yeah. He’s drowning. Who is going to drown stoically? That isn’t evidence that he didn’t want to be pushed off.
The actor that played Bryce knows what he’s doing. Even if that wasn’t the intent of the writers, you can tell in his performance that Bryce wanted to end it.
Why would he think that what Zach did to his knee was an injustice following what he did to zachs?
You’re correct. His outburst was out of nowhere. Because it wasn’t real.
Ominous
It's like listening to a gothic version of Radiohead or Portishead. Absolutely fantastic!
Laura Martinez Merino
I think this track is one of the gems of the abyss. It's painfully beauty. As a whole, the record is a perfect mix of electronic moments, folk, metal and goth. I used to hate metal and goth genres but in the way that Chelsea makes use of it, so subtle and smart you don't even notice. Chelsea made one stop beyond. It's a very inspiring album.
Natália Germano
YOU SAID YOU WON’T BREAK MY HEART
UNLESS YOU DO
YOU SAID YOU WON’T FALL APART
UNTIL THE END
DID WE TRAVEL ALL THIS WAY
JUST TO SURVIVE
DID YOU STAY ANOTHER DAY?
WE COULD SURVIVE
ALL THE SINNERS AND THE SAINTS
MOVE IN THE SAME DIRECTION
THEY WALK IN PLACE
UNTIL THE END
RAMBLE ON THIS BARREN PLACE
WE CALL OUR HOME
DREAMS OF ENDLESS LANDSCAPES
MORPHING, IN LOVE
marcelo felipe
Br ? Kk
Know MAGICK
thnxxxxx
Vanessa Nelissen
Well shit, discovered this on Spotify by random... This is fucking bliss.
Jacek Dziamecki
Great text, well said, well sung
Proud_Oasis
Sean Zawko Ok
Ryan
This is an amazing track. My favourite from 'Abyss'.
keir farnum
They’re ALL good! It’s like she can do no wrong.