Barnett puts a lot of effort into sounding effortless. Her songs are wild and wooly and wordy, her lyrics plainspoken and delivered like she’s making them up on the spot.
Barnett was originally a part of several bands, including Immigrant Union and The Olivettes before focusing on her solo work. In 2012, Barnett started her own record label, Milk! Records, and recorded her debut EP I've Got A Friend Called Emily Ferris in a friend's lounge room and released it later that year. Late 2012 also saw the release of a new single, "History Eraser," which was backed with Jen Cloher's "Mount Beauty" for a split seven-inch release.
In 2013, Barnett released her second EP, How to Carve a Carrot Into a Rose. Along with "History Eraser," the EP spawned a second single, "Avant Gardener." Her second EP received international acclaim, taking her and the band, Dave Mudie (drums), Bones Sloane (bass) and Dan Luscombe (guitar) all around the world.
Barnett would later combine those two EP releases into one for The Double EP: A Sea of Split Peas, which was released internationally on 20 May 2013 via House Anxiety/Marathon Artists. It was named the album of the week by Stereogum.
Barnett's debut LP, Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit, was released in 2015 to widespread acclaim. At the 2015 ARIA Music Awards, she won four awards from eight nominations. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 58th Annual Grammy Awards and International Female Solo Artist at the 2016 Brit Awards.
In 2017, she released Lotta Sea Lice, a collaborative album with Kurt Vile.
Barnett's second album, Tell Me How You Really Feel, was released in 2018.
Kim's Caravan
Courtney Barnett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can see Jesus and he's frowning at me
I see a dead seal on the beach
The old man says he's already saved it three times this week
Guess it just wants to die
I would wanna die too
With people putting oil into my air
But to be fair, I've done my share
I was walking down Sunset Strip, Phillip Island, not Los Angeles
Got me some hot chips and a cold drink
Took a sandy seat on the shore
There's a paper on the ground, it makes my headache quite profound
As I read it out aloud
It said, The Great Barrier Reef it ain't so great anymore
It's been raped beyond belief, the dredgers treat it like a whore
I drank 'til I was sinking, sank 'til I was thinking
That I'm thankful for this view
I drank 'til I was sinking, sank 'til I was thinking
That I'm thankful for this view
We either think that we're invincible or that we are invisible
When realistically we're somewhere in between
We all think that we're nobody but everybody is somebody else's somebody
Don't ask me what I really mean
I am just a reflection
Of what you really wanna see
So take you want from me
Don't ask me what I really mean
I am just a reflection
Of what you really wanna see
So take you want from me
Don't ask me what I really mean
I am just a reflection
Of what you really wanna see
So take you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want from me
So take what you want
Satellites on the ceiling
I can see Jesus and she's smiling at me
All I wanna say is
In Courtney Barnett's song "Kim's Caravan," she addresses the destruction humans are causing to the natural world. The first stanza sets the scene on a beach, where Barnett observes a dead seal and an old man who has saved it several times before. She questions whether the seal may want to die rather than suffer from the effects of human pollution. Barnett admits her complicity in this destruction but also highlights that everyone has different perspectives on the issue.
The second stanza sees Barnett sitting on Sunset Strip, Phillip Island, drinking and lamenting the decline of the Great Barrier Reef. She reads about its severe exploitation and degradation, likening it to a whore, and reflects on her own privilege in being able to enjoy the view of the ocean. She realizes that she, like many others, assumes they are either invincible or invisible and fails to acknowledge the interconnectedness of the world.
By depicting the image of Jesus on the ceiling, Barnett implies that our misdeeds have consequences beyond our own understanding. As a reflection of our desires, she argues that she is not responsible for explaining everything but chooses to reveal the realities of human impact on the natural world. Ultimately, the song is a call for self-reflection and responsibility for taking care of the environment.
Line by Line Meaning
Watermarks on the ceiling
Stains on the ceiling that resemble watermarks
I can see Jesus and he's frowning at me
A hallucination of Jesus with a disapproving expression
I see a dead seal on the beach
A deceased seal on the shoreline
The old man says he's already saved it three times this week
An elderly man claims to have rescued the seal multiple times
Guess it just wants to die
The seal appears to have given up on living
I would wanna die too
The singer empathizes with the seal's situation
With people putting oil into my air
If the singer were the seal, they would feel harmed by pollution
But to be fair, I've done my share
The artist recognizes their own contribution to environmental issues
Guess everybody's got their different point of view
Each person has unique beliefs and perspectives
I was walking down Sunset Strip, Phillip Island, not Los Angeles
The artist clarifies their location
Got me some hot chips and a cold drink
The singer purchased food and drink
Took a sandy seat on the shore
Sat down in a sandy area near the ocean
There's a paper on the ground, it makes my headache quite profound
A newspaper on the ground causes the singer discomfort
As I read it out aloud
The singer reads the article out loud
It said, The Great Barrier Reef it ain't so great anymore
The article reveals negative news about the Great Barrier Reef
It's been raped beyond belief, the dredgers treat it like a whore
The article implies the reef has been severely damaged
I drank 'til I was sinking, sank 'til I was thinking
The artist drank alcohol until they had deep thoughts
That I'm thankful for this view
The singer appreciates the beautiful scenery
We either think that we're invincible or that we are invisible
People often either overestimate or underestimate their own importance and vulnerability
When realistically we're somewhere in between
In reality, people have both strengths and weaknesses
We all think that we're nobody but everybody is somebody else's somebody
People might think they are insignificant, but to someone else they are valuable
Don't ask me what I really mean
The artist is hesitant to explain their true intentions
I am just a reflection
The singer is influenced by external factors
Of what you really wanna see
The artist's behavior is shaped by others' desires and expectations
So take what you want from me
The singer allows others to interpret their actions as they wish
Satellites on the ceiling
Imagery of equipment on the ceiling
I can see Jesus and she's smiling at me
A hallucination of a female Jesus with a happy expression
All I wanna say is
The artist has a simple message to convey
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Courtney Barnett
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fer Abra
Simply amazing....Kurt Cobain would love this. What a great song. And she's got many just as great. Really, she's here to stay.
Darwineee
They finally collaborated ⭐️
Paint2004
@Darwineee kurt vile?
geeksworkshop
No, he wouldn't he would have loved another hit, because he was a junky and a terrible father
Jason Teschke Franz
You know who would love this? Patti Smith.
Willie Padin
This song deserves a Grammy!
pierdoletoo
One of the Best lyrics
geeksworkshop
Take what you want from me
Gabriel Vidal
I cant get over how good this song is. It captures a feeling ive felt before but never really thought was felt by other people even less expressed by someone else. Thats as good as it gets.
Cody Tylerr
Oh my gosh. This is what I've been waiting for. Someone that can make a whole music video based on the lyrics. It's great to see that. She is just so creative and talented.