Cults formed in 2010, when native San Franciscans Follin and Oblivion were attending school in New York City (Oblivion was a documentary film student at NYU; Follin was studying at the New School). A couple at the time, they wrote and recorded songs in Oblivion's apartment using a computer and a cheap midi keyboard, and before the year was over, they released their self-titled debut EP on Forest Family Records. One of the EP's songs, "Go Outside," which Cults recorded with Paul Kostabi at Thunderdome Studios, became a viral hit, earning acclaim from publications including Pitchfork and NME.
Cults built on the success of "Go Outside" by touring with Richie Follin's Band (the project of Madeline's older brother) for six months. They then signed to In the Name Of, an imprint of Columbia Records founded by Lily Allen. Produced by Shane Stoneback, Cults' June 2011 self-titled album delivered more of their atmospheric, retro-futuristic indie pop and charted in the U.K., Canada, and the U.S., reaching number 52 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums Chart. That year, the duo also appeared on the AIDS/HIV research benefit album Red Hot+Rio 2, collaborating with Superhuman Happiness on a cover of "Um Canto de Afoxé para o Bloco Do Ilê." Along with touring in support of the album, Cults also appeared at the Portishead-curated ATP I'll Be Your Mirror festival that September and at ATP's Nightmare Before Christmas festival, which was curated by Battles, that December.
In October 2013, Cults returned with their second album, Static. Recorded with Stoneback in the wake of Follin and Oblivion's breakup, it won strong reviews for its emotive songwriting and peaked at number 114 on the Billboard Top 200. That month, the duo also appeared with Amber Coffman on J. Cole's "She Knows" from his album Born Sinner; the song hit number 90 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. Following the 2014 single "Being It," Cults took some time off. In 2016, Follin formed the group Follin with her brother Richie, and released the single "Roxy" that February.
For their next album, Cults took a more collaborative approach, with Follin playing drums and keyboards as well as singing. After working with Stoneback in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco studios, Cults emerged in October 2017 with Offering, which borrowed from influences as wide-ranging as Pink Floyd, Gary Numan, and the Motels, whose music they'd fallen in love with while touring with Total Control in Australia. They explored their passion for the Motels further in 2018 with a track-by-track cover of the band's 1979 self-titled debut that was part of Turntable Kitchen's Sounds Delicious series. The following year saw the release of Offering B Sides & Remixes, which featured reworkings of the album's tracks by Mike Simonetti, Etienne de Crecy, and John Fryer.
Cults began work on their next album in early 2019, teaming with Stoneback on songs that, for the first time, featured live instrumentation and included lyrics by Follin. Mixed by John Congleton and mastered by Heba Kadry, Host appeared in September 2020 and tackled themes of identity and independence.
Biography by Heather Phares
Never Heal Myself
Cults Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my life
Tell me there's a way that I can chain this cloud and ?
To your light
I never wanted anyone to say that I had hidden myself
In disguise
Please don't leave me lonely tell me
In your eyes
But I can never heal myself
If not for
Never heal myself
If not for you
Tell me all the things that you thought weren't right about me
And my life
Tell me there's a way that
I can shake this and finally see clear
Through your sight
I never wanted anyone to say that I have led myself wrong
By your side
Please don't leave me lonely tell me
All the ways to make myself right
In your eyes
But I can never heal myself if not for
Never heal myself if not more
Never heal myself if not for you
I'm trying to heal myself
And turn around into someone else
But I can never be myself so fuck it
The lyrics to Cults' song Never Heal Myself seem to be a plea for acceptance and validation from a loved one. The singer is asking their partner to point out what they feel is wrong with them and their life, hoping to improve and make themselves right in their partner's eyes. They express a fear of loneliness and appear to be willing to do anything to not feel that way, including changing themselves into someone else entirely.
The repeated line "But I can never heal myself if not for / Never heal myself if not for you" reinforces the idea that the singer's own self-worth is tied to their partner's acceptance of them. They believe that they can only heal themselves and feel complete if their partner is by their side. However, despite their efforts to change and become someone else, the final line of the song is a resigned "so fuck it", suggesting that the singer is tired of trying to please their partner and be someone they're not.
Overall, the lyrics to Never Heal Myself convey a sense of insecurity and a deep need for validation and acceptance from a loved one. The singer seems to be willing to change themselves entirely to make their partner happy, but ultimately realizes that they can never truly heal themselves if it's not for their own sake.
Line by Line Meaning
Tell me all the things that you thought weren't right about me
Asking for criticism in order to improve oneself.
And my life
Asking for criticism not just about oneself, but also about one's life in general.
Tell me there's a way that I can chain this cloud and ?
Asking for help to deal with personal struggles that are clouding one's judgement and affecting one's life and relationships.
To your light
Asking for guidance and support from someone who has a positive influence in one's life.
I never wanted anyone to say that I had hidden myself
Admitting the fear of being exposed for who one truly is, and therefore hiding behind a facade or fake persona.
In disguise
Continuing the idea of hiding behind a facade or fake persona.
Please don't leave me lonely tell me
Expressing the fear of being alone, and therefore asking for emotional support and companionship.
All the ways to make myself right
Asking for guidance on how to improve oneself and be a better person.
In your eyes
Asking for validation and acceptance from someone who is important in one's life.
But I can never heal myself
Admitting powerlessness in being able to fully heal oneself and overcome personal struggles.
If not for
Implies that in order to heal oneself, one needs external support and guidance.
I'm trying to heal myself
Acknowledging the effort being put towards self-improvement and overcoming personal struggles.
And turn around into someone else
Expressing the desire to become a different person, as the current state is unsatisfactory or flawed.
But I can never be myself so fuck it
Asserting that despite the effort put towards self-improvement, it may not be possible to completely overcome personal struggles and be truly happy with oneself.
Tell me there's a way that I can shake this and finally see clear
Asking for help to overcome personal struggles and gain clarity and perspective.
Through your sight
Asking for guidance and support from someone who has a positive influence in one's life.
I never wanted anyone to say that I have led myself wrong
Admitting the fear of making mistakes and taking the wrong path in life.
By your side
Expressing the desire to have the guidance and support of someone who has a positive influence in one's life.
Never heal myself if not more
Same as "never heal myself if not for", continuing the idea that external support and guidance is necessary for personal healing and growth.
Never heal myself if not for you
Reiterating the idea that external support and guidance is necessary for personal healing and growth, and emphasizing the importance of a specific person in that process.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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