Quickly signed to Mad Decent and Downtown Records, Dawn Golden (formerly Dawn Golden and Rosy Cross) released its first EP, Blow, in April 2011. The effort, which featured standouts like “Blacks” and “White Sun,” garnered critical acclaim from NPR and Pitchfork.
Post-Blow, Tortoriello moved from Chicago to Los Angeles and started recording what would become Dawn Golden’s debut LP.
Entitled Still Life, the album was recorded over the last three years at the Mad Decent studios in Los Angeles. “I was sharing a studio with Diplo” says Tortoriello. “It brought me out of my own bubble. He would show up fresh off a plane from Brazil with an idea, and in ten minutes I’d go from writing my own songs into working with him on a beat he was about to give to Katy Perry. I learned so much just by being in that studio for the past couple years.”
Still Life is built around stream-of-conscious craft that settles in the doleful voids of addiction, love, and death. “It’s an excavation of my past.” the now-clean Tortoriello says. “I’m far enough away from the reality of these stories now to write with perspective. It’s like putting them behind museum glass. They’re no longer mine anymore.”
Led by its first single “All I Want,” Still Life gains its stark emotional perspective through some of the most unique production you’re likely to hear this year. There’s heavy exploration of sonic texture, and Tortoriello uses frozen cut ups and creative vocal editing to flip a traditionally-futuristic sound into something that oozes feeling. “I wanted the record to sound sterile and futuristic, while at the same time pounding the entirety of suburban decay through a megaphone. Like if American Beauty was set in the Tron world.” he says.
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All I Want
Dawn Golden Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And my mouth it did hang wide
When you told me 'every little thing is going to be alright'
But we were younger then
And now we're not
And if there was a plan made
Then we forgot about it
I could figure it out now
But life is short
And I don't care for most of it
I don't care for most of it
Because you're all that, all that I want
Because you're all that, all that I want
Because you're all that, all that I want
Because you're all that, all that I want
Well, I know I'm hard to take
And my bones are calling out your name
While I beat your cold windows
Break the locks on the gate
While I try to forget
I used to be something great
Because you're all that, all that I want
Because you're all that, all that I want
Because you're all that, all that I want
Because you're all that, all that I want
The lyrics of "All I Want" by Dawn Golden directly express the intense longing of the singer for a past lover. The opening lines "Your eyes, they did flutter again/And my mouth it did hang wide/When you told me 'every little thing is going to be alright'" sets the tone for the rest of the song - the memory of the lover's presence is so powerful that it physically affects the singer even in his/her memory. The following lines, "But we were younger then/And now we're not/And if there was a plan made/Then we forgot about it" articulate the passage of time and the consequences of growing older. The singer's realization that they have grown apart and forgotten their plans from the past emphasizes the fact that the past cannot be recreated.
The repeated phrase "Because you're all that, all that I want" emphasizes the depth of the singer's desire for the past lover. The singer recognizes that his/her yearning is all-encompassing and all-consuming. The lines "Well, I know I'm hard to take/And my bones are calling out your name/While I beat your cold windows/Break the locks on the gate/While I try to forget/I used to be something great" convey the singer's awareness that he/she is now a different person, possibly even a worse one, and that they are aware of their own flaws. However, the strength of their longing makes them feel helpless ("my bones are calling out your name") as they try to regain a sense of purpose and power in their own lives ("break the locks on the gate").
Line by Line Meaning
Your eyes, they did flutter again
I noticed your eyes blinking, conveying that something was on your mind
And my mouth it did hang wide
I was surprised by what you said, and my jaw dropped open
When you told me 'every little thing is going to be alright'
You reassured me that everything will work out, despite any difficulties
But we were younger then
When we previously had hope, we were less experienced with life
And now we're not
As we've aged, we've encountered more obstacles and lost some optimism
And if there was a plan made
If we had a goal in mind at some point
Then we forgot about it
It was lost in time and became irrelevant
And if there was time
If we had the luxury of time
I could figure it out now
I might be able to come up with a new plan
But life is short
Since we have limited time on earth
And I don't care for most of it
I'm not interested in most of life's offerings
Because you're all that, all that I want
You're the only thing that truly matters to me
Well, I know I'm hard to take
I recognize that I can be difficult to be with
And my bones are calling out your name
I'm deeply longing for you beyond just a superficial level
While I beat your cold windows
I'm trying to get your attention through persistent means
Break the locks on the gate
I may be stubborn to the point of causing damage
While I try to forget
As I attempt to move on from a past version of myself
I used to be something great
I had potential at one time, but that has dissipated
Because you're all that, all that I want
You are the only thing that has meaning for me now
Because you're all that, all that I want
I cannot emphasize enough how important you are to me
Because you're all that, all that I want
Above anything else, you are what I cherish most
Contributed by Madelyn A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@cmorche
Your eyes, they did flutter again
And my mouth, it did hang wide
When you told me every little thing is going to be alright
But we were younger then
And now, we're not
And if there was a plan made
Then we forgot about it
And if there was time
I could figure it out now
But life is short
And I don't care for most of it
I don't care for most of it
I listened to the album countless times on vinyl when I went through a very difficult divorce (for me at least).
Now she can catch the last train home in the dark, and quit breaking my heart.
@TysonHamblin
I have been listening to dawn golden for years. Didn’t realize his songs were not popular omg. He is incredibly underrated 😩❤️
@gabrielmccoy2925
Tyson Hamblin yeah it’s bs
@4.8Flatbed
heard this song on the show Suites on netflix. Can not believe how under rated this artist is
@zozo2570
why isn't this band more popular? they're SO GOOD
@Lex-The-Besttt
Way too underated .. like fr this man has a true gift.
@Eamonwastaken
deepdarkendwolf 1 I love you too
@engeldernacht41
I'm gonna try and keep the comment section alive by saying this song is still beyond normal music. If you know you know
@PROJECT84_
Even after 9 years this song still sounds amazing. Ty for making such an amazing song that was part of my childhood
@michaelhenderson643
Song gives me chills everytime. And ive listened thousands of times. The sounds and cadence of this song speak to me on a level deeper than any other. It is the themesong of my soul. Thank you for creating this. Ive been listening since still life 2014. Still my favorite album of all time.
@thebestatit2015
This man’s voice is beyond amazing and of course he is underrated. He is beyond talented