Dorthia Cottrell grew up in the rural town of King George, Virginia. She go… Read Full Bio ↴Dorthia Cottrell grew up in the rural town of King George, Virginia. She got her start playing music on piano as a child, singing alongside her grandmother or dad while he played guitar. In her early teens she finally picked up a guitar and wrote her first song which eventually carried her onto Richmond where she found herself as Windhand’s powerful leading vocalist and lyricist. She is set to release her debut self-titled record, due out March 3rd on Forcefield Records. The songs on the album span a full decade, with Dorthia’s palpable vocals pushing into a new realm of folk. Her somber acoustic music has been described as grieving and sparse, with a nod in the direction of Townes Van Zandt and Gram Parsons, whose “Rake” and “A Song For You” she covers on her debut album.

Gold
Dorthia Cottrell Lyrics

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Hey my lover made of glass and skin
Oh you promised me once I'd never cry again
But I know, yea I know where ya been
Hey my lover made of glass and skin
Are you out in the alley where the blood is thin
Cuz I know, Yea I know where ya been
And is it cold in December when the devil calls
You got your raspberry heartache and your alcohol

Yea I know
Yea I know where you've been
Hey my lover made of ash and bone
Oh you promised me twice I'd never be alone
But I know
Yea I know where you've been
Hey my lover made of ash and bone
I'm gonna break my heart here on this microphone
Cuz I know
Yea I know where ya been
And is it cold in the hollow of the neon lights
Sometimes a slave looks like an angel when you look at her right
Yea I know
Yea I know where ya been
Hey my lover made of ash and tears
Oh you promised me twice you'd never leave me here
But I know, I know where ya been
Hey my lover made of ash and tears
I'm gonna meet you in the sky where the air is clear

Cuz I know
Yea I know where ya been

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Dorthia Cottrell's song "Gold" evoke feelings of heartbreak and longing. The repeated lines "Hey my lover made of glass and skin" and "Hey my lover made of ash and bone/tears" suggest that the singer's partner is fragile and prone to falling apart. Despite their promises that the singer would never cry or be alone, the partner's actions have caused them pain and left them questioning where they've been.

The imagery of the alley where the blood is thin and the hollow of the neon lights adds to the haunting and melancholic tone of the song. The reference to a "raspberry heartache" and alcohol also reinforces the theme of heartbreak and coping with pain through substance abuse. However, the ending lines offer a glimmer of hope as the singer vows to meet their lover in the sky where the air is clear.

Overall, the lyrics of "Gold" paint a portrait of a relationship that has been marked by emotional turmoil, but holds onto the promise of a brighter future.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey my lover made of glass and skin
Addressing a fragile partner who promised to never make them cry, but the singer knows that the partner has been through hardships

Oh you promised me once I'd never cry again
The partner made a promise to never hurt the singer again

But I know, yea I know where ya been
The singer is aware of the partner's past struggles

Are you out in the alley where the blood is thin
Asking if the partner is in a dangerous place

Cuz I know, Yea I know where ya been
The artist knows the partner's troubled past

And is it cold in December when the devil calls
Asking if the partner feels alone and vulnerable during tough times

You got your raspberry heartache and your alcohol
The partner is dealing with emotional pain and using alcohol to cope

Yea I know
The artist acknowledges their knowledge of the partner's situation

Hey my lover made of ash and bone
Addressing a partner who promised to never leave them alone, but the artist knows that they have struggled in the past

Oh you promised me twice I'd never be alone
The partner made a promise to always be there

But I know
The singer acknowledges their understanding of the partner's struggles

Yea I know where you've been
The artist knows the partner's past hardships

I'm gonna break my heart here on this microphone
The singer is going to express their heartbreak through music

And is it cold in the hollow of the neon lights
Asking if the partner feels empty in their environment

Sometimes a slave looks like an angel when you look at her right
Society may view the partner as perfect, but they are still struggling inside

Yea I know where ya been
The artist knows the partner's struggles

Hey my lover made of ash and tears
Addressing a partner who promised to never leave them and never made them cry, but the artist knows that they have struggled before

Oh you promised me twice you'd never leave me here
The partner made a promise to never leave

But I know, I know where ya been
The singer is aware of the partner's difficult past

I'm gonna meet you in the sky where the air is clear
The artist hopes to reunite with the partner in a peaceful place

Cuz I know
The artist is certain of their knowledge of the partner's struggles

Yea I know where ya been
The artist knows the partner's past hardships

Contributed by Isaac L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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