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.

Kneeler
Dorthia Cottrell Lyrics

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Heart of winter,
the battelfield's rusty from dogs blood
Cold is a dance of December,
how does it feel to be out on the waterfront
for a change,
now that you know me by my first name
_____ breathes out,
wish I would have known you when I was younger

Most of my candles burned out
There was no reason to suffer
Cause I know you came unaware of the price
just a helpless thing, on the backs of the tide.
On the back of the tide.
On the back of the tide.
Annabel Lee,
will you carry your grandfather clock to the gallows on Main Street
Will you reveal your nature to me,
Annabel Lee
Annabel Lee, will you bury your prayers in your garden
Abandon your children

will your replace your flowers with wings,
Annabel Lee

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Dorthia Cottrell's song Kneeler are quite intriguing and carry a certain emotional weight to them. The lyrics paint a picture of a desolate and cold winter scene, with the battlefield being rusty from dog's blood. The cold is described as a dance of December, which adds to the ambiance of the song. The singer then asks how it feels to be out on the waterfront for a change, now that they know each other by their first names.

The lyrics then transition into a reflection on life and the passing of time. The line "most of my candles burned out, there was no reason to suffer" indicates a sadness and regret for wasting time on things that ultimately didn't matter. The singer then expresses that they wish they had known the other person when they were younger, alluding to the idea that they could have had a different, perhaps better, life had they met earlier. The last stanza suggests that the singer is addressing Annabel Lee, asking her to reveal her nature and questioning if she will abandon her children and replace her flowers with wings.

Overall, the lyrics to Kneeler by Dorthia Cottrell are powerful and thought-provoking. The song is a meditation on the passage of time, regret, and the choices we make in life, and the imagery used helps to create a haunting and melancholy atmosphere.

Line by Line Meaning

Heart of winter,
The onset of the bleak winter season.

the battlefield's rusty from dogs blood
The remains of a gruesome past that still lingers.

Cold is a dance of December,
The choreography of winter is one of harshness and cruelty.

how does it feel to be out on the waterfront for a change,
A change in routine to be near the water's edge.

now that you know me by my first name
A familiar relationship has been established.

_____ breathes out,
The breath of the unnamed.

wish I would have known you when I was younger
Regret for a missed opportunity to know each other in the past.

Most of my candles burned out
Life experiences have taken their toll.

There was no reason to suffer
The turmoil and pain were unnecessary.

Cause I know you came unaware of the price
Their arrival was met with unintended consequences.

just a helpless thing, on the backs of the tide.
A feeling of helplessness in the face of natural forces.

Annabel Lee, will you carry your grandfather clock to the gallows on Main Street
A request for a symbol of mortality to be carried to a place of execution.

Will you reveal your nature to me, Annabel Lee
A desire for transparency in the relationship.

Annabel Lee, will you bury your prayers in your garden
A request to keep their concerns confined to themselves.

Abandon your children
Suggesting that attachment to anything may prove harmful in the long run.

will your replace your flowers with wings,
A call for transformation and a search for freedom.

Annabel Lee
A recurring address to an unknown person.

Contributed by Addison J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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