Bleeder
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics

The lyrics to Emilíana Torrini's song, Bleeder, paint a rather vivid picture. The opening lines, "Lay thee down, Park your head upon my pillow," immediately evoke a sense of intimacy and tenderness, as the singer invites her companion to relax and rest within her embrace. The image of "Naked trees they dress in crows" paints a stark and somewhat melancholic picture, suggesting perhaps a barrenness or emptiness that is counterbalanced by the closeness and warmth of human companionship. Indeed, the arrival of horses "Through the rains that bring you down" may suggest a sense of isolation or despair, which is then mitigated by the comfort of being held and sheltered by another person.

The refrain of the song, "When things go wrong, You find you're a bleeder," adds a layer of complexity to the lyrics. The idea of being a "bleeder" suggests vulnerability and fragility, as if the singer is acknowledging that we all have our soft spots, our tender places that can be easily wounded. The juxtaposition of this vulnerability with the earlier image of intimacy and tenderness suggests that perhaps it is precisely because we are vulnerable that we seek out connection and closeness with others. The final line, "When things go wrong, You find you're a believer," seems to echo this sentiment, suggesting that it is precisely in moments of difficulty or hardship that we are most likely to look for something to believe in, something to hold onto.