Emilie Autumn Liddell (born on September 22, 1979), better known by her sta… Read Full Bio ↴Emilie Autumn Liddell (born on September 22, 1979), better known by her stage name Emilie Autumn, is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and violinist. Autumn draws influence for her music—the style of which she has alternatively labeled as "Victoriandustrial" and glam rock—from plays, novels, and history, particularly the Victorian era. Performing with her all-female backing band The Bloody Crumpets, Autumn incorporates elements of classical music, cabaret, electronica, and glam rock with theatrics, and burlesque.

Growing up in Malibu, California, she began learning the violin at the age of four and left regular school five years later with the goal of becoming a world-class violinist; she practiced eight or nine hours a day and read a wide range of literature. Progressing to writing her own music, she studied under various teachers and went to Indiana University, which she left over issues regarding the relationship between classical music and the appearance of the performer. Through her own independent label Traitor Records, Autumn debuted with her classical album On a Day: Music for Violin & Continuo, followed by the release in 2003 of her album Enchant.

She appeared in singer Courtney Love's backing band on her 2004 America's Sweetheart tour and returned to Europe. She released the 2006 album Opheliac with the German label Trisol Music Group. In 2007, she released Laced/Unlaced; the re-release of On a Day... appeared as Laced with songs on the electric violin as Unlaced. She later left Trisol to join New York-based The End Records in 2009 and release Opheliac in the United States, where previously it had only been available as an import. Currently she is on tour to promote her newest album Fight Like A Girl. She played the role of Painted Doll in Darren Lynn Bousman's 2012 film The Devil's Carnival.

Don't Blame Me
Emilie Autumn Lyrics

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The sun goes down the same as it did before
The roses die as their petals fall to the floor
The opera was always an awful bore
So don't blame me

Your poetry was never in vast supply
So if you're less than inspired, I wouldn't cry
Your broken heart is hardly the reason why

So don't blame me

You weren't as good at dancing as you evidently thought
You swear that you were charming once, I promise you were not
So if you're treated badly now, I'd scarcely be surprised
You're seen for what you really are, it's time you realized
If you feel you're finally going gray
You were a long time ago, that should make your day
Your dog was never your best friend anyway
So don't blame me

You've never thought of anything original before
So why should you be startled if you can't think anymore
And getting out of bed is now a challenge on its own
And eating's even harder, I don't care, leave me alone
I know a woman's power is undenied
And if I ruined your life I'd be filled with pride
Yet I could not harm you even if I tried

So don't, don't, don't blame me
Don't blame me

Overall Meaning

In "Don't Blame Me," Emilie Autumn sings about the limitations and imperfections of humanity, and the futility of blaming others for one's own shortcomings. The opening verse sets the tone for the song, as she observes that the sun still sets, and roses still die, regardless of any human drama or emotion. She then addresses her subject, assuring them that their lack of poetic inspiration, subpar dancing skills, and less-than-charming personality are not her fault. The chorus repeats the titular phrase as a firm, almost defiant refrain, emphasizing the theme of personal responsibility.

The second verse continues the critique, as Autumn points out the subject's lack of originality and increasing difficulty with even basic tasks like getting out of bed and eating. This verse also introduces the idea of women's power, and Autumn acknowledges that she could theoretically ruin the subject's life, but feels no desire to do so. The final chorus repeats the phrase "don't blame me" several times, heightening the sense of a firm stance against blame and denial of responsibility.

Overall, "Don't Blame Me" is a deceptively simple song with a strong message. It reminds listeners to acknowledge their own limitations and not to project their shortcomings onto others. Furthermore, it suggests that even if someone were entirely at fault for someone else's misery, intentionally harming others is never the answer.

Line by Line Meaning

The sun goes down the same as it did before
The days are routine and have no inclination towards any one person's struggles or successes.

The roses die as their petals fall to the floor
Like everything else in life, beauty fades away and nothing is permanent.

The opera was always an awful bore
Everyone has their own taste and preferences, and what one person may find entertaining, another may find boring.

So don't blame me
The artist is not responsible for or to blame for the state of things that are beyond her control.

Your poetry was never in vast supply
The listener's creative abilities have always been limited, so they should not expect to be overly inspired.

So if you're less than inspired, I wouldn't cry
The singer is not sympathetic to the listener's lack of inspiration, as they have never shown much poetic ability.

Your broken heart is hardly the reason why
The listener's pain or heartbreak is not necessarily the cause of their shortcomings in life.

You weren't as good at dancing as you evidently thought
The listener overestimated their own dancing ability, leading to disappointment and unfulfilled expectations.

You swear that you were charming once, I promise you were not
The listener may have deluded themselves into thinking they were charming in the past, but the artist knows the reality to be different.

So if you're treated badly now, I'd scarcely be surprised
Given the listener's inflated sense of self-importance, it's not shocking that others may renege on their expectations and consequently treat them in a less-than-ideal manner.

You're seen for what you really are, it's time you realized
The listener's true character has been exposed, and it's crucial that they understand and accept that they are not as entitled as they had believed themselves to be.

If you feel you're finally going gray
As one ages, it's natural for physical characteristics such as hair color to change, and the artist indicates that the listener is no exception.

You were a long time ago, that should make your day
The listener arguably started to go gray a while back, and it's advisable for them to accept this reality and perhaps find humor in it.

Your dog was never your best friend anyway
The listener has possibly been looking for companionship and closeness from a non-human entity, but the singer indicates that this is not a healthy coping mechanism.

You've never thought of anything original before
The listener's creative abilities are limited, and they may have struggled to come up with unique ideas or thoughts.

So why should you be startled if you can't think anymore
Given the listener's past track record with original thoughts, it's normal for them to be unable to think of anything particularly unique or noteworthy.

And getting out of bed is now a challenge on its own
The artist acknowledges that the listener may be struggling with their mental health or depression, as even basic self-care routines may be difficult.

And eating's even harder, I don't care, leave me alone
The singer may not be interested in helping the listener through their difficulties, and may want to be left alone to deal with their own problems.

I know a woman's power is undenied
Women possess considerable inner strength and resilience, despite societal pressures or gender-based stereotypes to the contrary.

And if I ruined your life I'd be filled with pride
The artist may have a sense of resentment towards the listener, and would feel a perverse sense of satisfaction if they were able to damage their life or reputation.

Yet I could not harm you even if I tried
Despite any anger or resentment the artist may feel, they do not have the power to harm or significantly disrupt the listener's life.

So don't, don't, don't blame me
The artist reiterates that they are not responsible for or to blame for the listener's current state of mind or life situation, and the listener should not try to assign fault to them.

Contributed by Aaliyah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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