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.
Gaslight
Emilie Autumn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Broken machinery
It grinds below us
And all around I see
The crooked ceiling
The old familiar halls
The dirty paper
That’s covering the walls
The bed I’m bleeding in
We’ve tried to fight this
But we can never win
And in the gaslight that brings both life and death
If it’s like last night this could be my last breath
And so I hold tight to any hands I see
But nothing’s alright they’re always watching me
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
He takes my picture
Although I don’t know why
His hands are shaking
Although I see him try
To look collected
He thinks it doesn’t show
We are connected
But what he doesn’t know
Is when the guard comes
To take me away
I will be tortured
Until the break of day
And in the gaslight that brings both life and death
If it’s like last night this could be my last breath
And so I hold tight to any hands I see
But nothing’s alright they’re always watching me
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
He’s at the window
He’s always looking down
As we are beaten
How can this fucking town
Not know what’s happening
To all their little girls
They’ve got the Pirate
They’re cutting off her curls
And she is screaming
They won’t leave her alone
And I am dreaming
Of joys I’ve never known
At least I’m breathing
At least I have my wits
But when the cart comes
Who’s buried in the pits
Below my window
I hear a horse go by
And in the next cell
An inmate starts to cry
We try our best though
To quiet down the fuss
We know tomorrow
It could be one of us
And in the gaslight that brings both life and death
If it’s like last night, this could be my last breath
And so I hold tight to any hands I see
But nothing’s alright they’re always watching me
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home…
Emilie Autumn's song "Gaslight" tells a story of a woman trapped in a mental institution, where she is subjected to torture and abuse from the staff. The song paints a vivid picture of the environment she is in, with the "broken machinery" and "crooked ceiling" symbolizing the brokenness of the system she is trapped in. She tries to find comfort in the gaslight that brings both life and death, but she is constantly being watched and nothing feels alright.
The woman is not alone in her suffering, as she describes the other inmates and their pain. The man who takes her picture shows his own fear and lack of control in the situation. Despite their connection, he doesn't know what will happen to her when the guards come to take her away. The lyrics suggest that the town is also complicit in what is happening, as they don't seem to be aware or care about the abuse of their "little girls."
The song is a powerful commentary on the abuse of power and the need for a society to take care of its most vulnerable members. The gaslight becomes a metaphor for the destructive nature of these power dynamics, where life and death are intertwined, and where those in power can control and manipulate the perceptions of those they abuse.
Line by Line Meaning
The wheels are turning
Things are in motion
Broken machinery
Things are not working as they should
It grinds below us
The situation is causing discomfort
And all around I see
The surroundings are just as bad
The crooked ceiling
The place is not structurally sound
The old familiar halls
The place is well-known but not a place of comfort
The dirty paper
The surroundings are unclean
That’s covering the walls
The walls are damaged and need repair
The shattered staircase
The place is not secure, and the stairs are broken
The bed I’m bleeding in
The place is physically harming the artist
We’ve tried to fight this
Attempts have been made to better the situation
But we can never win
These attempts have failed
And in the gaslight that brings both life and death
The singer is in a dangerous place
If it’s like last night this could be my last breath
The situation is life-threatening
And so I hold tight to any hands I see
The singer seeks comfort in others
But nothing’s alright they’re always watching me
The artist feels unsafe and watched
And no one’s coming, coming to take me home
No one is going to rescue the artist
He takes my picture
The singer is being documented
Although I don’t know why
The reason is unknown to the singer
His hands are shaking
The person taking the picture is nervous or afraid
Although I see him try
The person taking the picture is attempting to be collected
To look collected
The person taking the picture is trying to stay calm
He thinks it doesn’t show
The person taking the picture believes they are hiding their emotions
We are connected
The artist and the photographer have a relationship
But what he doesn’t know
There is something the photographer is unaware of
Is when the guard comes
When the guard arrives
To take me away
The singer is being moved elsewhere
I will be tortured
The artist will be harmed
Until the break of day
For a long time
He’s at the window
Somebody is watching from outside
He’s always looking down
The person watching is focused downwards
As we are beaten
The artist and others are being physically abused
How can this fucking town
The artist is questioning the safety of the town
Not know what’s happening
The town is unaware of the ongoing abuse
To all their little girls
The abuse is happening to young girls
They’ve got the Pirate
Somebody has been captured by the abusers
They’re cutting off her curls
The abusers are doing something cruel and damaging
And she is screaming
The victim is in pain and vocalizing it
They won’t leave her alone
The victim is being repeatedly abused
And I am dreaming
The artist is imagining a better life
Of joys I’ve never known
The artist has never experienced happiness
At least I’m breathing
The singer is still alive
At least I have my wits
The singer is still mentally sound
But when the cart comes
When the transport arrives
Who’s buried in the pits
Somebody will be buried
Below my window
The artist can hear activity outside
I hear a horse go by
A sound is audible nearby
And in the next cell
Another person is nearby
An inmate starts to cry
The person in the next cell begins to cry
We try our best though
Efforts are being made
To quiet down the fuss
To reduce the noise
We know tomorrow
There is an awareness of the future
It could be one of us
Any of them could be harmed next
Contributed by Charlotte S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.