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.
Jump the Track
Emilie Autumn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The dust is visible
Glowing
Golden atmosphere
Even the air I breathe
Is full of memories
Shades of others
Bathe my skin
I wonder
Who on earth would ever know
If I slipped into the other side
Without making a sound
Without blinking an eye
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track
Still the wheels are turning
Landscapes echo in my mind
Flying past my windows
How could anyone fear this place
And since I am alone
I wonder
Who on earth
Would ever guess
If I crossed this fragile strand that binds
Without making a noise
Without skipping a beat
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track
And what were specters now have faces
Casting light
In darkened places
Those that I have loved
Are with me
Never gone
But ever drifting
Through the threads of my existence
Courses
Running
Side by side
Paths entwining
Realigning
Meeting past the great divide
In the realm where phantoms hide
Sanctified
Occupied
And since I am alone
I wonder
Who on earth would ever care
If I slipped away before my time
Without saying a word
Without praying to god
Without slowing down at all
I could jump the track
I could jump the track
I could jump…
The lyrics of Emilie Autumn's "Jump the Track" are powerful and thought-provoking, painting a vivid picture of a person who is contemplating their mortality and the possibility of slipping away without making a sound. The opening lines set the scene for the internal journey that the singer is taking, describing the light as something that makes the dust visible, and the atmosphere as golden and glowing. The air they breathe is full of memories, and the shades of others bathe their skin, reminding them of the ephemeral nature of life.
Despite the beauty of the world outside, the singer is alone and wonders who would care if they slipped away without so much as a sound or a blink. They imagine crossing the fragile strand that binds life and death silently, without skipping a beat or slowing down. They could jump the track, and no one would even know.
As the wheels keep turning and echoing landscapes pass by, the singer imagines that even specters have faces, and those they have loved are still with them. They exist in the threads of the singer's existence, running and intertwining with their paths. They are never gone, but ever-drifting through the great divide, where phantoms hide. The singer wonders if anyone would care if they slipped away before their time, without a word or a prayer or a slow-down. They could jump the track.
The song touches on themes of mortality, loneliness, love, and the fragility of life. It encourages introspection and contemplation, reminding listeners to cherish their loved ones and to never take anything for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
In this light
In this particular illumination
The dust is visible
The dust particles can be seen
Glowing
Radiant and shining
Golden atmosphere
The ambiance has a golden hue
Even the air I breathe
The very oxygen I inhale
Is full of memories
Is charged with moments from the past
Shades of others
Variations of other people's experiences
Bathe my skin
Cover my body
And since I am alone
As I am solitary
I wonder
I am curious
Who on earth would ever know
Who would actually realise
If I slipped into the other side
If I entered another realm
Without making a sound
Silently and noiselessly
Without blinking an eye
Without even a split-second of hesitation
Without slowing down at all
Not even halting for an instant
I could jump the track
I could alter my fate
Still the wheels are turning
Nevertheless, the wheels rotate
Landscapes echo in my mind
Images of scenery are reverberating in my thoughts
Flying past my windows
Hurtling beyond my windows
How could anyone fear this place
Why would anyone dread this setting
And since I am alone
As I am unaccompanied
I wonder
I am inquisitive
Who on earth
Who exactly
Would ever guess
Would make an educated conjecture
If I crossed this fragile strand that binds
If I traversed this delicate connection
Without making a noise
Silently and without a racket
Without skipping a beat
Without faltering whatsoever
Without slowing down at all
Without even decelerating
I could jump the track
I could take a risk
And what were specters now have faces
The ghosts have now become entities with countenances
Casting light
Emitting luminosity
In darkened places
In regions devoid of illumination
Those that I have loved
People I have cherished
Are with me
Accompany me
Never gone
Never departed
But ever drifting
But constantly floating away
Through the threads of my existence
Through the interweaving of my lifespan
Courses
Paths
Running
Flowing
Side by side
Parallel to one another
Paths entwining
Routes intermingling
Realigning
Adjusting to align with one another
Meeting past the great divide
Converging after separation
In the realm where phantoms hide
In the place where apparitions conceal
Sanctified
Made sacred
Occupied
Inhabited
And since I am alone
And because I am by myself
I wonder
I am curious
Who on earth would ever care
Who would really be concerned
If I slipped away before my time
If I passed away prematurely
Without saying a word
Without uttering a sound
Without praying to god
Without supplicating to a deity
Without slowing down at all
Without even decelerating
I could jump the track
I could take my life into my own hands
I could jump the track
I could alter my destiny
I could jump…
I could take a massive risk
Contributed by Lucas H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.