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.
Mad Girl
Emilie Autumn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Can you believe
What they've done to you?
Wouldn't they stop
When you asked them to leave you alone
In all your faerie tales
How did the prince say he loved you?
How did your father die?
Maybe someday you'll know
The beginning and the end
Much closer than they seem
Death is but a dream, I know
Dolls are meant to grow away
All broken and bent from petty play
My friend in this world
Is a bottle of nothing
Still I fly
Still I fall
Mad girl
Can you believe
What they've done to you?
Wouldn't they stop
When you asked them to leave you alone
In all your faerie tales
How did the prince say he loved you?
How did your father die?
Was he a good man?
Maybe someday you'll know
Like the water in the well
My melancholy state
Folly, fear and hate, I know
Even time will never tell
She teetered, she tripped
And then she fell
My faith in this world
Is a bottle of nothing
Still I fly
Still I fall
Mad girl
Can you believe
What they've done to you?
Wouldn't they stop
When you asked them to leave you alone
In all your faerie tales
How did the prince say he loved you?
How did your father die?
Was he a good man?
Maybe someday
The song Mad Girl by Emilie Autumn is a poignant reflection on the struggles of a girl who has been mistreated, as well as her desire to make sense of her life. The first verse is a powerful question, asking the listener if they can believe what has been done to this girl. The second line is a plea for the tormentors to stop, but their refusal to do so, no matter how many times she asks. The reference to faerie tales is telling; the way that the prince loves the girl and how her father died are important elements, but it seems as if there is a gap between understanding these things and accepting them as they are. The statement "Maybe someday you'll know" is a glimmer of hope- that some kind of understanding is possible, but it is just out of reach at the present.
The chorus captures the heart of the song- the feeling of powerlessness and frustration that comes with being mistreated. The fact that the girl is referred to as "mad" raises important questions about whether the way she is feeling is because of the way she has been treated or because she is inherently "crazy" in some way. The images of dolls that grow away and flying/falling create a sense of the fragility of life and the heartbreak of being abandoned by those who are supposed to care for you.
The third verse delves further into the singer's own struggles with melancholy and fear, which create a sense of hopelessness that is difficult to overcome. The idea that even time will not offer any comfort or understanding is bleak, and the references to teetering and falling only add to the sense of inevitability. The final chorus repeats the questions posed in the first chorus, but there is a sense of resignation rather than anger or frustration. The song ends on a note of sadness, but also a feeling that there is still hope, however small it may seem.
Line by Line Meaning
Mad girl
Addressing the singer who is presumed to be in a state of madness
Can you believe
What they've done to you?
Asks if the singer can fathom the extent of abuse and mistreatment she has been subjected to by others
Wouldn't they stop
When you asked them to leave you alone
Expresses disbelief that people didn't desist when a request to be left alone was made
In all your faerie tales
How did the prince say he loved you?
Wondering about the artist's love life and seeking clarification on how love was professed in her storybook romances
How did your father die?
Was he a good man?
Queries about the artist's father, inquiring about the nature of his death and whether he was a morally upright person
Maybe someday you'll know
Hopes that one day, the singer will have answers to her questions
The beginning and the end
Much closer than they seem
Death is but a dream, I know
Reflects on the proximity of life and death and muses that dying is akin to awakening from a dream
Dolls are meant to grow away
All broken and bent from petty play
Contemplates on the inevitable growing apart of people and the scars it leaves behind
My friend in this world
Is a bottle of nothing
Still I fly
Still I fall
Reveals that the artist's sole companion in life is a bottle of emptiness and acknowledges the cyclical nature of her ups and downs
Like the water in the well
My melancholy state
Folly, fear and hate, I know
Compares the artist's state of mind to the stagnant water in a well and acknowledges the presence of foolishness, fear, and hate within her
Even time will never tell
She teetered, she tripped
And then she fell
Concludes that even time cannot track the singer's fall and recognizes her impermanence
My faith in this world
Is a bottle of nothing
Still I fly
Still I fall
Reiterates the artist's nihilistic worldview, asserting that she believes in nothing and experiences continual highs and lows
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILIE AUTUMN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@emilybuxton8135
I listen to this every time I break down. "Mad Girl, can you believe what they've done to you? Wouldn't they stop when you asked them to leave you alone?" Speaks to me so much.
@Animezingly
Not to overshare too much, but I spent a brief about of time in a Physiatric ward when I was really ill, and I used to sing this to myself sometimes. It was soothing and made me feel better. I still sing it to myself sometimes.
@carmenqiru4646
❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹❤️🩹
@DanGiffordsquidlord
When I got the chance to see her perform this live during her FLAG tour, I broke down and cried like a baby.
@_hella.swaggy.god_
I cried too. I was so happy, she was so beautiful. Not another day could come in place with that one.
@evanescence408
Damn that last line gets me. Was he a good man? Maybe some day..
I love her music so much. She's helped me through my darkest nights when noone else bothered to listen. She has inspired me to write poetry even.
@AshwynChappell
Is it just me or does Emilie look very 50s in that pic? Love this song, so beautiful and relatable <3
@hollisterpatricia
I found Emilie Autumn after surviving experiences which pressed me deeper and deeper into the ground. The emotions are just right. I love to listen to "I know where You Sleep" ( for a sense of revenge on the man who murdered my son) and Rapunzel (for my lifelong years of shyness) and Gentlemen Aren't Nice for it's fantastic wit and sarcasm. Also, I've always loved the Victorian era ( especially the dark side of its rules and styles. I'll be 60 yrs old this year ,but Emile is inspiring to me.
@curlersandcombatshotguns2589
hollisterpatricia my deepest condolences in regards to your son. I realise this is a very old comment but I couldn’t scroll past without saying it touched me. Thank you.
@Eugenia123345
This song makes me cry almost every time I hear it. So meaningful and beautifully dark.