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.
The Art Of Suicide
Emilie Autumn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Curls flying every which way
The fate to pure to hide
Bridges of Sighs
Meant to conceal lover's lies
Under the arches of moonlight and sky
Suddenly easy to contemplate why, why
That's painted with pity and sadness and strife
Why dream a dream
That's tainted with trouble and less than it seems
Why bother bothering
Just for a poem or another sad song to sing
Why live a lie
Why live a lie
The art of suicide, gritty and clean
Conveys a theatrical scene
Alas, 'I've gone' she cried
Veins displayed
Melodramatically laid
Under the arches of moonlight and sky
Suddenly easy to contemplate why, why
Why live a life
That's painted with pity and sadness and strife
Why dream a dream
That's tainted with trouble and less than it seems
Why bother bothering
Just for a poem or another sad song to sing
Why live a lie
Why live a lie
Why live a life
That's painted with pity and sadness and strife
Why dream a dream
That's tainted with trouble and less than it seems
Why bother bothering
Just for a poem or another sad song to sing
Why live a lie
Why live a lie
Why live a lie
Why live a lie
Life is not like gloomy Sunday
With a second ending where the people are disturbed
Well they should be disturbed
Because there's a story that ought to be heard
Life is not like gloomy Sunday
With a second ending where the people are disturbed
Well they should be disturbed
Because there's a lesson that really ought to be learned
The world is full of poets
We don't need anymore
The world is full of singers
We don't need anymore
The world is full of lovers
We don't need anymore
In Emilie Autumn's song "The Art of Suicide," the lyrics describe suicide as an art form - an act that is equal parts painful and beautiful. The song's somber tone and melancholic melody convey a sense of desperation and despair, questioning the point of living in a world filled with sadness and strife. The lyrics focus on the frustration of trying to find meaning in a life constantly plagued by troubles and heartache, making the dream of suicide seem like an attractive escape from the relentless cycle of pain. The chorus repeats the question of why, why bother living a life of misery when death seems like such a peaceful release? The lyrics suggest that suicide is a way of taking control of one's fate and expressing oneself with a tragic finality, declaring that the act of taking one's life can be both "gritty and clean" and ultimately, a form of art.
Line by Line Meaning
The art of suicide, nightgowns and hair
The ways and means of taking their own life, dreamt up by individuals who are clothed in the details of sleepwear and flowing locks.
Curls flying every which way
The intricate arrangements of hair-style becoming undone, carelessly enchanted with an inspired and volatile force.
The fate too pure to hide
The destiny of one who's existence is transparent, unsophisticated and sought after; a course that cannot be suppressed from the senses.
Bridges of Sighs
The architectural design, ornate yet grand, erected as a highway to the other world by those about to take their lives.
Meant to conceal lover's lies
Constructed for the concealment of secrets between two individuals, so sacred and interwoven that the only solution is to leap to their deaths together.
Under the arches of moonlight and sky
Remaining below the grand and elevated structure of the night sky and the lustrous lunar sphere, serves as the perfect backdrop for those who seek to end their physical suffering.
Suddenly easy to contemplate why, why
The proximity to the ethereal and otherworldly dimensions, allows for a sudden comprehension and insight towards the question of existence and worldly pain.
Why live a life
Pondering on the meaning of an existence which is burdened with sorrow and grief, marred by constant problems and strife.
That's painted with pity and sadness and strife
This life displays only images of anguish with pain, melancholia and the unending pressures of existence adorning its canvas.
Why dream a dream
Seeking to comprehend the significance of a dream or aspirations in a world that is fraught with difficulties and where dreams are also plagued with complications.
That's tainted with trouble and less than it seems
Contemplating over the very essence of a dream which inevitably becomes contaminated in the world filled with troubles and is rarely above its surface implications.
Why bother bothering
Inquiring whether there is any reason to pay attention to the details of everyday living, whether there exists a justifiable basis for inconveniences.
Just for a poem or another sad song to sing
Whether there is any rationality to continue living for mere artistic creations limited to a poem or a song that speaks of angst and despair.
Why live a lie
Contemplating the very essence of existence itself, whether it could all be a mere facade, truly a lie, a masquerade.
The art of suicide, gritty and clean
The means of suicide, at once visceral and yet pristine, drowning the individual in its ease and mesmerizing quality.
Conveys a theatrical scene
Suicide engages the onlookers with the staging of the act, the heartrending visuals cover a facade of drama and tragedy.
Alas, 'I've gone' she cried
The last words of someone who has departed for the other world, wishing to bid a final farewell before completing the act.
Veins displayed
Full artistic license is given to those who chose to embark on this final journey, if not for any other purpose than to create a poetic visual of the act.
Melodramatically laid
The method, the location, the final perfect poses are all set in pursuit of a dramatic final moment of existence.
Life is not like gloomy Sunday
The nature of existence isn't akin to the stark and melancholic world portrayed in the song 'Gloomy Sunday'.
With a second ending where the people are disturbed
Unlike the ending of 'Gloomy Sunday', in which everyone is characterized by their devastation and disturbance, depicting the harrowing end of a failed love affair.
Because there's a story that ought to be heard
The heartrending act of suicide unveils a tale that is rarely told and merits to be shared with the world, seeking to overcome the judgment and stigma that it evokes.
Because there's a lesson that really ought to be learned
The meaninglessness of life, the excessive pain and grief that it brings, may impel individuals to give up and end their own lives, but this ought not to be seen as a solution, rather as a tragedy that could have been averted with a more compassionate approach.
The world is full of poets
The world has more than its fair share of individuals who are keen and adept at creating, but there is a dearth of those who seek to find a meaning and purpose to life.
We don't need anymore
The never-ending creation of art may keep the inevitable thoughts of suicide at bay, but in the end, it is inadequate to the task of saving lives.
The world is full of singers
The world is too loud and too boisterous, the noise drowns out the still small voice within that is seeking a worthwhile purpose.
We don't need anymore
What is needed is a quieter world, a world of reflection and meaning, that is not afraid of silence.
The world is full of lovers
The world seems to be all about love, but it is a broken and brittle love, seeking meaning in fleeting relationships and not in the profundity of an abiding love.
We don't need anymore
We need a deeper love, that engages in human connection and authentic bonds that provide a purpose to our existence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILIE AUTUMN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind