Emily Barker (born 1983 in Bridgetown, Western Australia) is an Australian … Read Full Bio ↴Emily Barker (born 1983 in Bridgetown, Western Australia) is an Australian songwriter and singer. In addition to a solo album "Photos. Fires. Fables.", she recorded two album as the-low-country. Currently she performs and records as Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo.

As a teenager, Barker was known to sing heavy metal and soul covers at high-school assemblies. She first entered the British music scene via the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2002, where she appeared with Rob Jackson, Boo Hewerdine’s guitarist. The success of this performance led them to form a band called the-low-country, in which Barker was the songwriter and front person. They released two albums (the first being in 2003), played numerous alt-country venues and festivals, and enjoyed several plays on John Peel’s show.

2005 saw the birth of Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo, consisting of Barker and the all-female trio of Anna Jenkins, Jo Silverston and Gill Sandell who collectively provide backing harmony vocals and who respectively play violin, cello and musical saw, and accordion, piano and flute.

The band’s second studio album, Despite The Snow, was recorded in live sessions in a 16th century barn in Norfolk. Self-released in November 2008 on Emily’s own label Everyone Sang, the album again garnered much praise.

February 2011 saw the release of Almanac. Dear River followed in 2013.

* Official site

Machine
Emily Barker Lyrics

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I made the world a place easier for me
Money in my pockets over centuries
I'm a celebrated sinner with statues in the park
This world I made is harder the more your skin is dark

I covered all my tracks in books on history
Justified my actions through anthropology
I chose what to remember and what we should forget

I covered all my tracks in your blood and sweat

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
This machine runs on its own

Since 1865 everyone is free
But I still get my labour complimentary
Who is working in the prisons now? Look and you will see
That in 1865 I disguised slavery

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
This machine runs on its own trip the wire, melt the steel
This machine runs on its own

But a crack has appeared, it keeps me up at night
There are whispers, there are shouts and I fear the wolf will bite
I've been a bully and a sinner now I'm on the way out
For the world I made is harder the more your skin is dark

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
This machine runs on its own trip the wire, melt the steel

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
This machine runs on its own

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Emily Barker's song "Machine" speak to the issue of systemic racism and inequality in society, using metaphors of a powerful and destructive machine that was built by one person or group and has taken on a life of its own, destroying everything in its path regardless of the consequences. The first verse describes this person as someone who has made the world an easier place for themselves, accumulating wealth and power over centuries, but at the cost of creating a world that is increasingly difficult for anyone who is not white. "I'm a celebrated sinner with statues in the park / This world I made is harder the more your skin is dark" suggests that this person is proud of their accomplishments, but also aware of the harm that they have caused.

The chorus repeats the phrase "This machine runs on its own," emphasizing the idea that the system of racism and inequality is self-perpetuating and difficult to dismantle. The second verse brings in the specific historical context of slavery and its legacy in the United States, pointing out that even though slavery was officially abolished in 1865, it has continued in different forms up to the present day. The line "I disguised slavery" suggests that the person or group responsible for building the machine found ways to continue benefiting from the exploitation of others even after slavery became illegal.

The final verse suggests that the machine may be starting to break down, but that its creator (or inheritors) are still fearful of losing their power and privilege. The line "I've been a bully and a sinner now I'm on the way out" implies that the person responsible for building the machine is admitting to their wrongdoing, but perhaps only because they know that they are no longer invincible. Overall, the lyrics to "Machine" are a powerful statement on the need to recognize and dismantle systems of oppression that continue to harm marginalized communities.

Line by Line Meaning

I made the world a place easier for me
I manipulated the world to benefit myself and make it easier for me to navigate

Money in my pockets over centuries
I have accumulated wealth over generations through exploiting others

I'm a celebrated sinner with statues in the park
I am praised and recognized in society despite my unethical actions and harmful behavior

This world I made is harder the more your skin is dark
The world I constructed is oppressive and discriminatory towards marginalized communities

I covered all my tracks in books on history
I obscured my wrongdoing through historical revisionism and writing the narrative to suit my interests

Justified my actions through anthropology
I validated my unethical practices through the guise of anthropology and scientific inquiry

I chose what to remember and what we should forget
I selectively remembered and erased parts of history that conflicted with my agenda

I covered all my tracks in your blood and sweat
I obscured my exploitation and oppression through the labor and suffering of others

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
The system I created perpetuates itself, so drastic measures are necessary to stop it

Since 1865 everyone is free
Slavery was abolished, but systemic oppression and discrimination are still prevalent

But I still get my labour complimentary
I still benefit from the unpaid labor of marginalized communities

Who is working in the prisons now? Look and you will see
Modern-day prisons are just another form of systemic oppression and exploitation

That in 1865 I disguised slavery
Despite the legal abolition of slavery, I disguised it in various forms to maintain my power and profit

But a crack has appeared, it keeps me up at night
My oppressive system is showing signs of weakness and instability which causes me fear and anxiety

There are whispers, there are shouts and I fear the wolf will bite
There is growing resistance to my system and I fear the consequences of my actions

I've been a bully and a sinner now I'm on the way out
My oppressive behavior is catching up with me and my control is slipping

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
The oppressive system I created requires extreme measures to dismantle and stop it

This machine runs on its own trip the wire, melt the steel
The oppressive system I created is deeply ingrained and it requires radical action to destroy it

This machine runs on its own cut the brakes, grab the wheel
We need to take drastic measures to stop and dismantle the oppressive system that perpetuates itself

This machine runs on its own
The oppressive system I created sustains itself through the exploitation and oppression of marginalized communities

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: EMILY BARKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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