White's haunted blues quickly found a home on Oakland's Double Negative Records with them only hearing her four-track demo. Fooling around with music since pre-school, White started on piano around the same time she learned to read, eventually picking up the guitar during her college days.
After graduation White moved to Bordeaux, France, where she performed with a bevy of independent French artists further honing her songwriting skills. Upon returning stateside, she moved to SF and began recording four-track demos formulating the songs that would ultimately become her debut album, Dark Undercoat.
Her second album entitled Victorian America was released in 2009 in France (and in 2010 in the U.S.). it was written largely in San Francisco and Oakland.
Her third album entitled Ode to Sentience was released in 2011.
www.emilyjanewhite.com
The Demon
Emily Jane White Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And be a nurse by her side?
I'll take a corset of your words,
Tie them up high, and bind them.
You seem like you've always been,
Wrote a book that's already been read,
And if there was a beast would you hold him?
And be a doctor by his side?
He'll take the drugs that you've stolen,
You'll be drunk on electric wine.
Oh this town you've never seen before,
There's always big guns at your door,
The sentiment of class is blood born,
I'd like to write a song for you,
With arms wide open the way I do,
And I'd like to tell the truth to you,
Shot through the chest the way I do.
If there was a demon would you hold her?
And be a nurse by her side?
I'll take a corset of your words,
tie them up high and bind them.
Emily Jane White's song "The Demon" is a haunting portrayal of a relationship with a mysterious figure that represents the darkness within. The first verse asks the question, "If there was a demon would you hold her?" It's unclear whether this is a literal question, or a metaphor for a troubled individual who needs help. The following line, "And be a nurse by her side?" seems to suggest that the singer is willing to provide comfort and aid to this troubled figure. The second line of the verse, "I'll take a corset of your words, tie them up high, and bind them," is a bit more cryptic. It could be interpreted in a few different ways, but one possibility is that the singer is attempting to control or restrain the demon within by using the power of language.
The second verse poses a similar question about a beast, and asks if the listener would be willing to help ("be a doctor by his side"). The line about "drugs that you've stolen" implies that the singer is involved in something illicit or dangerous, and this dark tone is further emphasized by the mention of "electric wine" and "big guns at your door." The final line of the verse, "The sentiment of class is blood born," suggests that this is a society in which power and status are tied to bloodline, and the singer may be on the fringes of that society.
The chorus brings us back to the demon, repeating the question from the first verse. The last line, "I'll take a corset of your words, tie them up high, and bind them," is a haunting reminder of the singer's attempt to control or subdue the darkness within.
Overall, "The Demon" is a song that is open to interpretation, but its eerie tone and cryptic lyrics create a sense of unease and suspense.
Line by Line Meaning
If there was a demon would you hold her?
If someone you loved was possessed by a demon, would you be willing to stay with them and care for them?
And be a nurse by her side?
Would you take on the role of caregiver and stand by their side through their struggle?
I'll take a corset of your words,
I'll take what you say as true and meaningful, like a corset that holds everything together.
Tie them up high, and bind them.
I'll hold onto your words and keep them close, making sure they're safe and secure.
You seem like you've always been,
You give off the impression that you've always existed in this world, like you've just always been there.
Wrote a book that's already been read,
You seem to have lived a life that's already been pre-written and pre-determined by others.
And if there was a beast would you hold him?
If there was someone that society deemed 'beastly', would you still show them love and support?
And be a doctor by his side?
Would you be there to help them heal and overcome their struggles?
He'll take the drugs that you've stolen,
He'll take the help that you're offering, even if it's not necessarily yours to give.
You'll be drunk on electric wine.
You'll feel a sense of exhilaration and excitement in helping someone who is deemed an outcast by society.
Oh this town you've never seen before,
This place is unfamiliar to you, and you have no idea what to expect.
There's always big guns at your door,
There's always a sense of danger and hostility surrounding you.
The sentiment of class is blood born,
Social class is determined at birth, and it's difficult to break free from it.
I'd like to write a song for you,
I want to express my feelings for you through a creative medium.
With arms wide open the way I do,
I want to embrace you and show you love and acceptance, no matter who you are or what you've been through.
And I'd like to tell the truth to you,
I want to be honest with you and share my own struggles and insecurities as well.
Shot through the chest the way I do.
My words will hit you like a bullet, piercing through your defenses and reaching your heart.
If there was a demon would you hold her?
This line is repeated to emphasize the message of the song - the importance of standing by those we love, no matter what 'demons' they may face.
And be a nurse by her side?
Another repetition of the same message, emphasizing the call to action to show love and support in the face of struggles.
I'll take a corset of your words,
The final line of the song is another repetition of the line from earlier, bringing everything full circle and driving home the importance of holding onto the words of those we love.
tie them up high and bind them.
The final line is also a repetition of an earlier line, emphasizing the idea of keeping our loved ones' words close and safe, to be treasured and valued always.
Contributed by Charlotte D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Merol Swift
The song is about what?