… Read Full Bio ↴Hannah Cohen (born October 25, 1986), is an American singer and model.
V Magazine and Vogue photographer Matthu Placek made the video for her debut single, “Child Bride.” Based in New York, Cohen was first encouraged to pick up a guitar after falling in with a group of the city’s most-anointed musicians, including Grammy-award-winner Jesse Harris and cabaret artist Justin Bond. “For the past five years I have been mostly listening to Brazilian vinyl from the 60s and 70s,” the sultry artist says of her inspirations. “The classics like Caetano Veloso — his record Jóia is an absolute favorite of mine.” Cohen’s folk-infused songs and striking looks soon caught the attention of Antony and the Johnsons collaborator Thomas Bartlett; the pair worked together on Cohen’s first album.
Lilacs
Hannah Cohen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
in this here city
only lilacs and
promises from the wind
the won't rise for you my pretty
it only burns with the
memories of your mine
since, and my dream is you should be a dreamer seeping
In Hannah Cohen's poetic and dreamy song, "Lilacs," the lyrics express a longing for a lost love and the bittersweet memories that come with it. The opening line, "no lies in this here city," suggests that the cityscape she inhabits is pure and honest, free from falsehoods. The singer then invokes the image of lilacs, a flower known for its beauty and fragility, as a symbol of the promises of the wind. The wind is fickle and transient, and its promises are just as fleeting.
The line, "it won't rise for you my pretty," can be interpreted in different ways. It could refer to the sun, which won't rise for the singer's beloved anymore, or to the hope and passion that once animated their relationship. The singer seems to accept this loss, acknowledging that the memories of their time together still burn bright, but also acknowledging that they are just memories. She dreams that her beloved "should be a dreamer seeping," which could suggest that she wishes they could reconnect through their dreams or that she hopes they can both move on and find new dreams. As the song progresses, the colors begin to fade into the night, suggesting that the singer is letting go of the past and embracing the darkness and uncertainty of the present.
Line by Line Meaning
no lies
There is no deception or falsehood in this city.
in this here city
The location being referred to is this particular city.
only lilacs and
There exist solely lilacs and nothing else in the city.
promises from the wind
The wind is the source of promises being made.
the won't rise for you my pretty
The promises are made to somebody else and not the listener.
it only burns with the
Something hurts fiercely in this city.
memories of your mine
The memories of the listener are the source of the burning pain.
since, and my dream is you should be a dreamer seeping
The singer's aspiration is for the listener to lose themselves in their imagination.
all the colors fade in to the night
There is a loss of vibrancy and saturation as the day turns into night.
Contributed by Aiden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.