Howling Bells is a Sydney, Australia rock band which formed in 2004, from t… Read Full Bio ↴Howling Bells is a Sydney, Australia rock band which formed in 2004, from the ashes of Waikiki. Members include: Juanita Stein (vocals, guitar), Joel Stein (guitar, keys, vocals), Brendan Picchio (bass, keys, vocals) and Glenn Moule (drums/vocals). They debuted with the single "Wishing Stone" (Feb 2006, Bella Union).

Soon after their formation, they packed-up and moved to the UK, where they recorded their critical acclaimed debut album, "Howling Bells" (May 2006, Bella Union), with Coldplay / Gomez producer Ken Nelson . Press included a rare 9/10 in NME and 7.8/10 in Pitchfork. They spent much of the next 2 years touring mostly Europe, Australia and parts of the US. Howling Bells played at the 2007 NME Awards show. They also performed at numerous festivals over the 2006 English summer including Reading/Leeds. They have supported US band The Killers and Placebo around Europe, as well as Snow Patrol on their Australian tour.

Howling Bells signed to the well respected U.K record label Independiente (Travis,The La's) and released their 2nd album, "Radio Wars", which they recorded with Dan Grech-Marguerat, who has produced/engineered records alongside producer Nigel Godrich, including Radiohead and Air.The first single was Into The Chaos.

Their third studio album "The Loudest Engine" was released through Cooking Vinyl on 9 September 2011 to mostly positive reviews. It was produced by Mark Stoermer and recorded at Battle Born Studios, in Las Vegas from September to October 2010.

Their fourth studio album "Heartstrings" was released through Birthday Records on 2 June 2014 to generally favourable reviews. It was co-produced by Catherine J. Marks and Alan Moulder, and recorded at Assault & Battery 2, London, in November 2013.

Sites: YouTube

Velvet Girl
Howling Bells Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hello I'll be your morning girl
You raise the flag
Ill ring the bell
Hello I'll be your quiet girl
Just let me watch
Ill never tell

Hello I'll be your velvet girl,

We'll leave this town,
We'll change the world
Hello I'll give you everything
Just not enough
And never this

Ooh
Be my velvet boy
My velvet boy

Hello I'll watch the sun fade out
Just leave me with the stormy clouds
Hello I'll be your sinking ship
Just take my hand
And let's fall in

Ooh

Be my velvet boy
My velvet boy

Overall Meaning

The song "Velvet Girl" by Howling Bells is a romantic and mysterious track with deep and emotional lyrics. The beginning of the song introduces the character "morning girl" who is willing to take on the responsibilities of raising the flag and ringing the bells. The song progresses with the introduction of "quiet girl" who is mystifying and secretive but is willing to keep a watchful eye. The chorus then introduces the "velvet girl," who is ready to leave the town and change the world. She promises to give everything but warns that it may not be enough and never this.

As the song goes on, the lyrics become more intense and emotional, creating vivid imagery of watching the sun fade out while being embraced by stormy clouds. The poetic phrase "sinking ship" is introduced which symbolizes the inevitability of difficult times and the need for a supportive companion. The song ends with a reiteration of the chorus, where the character pleas for someone to be her "velvet boy," someone to share their emotions, passions, and struggles.

"Velvet Girl" is a beautiful, ethereal and romantic track that can be interpreted in multiple ways. The lyrics portray a sense of mysteriousness and vulnerability, which makes it an endearing and relatable song for many. The song is a beautiful testament to the human condition, the desire for connection, and the need for unconditional love, regardless of the difficulties that life throws our way.

Line by Line Meaning

Hello I'll be your morning girl
I will be there for you in the morning

You raise the flag
You take charge and lead the way

Ill ring the bell
I will make sure everyone knows what's happening

Hello I'll be your quiet girl
I am there for you quietly

Just let me watch
I'll observe and learn

Ill never tell
I'll keep your secrets safe

Hello I'll be your velvet girl
I will be smooth and sensual for you

We'll leave this town
We'll escape the mundane and ordinary

We'll change the world
Together, we can make a difference

Hello I'll give you everything
I'll give you all that I have

Just not enough
But it may not be sufficient for you