Hozier was born in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. His mother is the visual artist Raine Hozier-Byrne (who also designed his latest album cover). He began a degree in music at Trinity College, Dublin, but dropped out midway through his first year in order to record demos for Universal Music. While at Trinity, he became involved with the Trinity Orchestra. He was a member of Anúna from 2008 to 2012, and appears as a soloist on their 2012 release "Illumination" singing "La Chanson de Mardi Gras". He toured and sang with the group internationally including performances in Norway and the Netherlands.
In 2013, Hozier released the EP "Take Me to Church EP" (also containing "Like Real People Do", "Angel of Small Death and The Codeine Scene" and a live version of "Cherry Wine"), with the title track becoming his breakthrough single after it went viral on YouTube. It reached number one on the Irish iTunes singles chart and number two in the official chart on 25 October 2013.
Hozier followed up Take Me to Church with the new EP "From Eden EP" (also containing "Work Song", "Arsonist's Lullabye" and a live version of "To Be Alone"), and a number of festival tour dates and television appearances in the United States. Hozier released his self-titled album, "Hozier" on 19 September 2014. It had five singles including "Take Me to Church", "Work Song", and "From Eden", which were hits on his earlier EPs. On December 2014, it was announced that "Take Me to Church" was nominated at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards for Song of the Year in 2015.
In September 2018, he released an EP titled Nina Cried Power and featured the title track as a single, reaching number one on the Billboard Adult Alternative Songs chart. He released his second album, Wasteland, Baby! in March 2019, which debuted atop the Irish Albums Chart and the Billboard 200, and has since been certified gold in the U.S.
Run
Hozier Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run 'til you feel your lungs bleeding
Oh but the pharaoh knows
Her hungry eye, her ancient soul
It's carried by the sneer in the night rule [?]
Beneath her sky, a punishing cold
To sow the light of her ancient misery
To be twisted by something
A shame without a sin
Like how she twisted the bug man
After she married him
Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run 'til you feel your lungs bleeding
But in all the world
There is one lover worthy of her
With as many souls claimed as she
But for all he's worth
He still shatters always on her earth
The cause of every tear she'd ever weep
Rushing ashore to meet her
Foaming with loneliness
White ends to follow and meet her
Give her his loneliness
Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run 'til you feel your lungs bleeding
Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run 'til you feel your lungs bleeding
Rare is this love, keep it covered
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
Run 'til you feel your lungs bleeding
The song "Run" by Hozier is a complex exploration of love, lust, and power dynamics. The lyrics suggest that love is rare and fragile, something that needs to be hidden and protected from the outside world. The singer pleads for their lover to run towards them, even to the point where they are physically and emotionally drained.
The song also touches on themes of ancient mythology and power structures. The "pharaoh" mentioned in the lyrics represents a powerful and ancient force, perhaps a deity or a ruler. The singer describes the pharaoh's eye as "hungry" and her soul as "ancient", suggesting that she is not easily understood or tamed.
It's suggested that the pharaoh has a history of manipulating those around her. The singer reveals how she twisted and controlled the "bug man" after marrying him. This suggests that the pharaoh's power is not just limited to her role as a ruler, but also extends into her personal relationships.
In conclusion, Hozier's "Run" encourages the listener to consider the complex and sometimes painful nature of love, power dynamics, and ancient mythology.
Line by Line Meaning
Rare is this love, keep it covered
This type of love is a rarity, so it must be kept hidden and protected
I need you to run to me, run to me, lover
I need you to come to me, no matter the distance or difficulty, because our love is worth it
Run 'til you feel your lungs bleeding
Run as hard and as long as you can, until you reach your absolute limit and feel like you can't keep going anymore
Oh but the pharaoh knows
The pharaoh is aware of the situation
Her hungry eye, her ancient soul
She has a deep desire and an old, powerful essence
It's carried by the sneer in the night rule
She is in control and her power is evident through her sneer, even in the darkness
Know what it is to grow
Understanding what it is like to mature and develop
Beneath her sky, a punishing cold
Underneath her presence, there is a harsh and unforgiving atmosphere
To sow the light of her ancient misery
To spread awareness of her age-old pain and sorrows
To be twisted by something
To be influenced or corrupted by an external force
A shame without a sin
A feeling of guilt or regret without having done anything explicitly wrong
Like how she twisted the bug man after she married him
An example of how this woman can manipulate and control those around her
But in all the world
Despite everything else in existence
There is one lover worthy of her
There is only one person who is capable of truly loving and understanding her
With as many souls claimed as she
This lover has a similar history of leaving an impact on many people's lives
But for all he's worth
Although he has value and is important
He still shatters always on her earth
He consistently ends up breaking down and struggling in her presence
The cause of every tear she'd ever weep
He is the one who causes her emotional pain and makes her cry
Rushing ashore to meet her
Hastily going towards her with great urgency
Foaming with loneliness
Overwhelmed by a sense of being alone and isolated
White ends to follow and meet her
Foam in the ocean is following the waves and is representative of the artist's emotions following this woman
Give her his loneliness
Offering his own loneliness to her, as though he is willing to share it
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Firoj Khan
good