*She is an award-winning, multi-nominated novelist and is considered to be the UK's premier woman spoken-word artist ('the UK's Patti Smith') and an expert in the field of commisioned public poetry. Joolz has an international reputation for excellence in all her creative fields. Joolz has also worked within the music industry for over twenty-six years, for the legendary underground cult band New Model Army and for upcoming young Northern band New York Alcoholic Anxiety Attack.
*Joolz tours the world giving highly acclaimed dramatic readings of her work (both poetry and prose) and was awarded the audio book industry's prestigious 'Earphone Award' (USA) for her recording of her first novel, Stone Baby. She is noted for the emotive, musical quality of her voice and the skill with which she presents the characters she has written about.
*In Britain she reads throughout the year at venues ranging from The Royal Albert Hall and the House of Commons to rock music festivals (twenty-two years as a performer at Glastonbury) arts centres, Universities, rock clubs and coffee houses.
*Joolz is an extremely experienced and valued broadcaster having worked regularly for radio of all kinds such as BBC Radio Four (including many broadcasts for Woman's Hour) and BBC Radio One. She has also appeared regularly on television.
*For her debut novel Stone Baby (HarperCollins) Joolz won the Crime Writer's Association New Crime Writer Of The Year and was shortlisted for the John Creasey Award.
*Her third novel, Billie Morgan (Serpent's Tail) was shortlisted for the 2005 Orange Prize and also the Crime Writer's Association Dagger In The Library award.
*Her latest novel Borrowed Light (Serpent's Tail) was released in February 2006 to enormous critical acclaim and her latest collection of poetry and short fiction Pray For Us Sinners (Comma Press), released in late 2005, is already in its second re-print.
* Joolz' Arts Council sponsored exhibition of her artwork for New Model Army 'One Family - One Tribe; The Art & Artefacts Of New Model Army' saw 10,000 visitors to Bradford's Cartwright Hall Gallery (who now curates the exhibition) and over 6,000 during its visit to Hamm, Germany. The Exhibition/Installation of her photographs of Bradford; 'Bradford - True North' saw a ten-fold rise in visitors to Bradford University Gallery 2 and the photographs have been purchased by the University for permanent display in the new Atrium.
*Joolz was Artistic Director of the nationally acclaimed 'Radical Brontes' strand of the 2006 Illuminate Festival and designated a Cultural Revolutionary; banners and posters bearing her image were displayed in cities and railway stations all over the North of England alongside such Northern cultural icons as Frederick Delius and Charlotte Bronte.
* Joolz is part of the "folk cabaret troupe" Red Sky Coven, consisting further of Justin Sullivan (from New Model Army) and Rev Hammer.
Love Is
Joolz Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
"You should write a love poem,
One of those nice 'love is' poems
Because people need their dreams and fantasies"
So I'll tell you what love is
Love is passion and pain
In the darkness of the night
The line between drawn so close
Standing on the edge, eyes wide awake
Power pounding in your veins
The vision of your face in a shock of light
Love is hard and savage bright
And bleeding knuckles
Where you punched the wall
Agony and jealousy exploding in the dance-hall
The knife blade of tension
Cutting us both ways
It's fighting, fighting, back to back
You and I out-numbered three to one
Laughing and running afterwards
And blood-sweet kisses
Grinding on your broken teeth
Love is my nails in your back
And grinning in the face
Of a small town's hatred
Oh, that's what love is, sweetheart
Not pastel pink and wedding white
The same old traps, the half-hearted lies
The cold death
Love is red hot and black hearts
Your whole soul burning
And singing all the while
Oh yes, that's what love is
That's what love is
That's what love is
That's what love is
That's what love is
That's what love is
In Joolz's song Love Is Sweet, the singer responds to a suggestion to write a love poem, but instead of creating a fluffy, idealistic piece, Joolz delves into the dark, intense, and complex nature of love. Joolz describes love as passion and pain, and the varying emotions that come with it, revealing that love is not always pretty and easy. The lyrics depict the moments of joy and sorrow, conflict and resolution, that come with being in love.
Joolz uses vivid imagery to convey the passion and intensity of love. The lyrics reveal a violent side to love, with references to screaming spasms of hatred, bleeding knuckles, and the knife blade of tension. However, Joolz also portrays the exhilaration and thrill of love, describing laughing and running afterwards, and blood-sweet kisses. The song highlights the idea that love is not just one thing, and can have both positive and negative connotations.
In conclusion, Love Is Sweet by Joolz is a powerful and evocative interpretation of love. The lyrics portray the many sides of love, from the violent to the joyful, revealing that it is not always easy or pretty, but it can be incredibly passionate and fulfilling.
Line by Line Meaning
This bloke says: "You should write a love poem,
Someone suggested writing a love poem.
One of those nice 'love is' poems
They suggested a sweet and idealistic type of love poem.
Because people need their dreams and fantasies"
They believe that people need to believe in idealistic love.
So I'll tell you what love is
The singer will now explain what love truly means to them.
Love is passion and pain
Love is a combination of intense emotions, both good and bad.
In the darkness of the night
Love can exist even in difficult or trying times.
Screaming spasms of hatred
Love can also include moments of intense anger and frustration.
The line between drawn so close
There can be a thin line between love and hate.
Standing on the edge, eyes wide awake
Love can be an intense, adrenaline-fueled experience.
Power pounding in your veins
Love can be a powerful, overwhelming feeling.
The vision of your face in a shock of light
In moments of intense feeling, specific memories can stand out clearly.
Love is hard and savage bright
Love can be intense, harsh, and bright.
And bleeding knuckles
Love can lead to physical pain and harm.
Where you punched the wall
Love can cause someone to act out in anger or frustration.
Agony and jealousy exploding in the dance-hall
Love can cause intense emotional outbursts, such as pain and jealousy.
The knife blade of tension
Love can create a sense of tension and unease between people.
Cutting us both ways
This tension can cause pain or harm to both people involved in the relationship.
It's fighting, fighting, back to back
Love can require a lot of effort and work, sometimes resulting in fighting or conflict.
You and I out-numbered three to one
Love can sometimes feel like a battle to be fought together against the odds.
Laughing and running afterwards
Even in times of conflict, love can bring moments of joy and happiness.
And blood-sweet kisses
Even moments of pain or physical harm can be followed by deep affection and love.
Grinding on your broken teeth
Love can include moments of intense physicality and passion.
Love is my nails in your back
For some people, love can be rough or physical.
And grinning in the face
Even in the face of adversity or difficulty, love can inspire joy and happiness.
Of a small town's hatred
Other people's hate or prejudice can make love even more precious and powerful.
Oh, that's what love is, sweetheart
This is the singer's personal definition of love.
Not pastel pink and wedding white
Love is not always the soft, idealistic version often portrayed in media and culture.
The same old traps, the half-hearted lies
Love can involve deceit or dishonesty, and some people fall into the same patterns or expectations.
The cold death
The absence or loss of love can feel like a painful, unbearable truth.
Love is red hot and black hearts
Love can be intense and passionate, but also dark and complex.
Your whole soul burning
Love can consume someone's very being.
And singing all the while
Even in difficult times, love can inspire joy and hope.
Oh yes, that's what love is
This is the singer's final conclusion on the meaning of love.
That's what love is
The song's refrain, reemphasizing the true meaning of love.
That's what love is
Repetition of the refrain.
That's what love is
Repetition of the refrain.
That's what love is
Repetition of the refrain.
That's what love is
Repetition of the refrain.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOOLZ DEBNEY, JUSTIN EDWARD SULLIVAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind