Joolz Denby has been a professional writer, spoken word artist, photographe… Read Full Bio ↴Joolz Denby has been a professional writer, spoken word artist, photographer and illustrative artist for over twenty-six years.

*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.

Storm
Joolz Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There’s a storm rising in the west tonight,
The clouds coil black and fat,
The lightening flickers like a serpent’s tongue
And the static screeches and burns.
You can feel the power rising,
Curling through your soul,
It’s a whiplash dance, the truth laid bare
And no lover’s kiss will hold you now,

On a night like this... on a night like this

You could tear down the whole world,
The energy cracks from your fingertips
And the moonlight fills your eyes,
Muscles pull tight aching to explode
As the tension swirls and builds,
You dance through the thickening darkness,
Driven by the electric charge,
Howling like a banshee,
Grinning like a wolf,
On a night like this... on a night like this

It’s the power of the bright and dark,
There’s »Don’t Touch« written all over you,
You’re dynamite with a smouldering fuse.
But it’s joy, and it’s passion,
And it’s savage, and it’s good...
And if they’re scared?
Well, it spurs you on
To be laughing and strong,

To be fierce and barbaric and fine
On a night like this... on a night like this...

Overall Meaning

The lyrics above are from Joolz's song "Storm". The song is about feeling the power of a storm that is brewing, both literally and metaphorically. The storm symbolizes a chaotic force that is beyond one's control, and it can be both terrifying and exhilarating to experience. The first two lines introduce the storm: "There’s a storm rising in the west tonight, / The clouds coil black and fat." The imagery here is vivid, with the clouds described as "fat" and the storm brewing in the west--a classic setup in literature for ominous events.

As the verse progresses, the storm becomes more intense. The lightning is described as "flickering like a serpent's tongue" and the "static screeches and burns." The listener can feel the power of the storm through the language used, and the description of the energy "curling through your soul." There's a sense of danger and unpredictability, conveyed by the line "no lover's kiss will hold you now". The storm serves as a metaphor for some kind of emotional upheaval or transformation.

The second verse is more intense and focused on the personal experience of the storm. The singer feels like they could "tear down the whole world" and the "energy cracks from [their] fingertips." They're consumed by the tension and the possibility of something explosive happening. The line "dancing through the thickening darkness" suggests that the singer is forcing themselves to confront whatever is coming their way. The howl of a banshee and the grin of a wolf both suggest a primal response to this energy. The storm is powerful and exhilarating, but also frightening, as suggested by the line "a whiplash dance, the truth laid bare."

The final verse reiterates the mix of fear and excitement the storm brings, with the singer feeling powerful and dangerous. There's pride in this feeling, with the line "you're dynamite with a smouldering fuse." However, it's also clear that the singer recognizes that this power can be destructive, as suggested by the "Don't Touch" written all over them. Despite this, the energy is ultimately positive, with "joy, and passion, and savage, and good" accompanying the storm. The last lines suggest that the singer is fueled by the fear they inspire in others: "if they're scared? Well, it spurs you on to be laughing and strong, to be fierce and barbaric and fine."

Line by Line Meaning

There’s a storm rising in the west tonight,
The singer notices a storm approaching from the west which signifies powerful and life-changing events.

The clouds coil black and fat,
The singer describes the clouds as ominous and full of energy.

The lightening flickers like a serpent’s tongue
The lightning creates a sense of danger and unpredictability, just like a serpent's tongue.

And the static screeches and burns.
The noise of the storm is loud enough to cause static, which adds to the intense energy of the storm.

You can feel the power rising,
The artist can sense the energy and power of the storm growing stronger.

Curling through your soul,
The energy of the storm affects the singer at a deep level, stirring up emotions and passion.

It’s a whiplash dance, the truth laid bare
The storm is like a dance and reveals the truth of the moment, bringing to light hidden emotions and desires.

And no lover’s kiss will hold you now,
The passion and intensity of the storm is so great that not even the comfort of a lover's kiss can compete with it.

On a night like this... on a night like this
The repetition of this line emphasizes the strength and significance of the storm.

You could tear down the whole world,
The artist feels a sense of power and strength, as if they could accomplish anything.

The energy cracks from your fingertips
The singer feels energy coursing through their body, ready to be released at any moment.

And the moonlight fills your eyes,
The artist is filled with a wild and almost otherworldly energy, symbolized by the brightness of the moonlight in their eyes.

Muscles pull tight aching to explode
The singer's body is filled with so much energy that it feels like it could explode at any moment, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement.

As the tension swirls and builds,
The energy and tension of the moment continue to grow, adding to the feeling of electricity in the air.

You dance through the thickening darkness,
The singer imagines themselves literally dancing through the storm, embracing its power and chaos.

Driven by the electric charge,
The artist is motivated and energized by the power of the storm, using it to push forward and accomplish their goals.

Howling like a banshee,
The artist is filled with so much strength and energy that they feel like they could howl like a mythical creature.

Grinning like a wolf,
The singer is excited and energized by the storm, just like a wolf would be excited by the prospect of a hunt or challenge.

It’s the power of the bright and dark,
The singer recognizes that the storm represents both light and darkness, reflecting the complexities of life and its many challenges.

There’s »Don’t Touch« written all over you,
The artist is filled with such energy and power that it's almost dangerous to touch them, like they have a warning sign written all over them.

You’re dynamite with a smouldering fuse.
The artist is full of explosive energy, like dynamite with a smoldering fuse, ready to ignite at any moment.

But it’s joy, and it’s passion,
Despite the intensity and power of the storm, the artist recognizes the sense of joy and passion that comes with it.

And it’s savage, and it’s good...
The singer recognizes that the storm is both savage and good, reflecting the dual nature of life and its many experiences.

And if they’re scared?
The artist acknowledges that others may be scared or intimidated by their intensity and power.

Well, it spurs you on
The singer is empowered by the fear and uncertainty of others, using it as motivation to continue pushing forward and embracing the storm's power.

To be laughing and strong,
The singer recognizes the importance of maintaining a sense of humor and strength in the face of adversity and challenge.

To be fierce and barbaric and fine
The singer recognizes that it's important to embrace all aspects of our nature, from the fierce and barbaric to the refined and elegant, in order to fully experience life.

On a night like this... on a night like this...
The repetition of this line serves as a reminder of the power and significance of the moment, emphasizing the transformative and life-changing nature of the storm.

Contributed by Isabelle F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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