Holter, a Los Angeles native, grew up in a musical family. Her father plays guitar and once performed with Pete Seeger. Her mother, Carole Shammas, is a prominent academic and currently holds the John R. Hubbard Chair in History at the University of Southern California. Besides playing and recording music, Holter tutors students and works with a nonprofit organization for teenagers in South Central Los Angeles. After graduating from CalArts, where she studied composition, Holter contributed songs to multiple compilation albums in 2008. She performed in the LA Road Concert with the Open Academy Youth Orchestra on Washington Boulevard in 2009. The following year she began playing with Linda Perhacs' band. In 2010, she released a CD-R titled Celebration and a collection of live recordings.
Her debut studio album, Tragedy, was released in August 2011 on Leaving Records. Inspired by Euripides' Greek play Hippolytus, the album received generally favorable reviews and was named one of NPR's "Best Outer Sound Albums Of 2011".
Holter released a second album, Ekstasis, in March 2012 on the RVNG label. The album drew comparisons to works by such artists as Laurie Anderson, Julianna Barwick, Kate Bush, Joanna Newsom, Grouper, and Stereolab, and received many positive reviews. Holter spent three years making the album, whose title comes from the Greek word meaning "outside of oneself." The music video for album track "Moni Mon Amie", directed by Yelena Zhelezov, was also released in March.
In addition to collaborating with other California-based musicians like Nite Jewel (Ramona Gonzalez), Holter recently released her third album, Loud City Song. Unlike her first two albums, which were recorded mostly alone in her bedroom, Holter recorded Loud City Song with an ensemble of musicians
Lucette Stranded on the Island
Julia Holter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Looking for what I remember
My name I know
I love going to the movies
I turn and see my childhood home
On this new beach where strange bird fly
These birds swoop right over
"Who is she?"
"Where does she come from?"
The birds sang so loud
"Oh she's been marooned, oh
Can anybody help her?"
"Oh she's been marooned
Can anybody help her?" (oh)
"Oh she's been marooned
Can anybody help her?"
The sun comes up
Slower than I remember
A man I know
He lights his cigarette with nothing
Not a smile or memory
His shadow still wet as my gash against the the rock
Sharp and high on the Balearic promontory
I see his ship go
What stings me?
These birds can't stop the waves
"Oh she's been marooned, oh
Can anybody help her?" (oh)
"Oh she's been marooned (oh)
Can anybody help her?" (oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
The birds can sing a song
"He covered me in cactus"
The birds can sing a song
"I don't remember much but"
The birds can sing a song
"He turned me around"
The birds can sing a song
"My mouth quivered"
The birds can sing a song
"It's 4 am"
The birds can sing a song
"The man is gone"
The birds can sing a song
"The man is gone"
The birds can sing a song
"Good riddance, he is gone"
"His billhook caught their eyes"
"Blood is on his billhook"
"His billhook caught my neck"
"How unnaturally I gaze"
"How unnaturally I gaze"
"I gaze at nothing"
"I gaze at nothing"
"My emerald is gone"
"He lifts my hand"
"He lifts my hand"
"I hear him"
"I hear him"
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
I don't know much but
"Oh she's been marooned
Can anybody help her?"
The song "Lucette Stranded on the Island" by Julia Holter is a haunting and emotionally evocative masterpiece that centers on the story of a woman who finds herself marooned on an island and desperately seeks help. The opening lines, "I call my name aloud, looking for what I remember, my name I know, I love going to the movies", introduce the main character's confusion and desperation, as she tries to make sense of her surroundings and find her way back home.
As the song progresses, the woman encounters strange birds that weave in and out of her story, singing haunting songs that seem to taunt her plight. The repeating chorus of "Oh she's been marooned, can anybody help her?" serves as a metaphor for the woman's sense of isolation and abandonment, as she struggles to survive on the island.
The song reaches its climax with the woman's encounter with a mysterious man who lights his cigarette with nothing. His shadow is "sharp and high on the Balearic promontory," and his ship leaves the woman stranded once again. As the birds sing their final refrain of "I hear him, I hear him", the woman is left alone with nothing but her memories and the haunting melody of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I call my name aloud
I'm looking for myself and searching for my identity.
Looking for what I remember
I'm trying to find something from my past.
My name I know
I still remember my own name.
I love going to the movies
I like the feeling of escaping into a different world, even if it's just for a few hours.
I turn and see my childhood home
I'm trying to connect with my past and find comfort in familiar things.
On this new beach where strange bird fly
I'm in an unfamiliar place and feeling out of my depth.
These birds swoop right over
I feel like I'm being watched or judged by others.
"Who is she?"
People are curious about me and want to know more.
"Where does she come from?"
People are trying to figure out my background and where I fit in.
The birds sang so loud
I feel like everyone is talking about me and it's overwhelming.
"Oh she's been marooned, oh
I feel helpless and stranded in this new place, and I need someone to help me.
Can anybody help her?"
I'm desperate for assistance and support.
The sun comes up
A new day is beginning, but I still feel lost.
Slower than I remember
Time seems to be moving slowly, and I'm struggling to adapt to my new surroundings.
A man I know
Someone familiar is nearby, but they don't offer me comfort or help.
He lights his cigarette with nothing
He seems unconcerned and indifferent to my plight.
Not a smile or memory
He doesn't seem to care about me or our shared past.
His shadow still wet as my gash against the the rock
He seems cruel and unfeeling, and I feel wounded and vulnerable.
Sharp and high on the Balearic promontory
I'm in a dangerous and precarious position, and I need help to survive.
What stings me?
I'm in pain and struggling to understand why.
These birds can't stop the waves
I'm facing natural forces that are beyond my control, and it's overwhelming.
The birds can sing a song
The birds seem to be mocking me, and I feel helpless and alone.
"He covered me in cactus"
I've suffered physical harm at the hands of others, and it's left me scarred.
"I don't remember much but"
I'm struggling to recall the details of my trauma, but I know it was painful.
"He turned me around"
I feel disoriented and confused, and I'm struggling to find my way forward.
"My mouth quivered"
I'm afraid and struggling to express myself.
"It's 4 am"
I feel stuck and trapped in the middle of the night, both literally and metaphorically.
"The man is gone"
The person who hurt me is no longer present, but I'm still struggling to move on.
"Good riddance, he is gone"
I'm trying to convince myself that I'm better off without the person who hurt me, but it's difficult.
"His billhook caught their eyes"
The person who hurt me is known to others, and I'm struggling to reconcile their public image with my private memories of them.
"Blood is on his billhook"
The person who hurt me was violent and dangerous, and I'm still struggling to process the trauma.
"His billhook caught my neck"
I feel physically and emotionally wounded by the person who hurt me.
"How unnaturally I gaze"
I feel disconnected from my surroundings and myself, and I'm struggling to make sense of everything.
"I gaze at nothing"
I'm feeling lost and disconnected, and I'm struggling to find meaning in my experiences.
"My emerald is gone"
Something of great value has been taken from me, and I'm struggling to cope with the loss.
"He lifts my hand"
The person who hurt me is still trying to exert control over me, even in his absence.
"I hear him"
I'm haunted by the memory of the person who hurt me, and I'm struggling to move on.
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
I'm still desperate for help and support, and I don't know where to turn.
"Oh she's been marooned"
I'm still stuck in this difficult situation, but I'm hoping that someone will be able to help me out.
Can anybody help her?"
I'm still desperate for assistance and support, and I'm hoping that someone will hear my plea and offer a helping hand.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: JULIA HOLTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind