Her mother is Korean and father is Polish. She grew up in New Jersey, went to Dwight-Englewood high school, and attended Oberlin College, but transferred to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
Orzolek has been noted for her sense of fashion. All of her costumes are designed by fashion designer and friend Christian Joy. She is also well known for her outrageous antics during live shows. She is known to often spit water or beer, or sometimes grapes into the crowd. Her on-stage antics have been compared to punk legends like Iggy Pop and Patti Smith. In 2003 at The Metro, Sydney, Australia (prior to the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' appearance at the Livid festival), she accidentally danced off the stage at a sideshow and reluctantly had to be taken to hospital - a few days later she appeared at the festival in a wheelchair, pushed by Angus Andrew.
She currently lives in Los Angeles, California, in the Silver Lake neighbourhood.
Ministry
Karen O Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sand at my feet, you're running me out of town
Out of my mind
Thousands of leaves, they bury me under her eyes
Mild breeze is telling me it's not my time
She's not mine
So day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Into a ministry, a ministry, a ministry of her love
I'm lost in the sea of sweet design
Smoke that I breathe awakens me and she's divine
But she's not mine
So day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Into a ministry, a ministry, a ministry of her love
Day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Into a ministry, a ministry, a ministry of her love
Heaven up above, may lift my thoughts of you
Hand that touched the earth
Make me lovely and touch me, too
Make me crystal pure, cast my heart anew
Day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Into a ministry, a ministry, a ministry of her love
Day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Into a ministry, a ministry, a ministry of her love
In "Ministry," Karen O and Danger Mouse explore the theme of unrequited love, with lyrics that convey the pain of desiring someone who does not reciprocate those feelings. The song uses vivid imagery to describe the singer's state of mind, showing how they feel lost and overwhelmed by their emotions. The opening lines, "Light on the street, keep me blind/Sand at my feet, you're running me out of town," convey a sense of disorientation and confusion, with the singer feeling as if they are being pushed away by the person they desire.
The bridge that reads, "Heaven up above may lift my thoughts of you/Hand that touched the earth, make me lovely and touch me, too/Make me crystal pure, cast my heart anew" is a plea for divine intervention in the singer’s feelings, a plea for transformation, a plea to cast their heart anew. The song ends with the lines, "Day by day, I'll turn my dreams into a ministry of her love," suggesting that the singer will channel their energy into something positive, regardless of whether their feelings are reciprocated, as they turn their unrequited love into a ministry, a service of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Light on the street, keep me blind
The light on the street makes it hard for me to see clearly and find my way.
Sand at my feet, you're running me out of town
The sand by my feet makes me feel like I'm being chased out of town and forced to leave.
Out of my mind
I'm losing control and going crazy.
Thousands of leaves, they bury me under her eyes
I'm overwhelmed by her beauty and all the emotions she evokes in me.
Mild breeze is telling me it's not my time
Despite my desire and hope, the universe may not be aligned for me to be with her.
She's not mine
The person I want to be with doesn't belong to me, and I may not have a chance with them.
So day by day, I'll turn my dreams
Every day, I'll channel my hopes and fantasies.
Into a ministry, a ministry, a ministry of her love
I'll dedicate my actions and passions toward pursuing her and loving her.
I'm lost in the sea of sweet design
I'm stranded and entranced by the bewitching pull of the person I desire.
Smoke that I breathe awakens me and she's divine
The scents and sensations I experience around her heighten my consciousness and make me perceive her as a goddess.
Heaven up above, may lift my thoughts of you
I rely on a higher power to elevate my feelings and hopes for the person I yearn for.
Hand that touched the earth
A divine, celestial hand that has a grounding effect on me.
Make me lovely and touch me, too
May this hand not only transform my life, but also reach out to me and provide comfort and guidance.
Make me crystal pure, cast my heart anew
May my feelings and intentions be purified and refreshed, so that I can be a better match for the person I adore.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Brian Burton, Hector Delgado, Karen Lee Orzolek, Samuel Cohen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nirvanagirl9947
Criminally underrated collaboration!
@andrewbirkett698
Nirvana Girl to be fair, it got 5*s in a prominent uk newspaper
@estellefavant9701
I can't stop listening to this. The bass is perfect.
@shiva0955
I thought the same thing 😊😊😊
@steven1241
@Walter Avila Danger Mouse his secret bass 😉
@obsessedpisces5871
I listened to this whole album while cruising down California's Highway 1 it was the most beautiful experience ever
@michaelhevezi7273
Same. First time hearing was beginning to end on a motorcycle trip. Beautiful
@jessicapreston9808
That sounds so perfect...I remember years ago my boyfriend and I were driving up hwy 1 through the NorCal redwoods and Mendocino coast listening to Blonde Redhead’s ‘23’ and it was truly the most memorable drive of my life. This album has similar vibes and I can’t imagine anything more perfect, tbh
@shiva0955
Can I come with you? 😙😗🌹
@daffyduck1811
This at 3am looking at the sea with the so called love of my life.