The child of research scientists and born in Barbados, Flint was raised in Aberdeen. At the age of 18 she moved to Edinburgh to study, where she joined the city's acoustic scene and formed the band Gingergreen. She was an original member of the Edinburgh Sound Collective and also spent six months singing and playing percussion with folk group Scuff. In 2004 she moved to London.
Debut release The Secret Boy’s Club was recorded in a living room on a shoestring, with an ear for a good tune, a mischievous sense of fun and an ever-expanding arsenal of playschool instruments (and cardboard boxes), it’s a slice of the good, old-fashioned lyrical wrapped in the home-made whimsical.
Flint was the winner of the inaugural New Lyric Award, presented by Ray Davies and Channel 4’s Ideasfactory, and spent March 2006 touring with Rough Trade’s folk darlings Cara Dillon and Sam (“brother-of-Seth”) Lakeman, playing 16 dates across the UK as chief tour support.
She released singles, 'Go Faster Stripes' (December 2007) and 'Christopher, You're A Soldier Now' (April 2008), which preceded her debut album Dirty Birds, which was released on the 15th of September, 2008 (after a limited edition run that was hand-produced by Flint in mid-2007).
In 2009, Flint formed the band Shipwreckers for live shows, featuring two members of London indie-rock band Revere – Nicholas Hirst (guitar; piano; accordion; percussion) and Kathleen McKie (cello) – and her former bandmate Andrew Thompson (bass; vocals; percussion).
http://www.myspace.com/katflint
Joseph
Kat Flint Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take me to your unswept stable floor
All the stars are resting at your door
I am a believer, nothing more
Mary, you're a young girl, still so young
Quiet as you sleep and dreams will come
All the doors are open, the manger bare
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Ave Maria
Oh, my Maria
Ooh...
But you're a good girl, my good girl
Oh, they say I love you like a fool
Lay me like a animal at your feet
Now everything about you is out of reach
Ave Maria (Ave Maria)
Ave Maria (Ave Maria)
Ave Maria (Ave Maria)
Oh, my Maria
Oh, my Maria
Oh, my Maria
The lyrics of Kat Flint's song "Joseph" evoke the biblical story of the birth of Jesus. Mary is addressed as a "poor girl" and a "young girl," emphasizing her humble status. The singer in the song identifies himself as a believer, and is drawn to Mary's unswept stable floor where all the stars are resting at her door. This image suggests a sense of wonder and awe at the birth of Jesus, which is a significant event in Christian theology. The repetition of the phrase "Ave Maria" in the chorus further emphasizes the religious undertones of the song.
Despite the singer's reverence for Mary and the miraculous birth she has just experienced, the tone of the song takes a darker turn in the second verse. The singer addresses Mary directly, calling her a "good girl," but then declares that he "loves her like a fool" and wants to be "laid like an animal at her feet." This sudden shift in tone suggests that the singer is not just a believer in the holy nature of the event, but is also dealing with his own human desires and impulses. The final repetition of "Oh, my Maria" seems to express both the singer's conflicted emotions and his continuing reverence for Mary and the story of Jesus's birth.
Overall, "Joseph" is a complex and thought-provoking song that engages with Christian themes while also exploring human passions and impulses.
Line by Line Meaning
Mary, you're a poor girl, poor pure girl
Addressing Mary by acknowledging her humility
Take me to your unswept stable floor
Asking to be guided towards the humble conditions of Mary's life
All the stars are resting at your door
Noticing that even the stars seem to acknowledge Mary's unique position
I am a believer, nothing more
Admitting that they have no special role or significance, in contrast to Mary's position in history and faith
Mary, you're a young girl, still so young
Calling attention to the youth of Mary, who has already begun to play a major role in the world
Quiet as you sleep and dreams will come
Speculating about what Mary's life may have been like during the time of the nativity story
All the doors are open, the manger bare
Noticing the open and hospitable conditions surrounding Mary and her son
Waiting for a seed to bed down there
Extending the metaphor of the nativity scene to include the growth of new life
Ave Maria
A traditional greeting for the Virgin Mary
But you're a good girl, my good girl
Acknowledging the goodness of Mary as a person, beyond her religious significance
Oh, they say I love you like a fool
Reflecting on the reputation for such devotion to Mary
Lay me like an animal at your feet
Expressing the desire to submit to Mary in a symbolic manner
Now everything about you is out of reach
Acknowledging the limitations of human understanding when it comes to the divine
Oh, my Maria
Closing with another greeting to the Virgin Mary
Contributed by Christopher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Isabella Martinez
Kat flint is awesome and her voice is amazing I wish more people knew about her
Leora
I can't wait until she comes out with a new album. I came across her by accident a few years ago and fell in love. I wish more people knew about her. Her music is awesome.
Jim Thomson
That was fairly awesome. Kat, you're a genius!
Matt Tiller
I love this song. The video is lovely... but the song is wonderful.
laeyxlee
I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!!
Yasmin Selena
Oh well done all of you!! I am well impressed : ) xxx
Peter J Kent
Brilliant video Kat, If this dosen't get noticed then there's no justice Great launch gig tonight too peter x
PugOfDoom
I really wish she'd make some new music... It's so perfect.
Ruins21
I'm friggin' in love with this song.. Too bad I can't buy the single :/
Laizorb
I really like this song, and I just checked her MySpace and listened to some other tracks. All are very nice. I wanted to buy the CD but it was not available were I live. Not yet, at least. D: