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
Shotgun Wedding
Kat Flint Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are letting in light
But we'll sleep tonight
Oh, we'll sleep tonight
The last of the meal
Is wasting away
They could feed the ghosts
Evening came in shocks of light
The fireworks burn through our wedding night
Oh, the sky fell faster than the twilight
The twilight
Ooh...
You in your suit
And blazes of red
As they raise the roof
From our honeymoon bed
The flowers arrived
In sickly sweet white
And my father smiled
Oh, my father smiled
Evening came in shocks of light
The fireworks burn through our wedding night
Oh, the sky fell faster than the twilight
The twilight
Evening came in shocks of light
(Gather your kin in the sight of the Lord)
The fireworks burn through our wedding night
(Freedom is coming for you, coming for you)
Oh, the sky fell faster than the twilight
(Dearly departed, we gather no more)
The twilight
Ooh...
Evening came in shocks of light
The fireworks burn through our wedding night
Oh, the the sky fell faster than the twilight
(Gather your kin in the sight of the Lord)
The twilight
The song "Shotgun Wedding" by Kat Flint speaks about a wedding that seems to be disheartening and unromantic. The walls of the home are letting in light, symbolizing a lack of privacy, and the last of the meal is wasting away, suggesting a feeling of emptiness. The line "they could feed the ghost from those dying plates" adds to the desolation of the situation. Even though this is a wedding night, the evening came in shocks of light accompanied by fireworks that "burn through" their wedding night, which could be interpreted as feeling trapped and forced just like the fireworks.
The chorus of the song repeats the line "evening came in shocks of light, the fireworks burn through our wedding night, oh, the sky fell faster than the twilight." This repetition emphasizes the idea that the couple is not enjoying their special night and that it might be more of an unwelcome distraction. The last verse reassures us that the scene described is not one of traditional merriment - with the line "freedom is coming for you" and "gather no more" bringing some sense of liberation.
Overall, the song suggests a lack of connection between the bride and groom and an overwhelming sense of an unpleasant obligation, with no escaping until the evening ends.
Line by Line Meaning
The walls of our home
Are letting in light
But we'll sleep tonight
Oh, we'll sleep tonight
Despite the chaos and uncertainty surrounding them, they will still find peace and rest in their home.
The last of the meal
Is wasting away
They could feed the ghosts
From those dying plates
The remnants of the wedding meal are going to waste, highlighting the wastefulness of the event and how it could have been better used to help others in need.
Evening came in shocks of light
The fireworks burn through our wedding night
Oh, the sky fell faster than the twilight
The twilight
The wedding was a bright and explosive event, but it ended quickly and suddenly, leaving the couple in the dark and uncertain of what the future holds.
You in your suit
And blazes of red
As they raise the roof
From our honeymoon bed
The bride describes her partner's striking attire and the excitement of their first night together as a married couple.
The flowers arrived
In sickly sweet white
And my father smiled
Oh, my father smiled
The bride's father is happy for her, but the flowers are a reminder of the fakeness and superficiality of the wedding.
Evening came in shocks of light
(Gather your kin in the sight of the Lord)
The fireworks burn through our wedding night
(Freedom is coming for you, coming for you)
Oh, the sky fell faster than the twilight
(Dearly departed, we gather no more)
The twilight
The couple's uncertainty about the future is contrasted with the certainty and unwavering faith of their family members. The juxtaposition highlights the different attitudes towards the wedding and marriage.
Ooh...
A musical interlude with no discernible meaning.
Contributed by Adeline S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.