In 2007 she was part of Damon Albarn’s team producing the score for his Monkey: Journey To The West opera and toured the USA with Philip Glass as oboeist in The Book Of Longing. 2009-2010 she co produced and played on Kathryn Williams’s album The Quickening and is a member of Marianne Fatihfull’s live band.
In 1992 Kate started her association with the All Saints record label as a composer, player and singer. This resulted in The Familiar, a collaborative album with pianist and composer Roger Eno. She and Roger then joined up with Bill Nelson and Laraaji to form the eclectic, avant-garde collective Channel Light Vessel who released two improvisational albums, Automatic and Excellent Spirits.
In 1995 Kate’s first solo album, Indescribable Night, came out. Produced by her and French composer Joseph Racaille it featured her singing, playing, compositions and arrangements
Fireflies
Kate St. John Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Burning in the night sky
Firefly
Glows like you and I
Summer's end
Share the night with me
My love
Firefly
A moment and a lifetime
Firefly
Forever yours and mine
Kings and queens
Never had so much
My love
Firefly
Dawn on the horizon
Firefly
Sun is slowly rising
Fade away
Never to return
My love
Firefly
Burning in the night sky
Firefly
Glows like you and I
Fade away
Never to return
My love
The lyrics to Kate St. John's song "Fireflies" capture the ephemeral beauty and transient nature of love. The metaphor of fireflies is used to represent the fleeting moments of connection and passion between two individuals.
The opening lines, "Firefly, Burning in the night sky," create an image of a solitary firefly shining in the darkness. This firefly could symbolize love itself, shining brightly but also vulnerable to fading away. The repetition of "Firefly, Glows like you and I" suggests that the firefly's light represents the glow of love shared between the singer and their beloved.
As the song progresses, there is a sense of urgency to seize the present moment. The line "Summer's end, Share the night with me" suggests a desire to make the most of the limited time available. The reference to "Kings and queens" emphasizes the rarity and preciousness of the love they have, as if it surpasses anything that royalty could possess.
The chorus, "Firefly, A moment and a lifetime, Firefly, Forever yours and mine," expresses the paradoxical nature of love. It can be both a fleeting moment and a timeless connection, something that is simultaneously ephemeral and everlasting. The repetition of the line "My love" throughout the song emphasizes the deep emotional attachment the singer feels towards their beloved.
Towards the end of the song, there is a shift in tone. The lines "Firefly, Dawn on the horizon, Firefly, Sun is slowly rising" suggest the inevitability of an ending. The fireflies, like the night itself, are fading away with the arrival of dawn, never to return. This could symbolize the bittersweet realization that even the most intense love stories eventually come to an end.
In summary, "Fireflies" by Kate St. John explores the fleeting nature of love and the paradoxical experience of finding something both temporary and eternal within a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Firefly
A symbol of light and warmth
Burning in the night sky
Radiating beauty and brightness amidst darkness
Firefly
Like a shining star, representing you and me
Glows like you and I
Shimmering with the essence of our love
Summer's end
The conclusion of a season, signaling change
Share the night with me
Spend this time together, embracing the darkness
My love
An endearing term for the person being addressed
Firefly
A fleeting moment that encompasses a lifetime of emotions
A moment and a lifetime
Capturing the intensity and depth of our connection
Firefly
Always and perpetually belonging to both of us
Forever yours and mine
Eternal ownership of our love
Kings and queens
Even royalty has never experienced such richness
Never had so much
Unmatched in abundance and magnitude
My love
A reaffirmation of the affection towards the person addressed
Firefly
The emergence of a new day, symbolizing hope
Dawn on the horizon
The gradual illumination of the world
Firefly
The sun's gradual ascent, bringing light and warmth
Sun is slowly rising
The start of a new beginning, promising brightness
Fade away
Gradually diminish, disappearing from existence
Never to return
Permanently gone, unable to be reclaimed
My love
A heartfelt term of endearment for the beloved
Firefly
A symbol of light and warmth
Burning in the night sky
Shining brightly amidst the darkness
Firefly
Radiating the same luminosity as you and I
Glows like you and I
Shimmering with the same intensity as our love
Fade away
Gradually disappear
Never to return
Forever gone, unable to be brought back
My love
An endearing term of affection
Lyrics © DistroKid, APM MUSIC ASSOCIATED PRODUCTION MUSIC
Written by: Jessica Staveley-Taylor, Johannes Refsdal
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind