Her voice is comparable to Ms Newsom and Björk; but she is better compared with Anohni, (formerly Anthony Heggarty).
IIII
Kathryn Joseph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you survived
Tell my lover and it will lick you clean
There's no god but you, safe
We've been loved by our mothers
Mouths full of blood, mountain, weight
Suddenly, hold on loud, fall on me
Loud, roarin', when they don't state it
La-la-la, whoa, whoa, whoa
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
La-la-la-la-la-la
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
I won't lie
(This is not a way out)
(This is not a way out)
All the wide awake, I will fall and hold the light inside them
The lyrics to Kathryn Joseph's song IIII are quite cryptic and open to interpretation. The opening line, "From when I wake the want is" could be interpreted as the desire that the singer feels from the moment they wake up. However, the following line "And you survived" suggests a contrast between the singer and the person they are addressing in the song. They go on to say "Tell my lover and it will lick you clean/ There's no god but you, safe". While this could be interpreted as an expression of love or subservience, the line "There's no god but you, safe" suggests that this person has some sort of power over the singer.
The next few lines, "We've been loved by our mothers/ Mouths full of blood, mountain, weight" are more difficult to decipher. The phrase "mouths full of blood" could suggest a sense of violence or trauma, while "mountain, weight" could portray a sense of burden or struggle.
The chorus, "Suddenly, hold on loud, fall on me/ When they come callin'/ Loud, roarin', when they don't state it" is perhaps the most cryptic part of the song. It could suggest a feeling of being overwhelmed or attacked, with the phrase "when they don't state it" suggesting that there is something left unsaid or unspoken.
Overall, the lyrics to "IIII" seem to convey a sense of struggle and conflict. It could be interpreted as a meditation on power dynamics and trauma.
Line by Line Meaning
From when I wake the want is
The desire has been present since awakening
And you survived
You managed to survive despite the challenges faced
Tell my lover and it will lick you clean
Sharing with one's beloved can bring relief and healing
There's no god but you, safe
You are the only one who can bring safety and stability
We've been loved by our mothers
We have been cared for and nurtured by those who birthed us
Mouths full of blood, mountain, weight
The burden of life feels heavy and overwhelming
Suddenly, hold on loud, fall on me
Sudden and intense emotions of longing and dependence
When they come callin'
When faced with difficult situations or decisions
Loud, roarin', when they don't state it
Chaos and confusion when things are left unspoken
La-la-la, whoa, whoa, whoa
A moment of musical transition or release
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
La-la-la-la-la-la
A moment of musical transition or release
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
I won't lie
The truth is about to be revealed
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
(This is not a way out)
This is not the solution to the problem
All the wide awake, I will fall and hold the light inside them
I will guide and support those who are struggling and seeking clarity
Writer(s): Kathryn Joseph
Contributed by Leo E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.