Her voice is comparable to Ms Newsom and Björk; but she is better compared with Anohni, (formerly Anthony Heggarty).
The Bone
Kathryn Joseph Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hole made of what will not grow back
Still and the born of the loved and lost
Heart hard of stone and mouth of dust
You are the bones sticking in my throat
Done are the deeds if you loved you don't
Done of the down on my hand and knee
Swollen of sea and the eyes of me
Made into fire and the things tat got
Lost in it till god his neck broke
Earth sucking down on the ravenswood
Stay of longer than he would
Into the night of the darkly spoke
He is a kind and the want was woke
Made not a sound as her heart unbroke
He is a kind and the one was woke
He is a kind and the one was woke
Ohhhhhhhh oh eeeee oooooo
Ohhhhhhhh oh eeeee oooooo
And in the cold of the light of day
Baby is gone, but the wolf did stay
Close to the door of the burning out
All of the love like blood spilled out
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And of the time that has always been
Swollen of sea and the eyes of him
And of the time that will no more be
Swollen of sea and the eyes of me
Swollen of sea and the eyes of me
The lyrics of Kathryn Joseph's song "The Bone" are open to interpretation, but they seem to deal with loss and grief. The imagery used in the song is quite dark, with mentions of a bird of prey, a black hole, and bones sticking in throats. The first verse invokes a sense of stillness and finality, with the suggestion that what is lost cannot be regained. Even the heart, typically associated with warmth and emotion, is described as hard as stone and with a mouth of dust.
The chorus brings in the idea of love, or the lack thereof. The deeds of love are done, suggesting that the relationship has ended. The singer is left with swollen eyes, perhaps from crying, and bones sticking in their throat. The second verse describes a person being consumed by fire, with the suggestion that they were lost in it until God himself broke his neck. The use of ravenswood, a tree traditionally associated with death, adds to the sense of finality. The verse then shifts to a character described as kind, who seems to have helped the singer through their grief. Again, there is a suggestion of something being broken, but this time it is a heart being unbroke. This is repeated in the final verse, which also includes the image of a wolf, typically associated with danger and darkness, staying close to a burning door. The love that was once there is now gone, spilling out like blood.
Overall, "The Bone" is a haunting and poetic exploration of loss and grief. While the lyrics are somewhat abstract, they hint at a deep sadness and longing that will likely resonate with many listeners.
Line by Line Meaning
Under the bird of the prey and black
In a dark and ominous environment, surrounded by danger.
Hole made of what will not grow back
A sense of hopelessness, where any attempts at healing are futile.
Still and the born of the loved and lost
Amidst stillness, there is a feeling of being stuck in grief over past love that has been lost.
Heart hard of stone and mouth of dust
Emotionally numb and struggling to speak, possibly due to past hurt.
You are the bones sticking in my throat
You are difficult to swallow and leave me feeling choked up.
Done are the deeds if you loved you don't
Actions become meaningless if love is not present.
Done of the down on my hand and knee
Exhausted and defeated, feeling defeated and hopeless.
Swollen of sea and the eyes of me
Eyes filled with tears, unable to see clearly due to overwhelming emotions.
Made into fire and the things tat got
Things that once existed have been consumed by flames and left to ashes.
Lost in it till god his neck broke
So lost in destruction that even a higher power cannot intervene.
Earth sucking down on the ravenswood
There is a sense of decay and destruction in the environment.
Stay of longer than he would
Staying beyond what is healthy due to a sense of obligation or inability to leave.
Into the night of the darkly spoke
Entering a situation where there is uncertainty and fear.
He is a kind and the want was woke
Finding someone who is kind and awakens a desire for intimacy and connection.
Made not a sound as her heart unbroke
In a moment of healing, there is a sense of peace and quiet.
Ohhhhhhhh oh eeeee oooooo
A vocalization of emotions that are difficult to express in words.
And in the cold of the light of day
Even in the light of day, there is a sense of coldness and emptiness.
Baby is gone, but the wolf did stay
Someone or something dangerous and predatory remains after a loss or trauma.
Close to the door of the burning out
In a state of crisis or danger, near destruction.
All of the love like blood spilled out
All the love and emotion has been lost and spilled out like a bodily fluid.
And of the time that has always been
Reflecting on the past and how it has shaped the present.
Swollen of sea and the eyes of him
The eyes of someone else who is also overwhelmed by emotion.
And of the time that will no more be
Mourning a loss or absence of something that can never be regained.
Swollen of sea and the eyes of me
Personal feelings of being overwhelmed and emotional, like the ocean waters that swell and move.
Writer(s): MARCUS MACKAY, KATHRYN JOSEPH
Contributed by Micah K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Allan Hart
This young lady is a major talent. Spread the word!
unbelievable123truth
What a voice! Love the album
&LoveForAll
Absolutely outstanding. I read about this girl in the Daily Record where her album received a tremendous review , had to go out and get it straight away (its on Bandcamp and Amazon downloads) , it's a truly marvelous album , real depth and emotion on display , i love it.
WENDY BANDURSKI-MILLER
so impressive......shivers......goosebumps.....what a fantastice musician.
Alexander Lorgen
Mesmerized.... Love it
Graham Laurenson
Saw her play @ Pilrig Church 23rd Jan 2016. She should be huge by rights! Maybe someday will record her..... Stranger things have have happened.....
acalcium
FYI http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/12/20/my-favorite-albums-of-2015.html
says """Kathryn Joseph, 40, decided to make an album following the death of her new born son. Bones, recorded in just ten days, is the result: an overwhelming, grief strewn collection of songs, one of the most compellingly powerful of the last decade.
Stark, immediate, and unadorned, Joseph evokes Kristin Hersh and PJ Harvey. Her lyrics are raw -- tales of blood, and bones, and dead animals -- but her melodies are gorgeous; lullabies to the departed composed and performed on piano. More wept than sung, Bones is a reminder that heartbreak can produce the most beautiful art. """