Kathryn Joseph (born Kathryn Emma Sawers on 31 December 1974 in Inverness) … Read Full Bio ↴Kathryn Joseph (born Kathryn Emma Sawers on 31 December 1974 in Inverness) is a Scottish singer-songwriter and musician. Her debut album Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I've Spilled won the 2015 Scottish Album of the Year Award.

Her voice is comparable to Ms Newsom and Björk; but she is better compared with Anohni, (formerly Anthony Heggarty).

The Why What Baby?
Kathryn Joseph Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Laid her down
Not til the snow is gone from ground
Gag and bound, how sweet and soon will you be found
Have and hold her down bipolar
All of the harm you′ve done

And for love, god knows what you are guilty of
Whoring me what you have spoken for and shame

Magpie steel love ear cold meal of
All of the harm you've done
Why, what baby?
Why, what baby?

Make her into wine trade it with her life
Bring round her in dull while her hand is warm
Bed her now, not til the snow is gone from ground
Gag and bound, how sweet and soon will it be found

Have and hold her down bipolar
All of the harm you′ve done

Why, what baby?
Why, what baby?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kathryn Joseph's song "The Why What Baby?" are dark, unsettling, and cryptic. The song tells the story of a woman who has been "laid down" and "gagged and bound" while a person, who is most likely her partner, has committed a heinous act against her. The lyrics suggest that the woman is being physically restrained and abused in some way, with the line "have and hold her down bipolar." The lyrics also imply that the person committing the act is experiencing some kind of mental illness or instability.

The chorus of the song, "Why, what baby?" could be interpreted as the woman questioning why this is happening to her or could be the abuser's thoughts and questions to themselves about what they have done. The lyrics are left open to interpretation, and there are many different ways to interpret them, but they are undoubtedly disturbing and evoke strong emotional responses.

Overall, the lyrics of "The Why What Baby?" are haunting and jarring, speaking to the darker aspects of human nature and the complex dynamics of abuse and mental illness.

Line by Line Meaning

Laid her down
She was made to lie down

Not til the snow is gone from ground
She won't be allowed to get up until the snow on the ground melts

Gag and bound, how sweet and soon will you be found
She was tied up and gagged, and it won't be long before someone discovers her

Have and hold her down bipolar
They want to keep her under control, but they are struggling with their own mental health issues

All of the harm you've done
They are aware of the pain and suffering they have caused

And for love, god knows what you are guilty of
Out of love, they have committed terrible acts

Whoring me what you have spoken for and shame
They are ashamed of the lies they have told to get what they want, including from the person they love

Magpie steel love ear cold meal of
They are taking advantage of the person they love like a magpie stealing shiny objects

Why, what baby?
They are questioning their motives and actions

Make her into wine trade it with her life
They will use her for their benefit, even if it costs her life

Bring round her in dull while her hand is warm
They will use her for as long as they can, even if they have to deceive or manipulate her to keep her close

Bed her now, not til the snow is gone from ground
They won't let her go until the snow on the ground melts

Gag and bound, how sweet and soon will it be found
She will be found soon, tied up and unable to speak

Why, what baby?
They are questioning their own actions and motives once again

Writer(s): Marcus Philip Mackay, Kathryn Joseph

Contributed by Christian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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