Brittle Urchin
Kayo Dot Lyrics

The opening line of Kayo Dot's song "Brittle Urchin" speaks to the profound sense of sadness and emptiness that the singer carries deep within their heart. This darkness is so entrenched that it will never dissipate, reflecting a sullen pessimism that contrasts sharply with the more hopeful tones of many other songs in the genre. A sense of roughness and weariness can be heard in the second line, where a boy is described as being worn down by the wind and rain, losing his essential features and becoming hardened like sandstone. This boy is symbolic of the singer's own struggles and challenges, as they too are eroded by the difficulties of life and the passage of time.

The third line brings a new layer of meaning to the song, as the singer describes a tattered piece of paper that has been wrapped in cracks like rivers. This reminds us of the singer's own fragility and vulnerability, and hints at a deeper sense of loss and disappointment. Finally, the image of a brittle urchin that has been desiccated by the ocean air stands as a metaphor for the singer, whose spirit has been broken and has withered away. The image of a tower of ash on a cemetery hill reinforces this idea, conveying a sense of utter finality and hopelessness.