She began playing the guitar at the age of five, first being taught the blues by her father in front of the family fire, and has been enthralled by the songs and lyrics of the likes of Neil Young, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and John Mayall ever since. It’s not just the “golden-oldies” that Laura admires; she also harbours a rather deep love for alt.country’s favourite son, Ryan Adams. “He’s brilliant, there’s nothing that even comes close, he can paint the most amazing pictures in your mind.” Ryan Adams in turn had her album 'I Speak Because I Can' given to him by a producer friend. Ryan had written a lot of the material for his forthcoming album 'Ashes and Fire' but upon listening to her album he said; "I actually threw out the record I was writing and re-wrote my record based on that album because I thought to myself somebody's actually taking this very seriously ... It was amazing, a great motivation ... And it felt good to ask: 'What am I really capable of? I felt competitive again to write great songs."
Jamie T personally invited her on tour with him after being impressed by her modern folk-pop when he caught her playing just her second ever gig. Marling is part of the extended Way Out West family, having played five eminent shows at the label’s Brentford FC night before the club was finally moved on, and was also a member of Noah and the Whale until May 2008, contributing vocals and instruments throughout, and seen in the "Five Years Time" video playing recorder.
Following her London Town EP, Marling's debut album Alas I Cannot Swim was released by Virgin on 4th February 2008. Originally released in a large Song Box containing mementos and trinkets personal to the songs, as well as a concert ticket., the album was nominated for the 2008 Mercury Music Prize.
Marling released her second album, I Speak Because I Can, on March 22nd 2010.
The first track from her third album, A Creature I Don't Know, to receive radio airplay was "Sophia." The song is an ode to a mythical deity. (Sophia Songfacts).
Always This Way
Laura Marling Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But she didn't want me to
I'd like to know if she had to go
Or if she made a point to
It's so hard to say
Is it always this way?
Must every heart break
Like to think that we're all a link
In what makes the world go round
Lately I wonder if all my pondering's
Taken up too much ground
I make my own way
So at the end of the day
At least I can say
That my debts have been paid
25 years, nothing to show for it
Nothing of any weight
25 more, will I never learn from it
Never learn from my mistakes
It's too soon to say
Was I always this way?
Well at the end of the day
My debts have been paid
Now she's gone and I'm all alone
And she will not be replaced
Stare at the phone, try to carry on
But I have made my mistake
At the end of the day
At least I can say
I made my own way
And my debts have been paid
The lyrics to Laura Marling's song, "Always This Way," are a contemplation of love, loss, and self-reflection. The singer hints at a past relationship that has ended, but she is not clear on whether she or her partner initiated the separation. She says she would like to stay but that her former partner did not want her to. She then questions whether the end of their relationship is "always this way," suggesting that heartbreak seems to be a universal experience that one can never truly prepare for.
The singer reflects on life and the meaning behind it, questioning if all her pondering has "taken up too much ground." Despite the uncertainty of life, the singer vows to make her own way, and by the end of the day, she can say that her debts have been paid. The song ends on a somber note, with the singer alone and lamenting the loss of her partner.
Overall, "Always This Way" is a deeply introspective ballad about love lost, self-discovery, and acceptance of what is. The song reflects the universal human experience of heartbreak and the journey one takes after that.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd like to say that I could've stayed
I wish I could have stayed, but it was not my choice
But she didn't want me to
She didn't want me to stay
I'd like to know if she had to go
I wonder if she had to go, or if she chose to leave
Or if she made a point to
Did she leave on purpose?
It's so hard to say
It's difficult to know for sure
Is it always this way?
Do things always end up like this?
Must every heart break
Why does every heartbreak hurt so much?
Like a wave on the bay
It feels like a never-ending cycle
Like to think that we're all a link
I believe that we're all connected in some way
In what makes the world go round
We are all part of what makes the world function
Lately I wonder if all my pondering's
I'm starting to think that I overthink things too much
Taken up too much ground
Maybe I spend too much time thinking instead of doing
I make my own way
I am responsible for the choices I make
So at the end of the day
In hindsight, looking back
At least I can say
The one thing I can be sure of is
That my debts have been paid
I have done what I can to fix my mistakes
25 years, nothing to show for it
I've been alive for 25 years and haven't accomplished much
Nothing of any weight
I haven't done anything significant
25 more, will I never learn from it
If I don't learn from my past, will I continue to make the same mistakes?
Never learn from my mistakes
If I don't learn from my missteps, I'll repeat them
It's too soon to say
It's too early to know for sure
Was I always this way?
Have I always struggled with this?
Now she's gone and I'm all alone
I'm alone since she left
And she will not be replaced
No one can replace her
Stare at the phone, try to carry on
I'm glued to the phone, trying to go on with my life
But I have made my mistake
I messed up and there's no turning back
At least I can say
One thing I know for sure is
I made my own way
I am responsible for the path I choose
And my debts have been paid
I've done everything I can to make up for my errors
Writer(s): LAURA MARLING
Contributed by Mackenzie R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Deepika
Lovely song and so beautifully sung! The bass notes right at the beginning reminded me of Tom Waits' Long Way Home.
Fríða Ísberg
Funny, the guitar dampening always reminds me of Tom Waits' Hold on
Joe Boon Music
I'm sure she'd be happy with that comparison :)
Giorgio c
saw her live with her band ina festival in London. She's really in her state of grace. what an album this is! Love her.
GnB
A beautiful voice. Love this song.
oblaci Clouds
Thank you for being born and sharing your beauty with us! Not many on this planet like you xxx
JuntosHasta LasEstrellas
Que buen tema te amo lauraaaaaaaa desde paraguay
Nave
I love this
Meadows And Dawn
Authentic <3 !
Andrea Loreto
precioso