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).
Darkness Descends
Laura Marling Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With your face painted on to your friends
You listen to them whine and moan
About everything you can't understand
Can I just say I don't feel the light,
But darkness descends once more into my life
And suddenly we're all alone
I look up to the falling snow
As it makes its home upon my face
Well I wouldn't want to ruin something I couldn't save
The gap will keep us safe, the gap will keep us safe
Step away, get me when I'm down
And suddenly I'm five years old
And I'm just so cold I want to cry
I haul up on my gentlemen
Who have always been there in hard times
They're just not like that man of mine
Who visits me from time to time
My love, I treasure you
I hear that summers coming back
So I stretch out my back and travel on
The winter though it darkens me
It is pure and clean and all I want
Ill apologise to the ones I love
For leaving them when the sun comes up
Too bright for me, darkens descends
Oh well I'm not well again and once more darkness it descends
The ground is falling under me
And I cant find the means to leave
Convinced that I am going mad
Oh I bury my head into his hands
So sure that I am losing faith
Oh I clear a space in his fathers land
You deal with god far too young,
Before you know it your life has run away
The song "Darkness Descends" by Laura Marling portrays a sense of loneliness and isolation. The lyrics speak of the feeling of detachment from the supposed group of friends that the singer was with. As the friends engage in light-hearted activities, the singer is struggling to suppress the darkness that is consuming them, and that has become a constant part of their life. As the snow falls on the singer's face, alluding to the winter season, they realize that they wouldn't want to ruin something they can't save. Thus, they decide to take a step away and find solace in their memories of people who have been there for them in the past.
As the singer reminisces about their past, they mention their "gentlemen" who have always provided them with support during the hard times. However, the singer acknowledges that these gentlemen are not the man they love who visits them from time to time. This reference to a lover highlights the theme of loss and loveless relationships. The singer roots the cause of their deteriorating mental health in their relationship with God. They believe that they began dealing with God too young, and that has caused their life to spiral out of control.
Line by Line Meaning
You're holding bits of styrofoam
You're grasping onto things that can't support you
With your face painted on to your friends
You're trying to fit in with others by masking yourself
You listen to them whine and moan
You hear their complaints but can't relate to their problems
About everything you can't understand
They talk about things that are foreign to you
Can I just say I don't feel the light,
I don't feel happiness or joy
But darkness descends once more into my life
But sadness and despair have come back into my life
And suddenly we're all alone
We're isolated from others in silence
In silence so I take a step away
I distance myself from those around me in quiet
I look up to the falling snow
I observe the snow landing on my face
As it makes its home upon my face
As the snow accumulates on my face
Well I wouldn't want to ruin something I couldn't save
I don't want to damage something I have no control over
The gap will keep us safe, the gap will keep us safe
The distance between me and others will prevent harm
Step away, get me when I'm down
Move away from me, help me when I'm struggling
And suddenly I'm five years old
I feel like a child again
And I'm just so cold I want to cry
I'm physically and emotionally uncomfortable
I haul up on my gentlemen
I rely on my trusted allies
Who have always been there in hard times
My supporters have always helped me through difficult moments
They're just not like that man of mine
They're not like the person I'm romantically involved with
Who visits me from time to time
Who occasionally checks in on me
My love, I treasure you
I value you, my love
I hear that summers coming back
The arrival of summer is shared with me
So I stretch out my back and travel on
I relax and continue moving forward
The winter though it darkens me
The winter season affects my mood
It is pure and clean and all I want
Winter feels untainted and it's what I desire
Ill apologise to the ones I love
I will express regret to those I care for
For leaving them when the sun comes up
For distancing myself from them when things are good
Too bright for me, darkens descends
Brightness overwhelms me and sadness returns
Oh well I'm not well again and once more darkness it descends
I'm not feeling good and depression is settling in again
The ground is falling under me
My foundation is crumbling
And I cant find the means to leave
I don't have the resources to get out
Convinced that I am going mad
I feel like I'm losing my sanity
Oh I bury my head into his hands
I seek refuge in his support
So sure that I am losing faith
I have little confidence and faith remaining
Oh I clear a space in his fathers land
I prepare a location in his father's property
You deal with god far too young,
You interact with God when you're too inexperienced
Before you know it your life has run away
Time quickly passes and your life is gone
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA BEATRICE MARLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind