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).
Devil's Spoke
Laura Marling Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ripple on water from a lonesome drip
A fallen tree that witness me
I'm alone, him and me
And then life itself can not aspire
To have someone be so admired
I threw creation to my king
All of this can be broken
All of this can be broken
Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground
And root to root and tip to tip
I look at him my country gip
Let it up I own his fears
But someone brought you close to tears
Many trains and many miles
Like you to me on this sunny isle
And what of which you wish to speak
Have you come here to rescue me?
All of this can be broken
All of this can be broken
Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground
But the love of your life
Lives but lies no more
And where she lay a flower grows
The arms are fed and the babes have wed
And the backs have bled, keeping her in tow
But I am your keeper
And I hold your face away from light
I am yours till they come
I am yours till they come
Eye to eye
Nose to nose
Ripping off each other's clothes
In a most peculiar way
Eye to eye
Nose to nose
Ripping off each other's clothes
In a most peculiar way
The lyrics to Laura Marling's Devil's Spoke explore the themes of loneliness, love, and resilience. The first stanza presents the singer as a small and insignificant part of the greater universe, both witness and victim to the forces of nature. The second stanza then contrasts this with a more grandiose idea of creation, where life is not enough to aspire to the admiration bestowed upon a king figure. The whispered wind seems to acknowledge this grandeur, but also breaks the silence of the singer's loneliness in the wilderness. The refrain throughout the song is "all of this can be broken", which seems to suggest that despite the magnificence of creation, its fragility and transient nature should not be forgotten.
The middle stanzas add another dimension to the song, as the singer contemplates the idea of rescue and love. The question "have you come here to rescue me?" implies that the singer is in need of help or relief, but it is not clear what from. The mention of "the love of your life" suggests a failed relationship or loss, which has resulted in lies and pain. However, the final stanza offers a ray of hope, as a flower grows where this love once lay. The concluding lines of the song involve a dance-like repetition of "eye to eye/ nose to nose/ ripping off each other's clothes/ in a most peculiar way", which contrasts with the earlier melancholy tone and suggests a sense of intimacy and closeness in spite of all obstacles.
Line by Line Meaning
I might be a part of this
I may be insignificant in the grand scheme of things
Ripple on water from a lonesome drip
Small, insignificant events can create similar ripples in life
A fallen tree that witness me
Nature is witness to every moment of our lives
I'm alone, him and me
Even in the presence of others, we can still feel alone
And then life itself can not aspire
Life cannot compare to certain experiences
To have someone be so admired
The feeling of deep admiration for another person
I threw creation to my king
Acknowledging a higher power
With the silence broken by a whispered wind
A sense of awe and reverence for nature's power
All of this can be broken
Everything in life is fragile and can be destroyed
Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground
Take control of difficult situations and overcome them
And root to root and tip to tip
A deep, unbreakable connection with another person
I look at him my country gip
Feeling a strong sense of belonging with someone
Let it up I own his fears
Taking on the fears of another person
But someone brought you close to tears
The pain caused by someone else's actions
Many trains and many miles
The distance between two people
Like you to me on this sunny isle
Feeling like another person is home
And what of which you wish to speak
Being open to hearing and understanding another person's thoughts and feelings
Have you come here to rescue me?
Dealing with feelings of helplessness
But the love of your life
The person who means the most to you
Lives but lies no more
The end of a significant relationship
And where she lay a flower grows
Finding hope and life after loss
The arms are fed and the babes have wed
The cycle of life continues
And the backs have bled, keeping her in tow
The sacrifices made to care for others
But I am your keeper
A commitment to protect and care for someone
And I hold your face away from light
Keeping someone safe from harm
I am yours till they come
A promise to stand by someone
Eye to eye
Intimate connection
Nose to nose
A closeness that allows you to share breath
Ripping off each other's clothes
Expressing passion physically
In a most peculiar way
The unique nature of this connection
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LAURA BEATRICE MARLING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@knightraider1362
Yes just saw the movie The Invitation on Netflix so naturally I came here coz this was the ending song , now I'm into her music 😁
@BeckBeckGo
heh exactly same.
@knightraider1362
@@BeckBeckGo strange how life is right??? How things just kinda happen lol
@fallguybirdy7998
I seen the devil then I seen you 3333333333333333333333333⁶3333333333333333333⁷33333333333333⁶333333333334
@PeterMillerSyd
I've been a fan for many years. Go and enjoy her "old" music
@juliaharris3685
Lol same. Never knew she existed until the credits of The Invitation. Still... very good stuff!
@tilobley9407
Heard this song first at the end of THE INVITATION. People who turn off after the last picture miss this extraordinary piece of music. I added it at once to my playlist. A fascinating powerful voice, a brilliant composition and fine dark lyrics. A masterpiece. And to me the most inspiring voice since Melanie Safka and Loreena McKennitt.
@FM.1987
This is definitely growing on me. I can see why some listeners are disappointed, as this is not some traditional heart-breaking ballad, but its a very powerful piece, a natural show-opener and fits very well in her song catalogue. There's some skills involved in composing such a song and not making it boring. And the way she gets back to the main rhythm after the middle eight (around 2.18) is masterful. See what a talented songwriter can do with an overplayed riff!
@sampomme
I love this type of music so much.
@mr.e695
It's modern mountain music, and I agree, it's awesome