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. Itâs not just the âgolden-oldiesâ that Laura admires; she also harbours a rather deep love for alt.countryâs favourite son, Ryan Adams. âHeâs brilliant, thereâs nothing that even comes close, he can paint the most amazing pictures in your mind.â 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 labelâs 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).
Soothing
Laura Marling Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
Oh, some creepy conjurer
Who touched the rim
Whose hands are in the door
I need soothing
My God is brooding
Drawn in chalk across the floor
You made it yours
Your private door to my room
May those who find you find remorse
A change of course, a strange discord resolved
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
I banish you with love
I banish you with love
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
The first verse of Laura Marling's song Soothing creates an eerie and unsettling atmosphere. It seems like the singer is talking to a person, addressed as "my hopeless wanderer," who is trying to enter a space where they are no longer welcomed. The second line, "You can't come in," sets the tone of the song, suggesting that the wanderer is an unwanted presence. The use of repetition in this line emphasizes the definitive and resolute nature of the rejection. The line "You don't live here anymore" highlights that there has been a change in the situation and that the wanderer used to be welcome. However, something drastic seems to have changed.
In the second line, Marling introduces the image of a conjurer who has had their hands in the door, implying that the wanderer might be a magician or someone who employs magic tricks. This description makes the person seem almost mystical and dangerous. The final line of the stanza, "I need soothing," indicates that the singer is agitated and uncomfortable with the situation. The use of the word "soothing" suggests that the singer is looking for a balm or an antidote for their distress.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I need soothing" three times, with a pause between each repetition. The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the singer's sense of unease and wanting comfort. The next line, "My lips aren't moving," suggests that the singer is too upset or frightened to speak. The final line, "My God is brooding," implies that the singer is seeking divine intervention or protection from a higher power.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, my hopeless wanderer
Addressing someone who has lost their way and are unable to find a purpose in life
You can't come in
The person addressed is not welcome anymore
You don't live here anymore
The person addressed does not belong in this place anymore
Oh, some creepy conjurer
Referring to someone who has played tricks to gain access to the place
Who touched the rim
Referring to someone who has touched something they were not supposed to touch
Whose hands are in the door
Referring to the person trying to gain access to the place
I need soothing
The singer is seeking help and comfort
My lips aren't moving
The artist is too distressed to speak
My God is brooding
The artist feels abandoned by God
Drawn in chalk across the floor
A symbol or mark has been left behind
You made it yours
The person addressed has taken possession of something that doesn't belong to them
Your private door to my room
The person addressed has gained access to a personal space
May those who find you find remorse
The person addressed should feel guilty for their actions
A change of course, a strange discord resolved
If the person addressed changes their ways, conflict can be avoided
I banish you with love
The singer is choosing to forgive and move on
You can't come in
Reinforcing that the person trying to gain access is not welcome
You don't live here anymore
Emphasizing that the person addressed has no place here
Writer(s): Blake Mills, Laura Marling
Contributed by Anna V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@tatianabarkovskiy38
Oh, my hopeless wanderer
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
Oh, some creepy conjurer
Who touched the rim
Whose hands are in the door
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
Drawn in chalk across the floor
You made it yours
Your private door to my room
May those who find you find remorse
A change of course, a strange discord resolved
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
I banish you with love
I banish you with love
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
@agunsux
Oh, my hopeless wanderer
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
Oh, some creepy conjurer
Who touched the rim
Whose hands are in the door
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
Drawn in chalk across the floor
You made it yours
Your private door to my room
May those who find you find remorse
A change of course, a strange discord resolved
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
I banish you with love
I banish you with love
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
ps: my hopeless wanderer? is that marcus mumford reference?
@priyasuresh5918
Oh, my hopeless wanderer
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
Oh, some creepy conjurer
Who touched the rim
Whose hands are in the door
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
Drawn in chalk across the floor
You made it yours
Your private door to my room
May those who find you find remorse
A change of course, a strange discord resolved
I need soothing
My lips aren't moving
My God is brooding
I banish you with love
I banish you with love
You can't come in
You don't live here anymore
Songwriters: Laura Marling /
@mikeofcetacea
The key change when she sings "my god is brooding" gives me chills, it's such a beautiful relief from the tension of the chorus.
@PaintedSinatraBlue
Laura's changes of style are seriously the only changes in my life I can easily accept. It's because I know that they are always going to be for the better. She is such a miraculous musician, can't wait for the album!
@jmlemche
That bass, those strings, her voice! I got a feeling this is going to be a pure musical masterpiece. I can't wait!!
@migi9358
This is so powerful... it speaks so much about the ever evolving nature of Laura. I love her since I was a young boy going through the hardships of adolescence. She helped me so much to cope with the shit life put on me.
Keep it up, Laura. I'm still hoping to see you live since the two times you came to Argentina I wasn't able to attend.
Much love <3
@lailatrindade4494
âI started out writing Semper Femina as if a man was writing about a woman,â Marling explained in a press release. âAnd then I thought itâs not a man, itâs me â I donât need to pretend itâs a man to justify the intimacy of the way Iâm looking and feeling about women. Itâs me looking specifically at women and feeling great empathy towards them and by proxy towards myself.â
@360wnr
do you have a link to this?
@j3s0n
Ugh... How to say nothing with as many words as possible
@ghostie7790
Yes. I feel the same way. Iâm a woman too. Women are so magnificent
@woudgy
@@j3s0n just say, "I don't understand what she said"
@claralopes1312
dear laura, you're a major inspiration to me as a writer, a woman, a human being trying to cope with existence. thank you for sharing your gifted voice and thoughts with us. <3