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).
You
Laura Marling Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Long before I met you
Just a fragment of my mind
I had called out for you
Almost every night
Precious things are hard to find
Much like any else
When you came into my life
It takes one to know one
And I saw you there
As I had seen you all my life
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I don't forget
Never let it get away
I wear a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
Now that I have you
I will not forget
What a miracle you are
No childish expectation
Love is not the answer
But the line that marks the start
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I don't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I won't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted
I sing it so I won't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
In the song "You" by Laura Marling, the lyrics appear to be exploring the idea of longing for someone before ever meeting them. The singer mentions how they had drawn pictures of this person before ever meeting them, indicating that this desire or yearning for the other person was present even before they knew who they were. This theme of longing is further established as the singer mentions calling out for this person almost every night, showing that this connection transcends mere curiosity or admiration. The lyrics also indicate that this person is "precious," highlighting the significance of the connection between the two individuals.
As the song progresses, the singer acknowledges the role of fate or higher powers in bringing them together, using the line "It takes one to know one" to describe the instant recognition they felt upon meeting this person. However, the song takes an interesting turn when the lyrics state that "love is not the answer, but the line that marks the start." This line implies that while there is clearly a strong emotional connection between the two people, love is not the be-all and end-all of their relationship. Instead, it is merely the beginning of a deeper connection, one that reaches beyond traditional love.
The repeated lyrics of "I thank a God I've never met, never loved, never wanted" could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could suggest that the singer is grateful that they have found this person without the assistance or guidance of a higher power or traditional notions of fate. Alternatively, it could imply that the singer is grateful that they have found this person without the need for traditional love or the pressures that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I drew pictures of you
I imagined and envisioned you in my thoughts long before we ever met in person.
Long before I met you
Even though I hadn't officially met you, you've been a part of my inner world and thoughts for a long time.
Just a fragment of my mind
The idea of you was just a small piece of my imagination, but it became very significant in my life.
I had called out for you
I had been searching for and wishing for someone like you for a long time.
Almost every night
It was a consistent and persistent desire that stayed with me every day and night.
Precious things are hard to find
I knew that someone as special and important as you would be hard to come by.
It was just an evening
On the surface, the night we met seemed like any other night.
Much like any else
It appeared to be just an ordinary event, but it held much more significance to me.
When you came into my life
When I finally met you, it was a turning point that changed everything for me.
It takes one to know one
I recognized the amazing qualities and traits in you because I have them myself.
And I saw you there
I immediately recognized and appreciated you as soon as I laid eyes on you.
As I had seen you all my life
You were exactly as I imagined and envisioned, like I had known you all my life.
I thank a God I've never met
I express gratitude to a higher power for bringing you into my life, even though I'm not religious.
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I didn't have to pray for love or want anything extra, because you were already all I ever wanted.
I write it so I don't forget
I put my thoughts and feelings into words so that I can remember and cherish them forever.
Never let it get away
I make sure to hold on tight to what I have with you and not take it for granted.
I wear a picture of you
I keep a physical reminder of you with me always, as a symbol of our love and connection.
Just to keep you safe
It's my way of protecting and preserving the love that we have.
Now that I have you
Now that you are mine, I will never let you go or forget how much you mean to me.
I will not forget
I am dedicated to remembering and honoring our love, and never taking it for granted.
What a miracle you are
I recognize and appreciate how special and unique you are, and how lucky I am to have you in my life.
No childish expectation
I have mature and realistic expectations for our relationship, and understand that love is not always easy.
Love is not the answer
While love is important, it's not the only thing that matters in a relationship. Other factors, like communication and compromise, are just as crucial.
But the line that marks the start
Love is what brought us together and marked the beginning of our relationship and journey together.
I sing it so I won't forget
I express my feelings through music, using it as a way to remind myself of my love for you.
I keep a picture of you
I hold onto physical mementos of our love, so that even when we're apart, I still feel close to you.
Just to keep you safe
I use these symbols and tokens as a way of safeguarding and preserving our love, and keeping it strong and secure.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: George Jephson, Laura Marling
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
thechadwick22
I drew pictures of you
Long before I met you
Just a fragment of my mind
I had called out for you
Almost every night
Precious things are hard to find
It was just an evening
Much like any else
When you came into my life
It takes one to know one
And I saw you there
As I had seen you all my life
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I don't forget
Never let it get away
I wear a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
Now that I have you
I will not forget
What a miracle you are
No childish expectation
Love is not the answer
But the line that marks the start
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I don't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted
I write it so I won't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted
I sing it so I won't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
Gothikay Essex
This is how I imagine I will feel when I become a mom. Fertility issues make the journey hard but it will make me grateful.
thechadwick22
I drew pictures of you
Long before I met you
Just a fragment of my mind
I had called out for you
Almost every night
Precious things are hard to find
It was just an evening
Much like any else
When you came into my life
It takes one to know one
And I saw you there
As I had seen you all my life
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I don't forget
Never let it get away
I wear a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
Now that I have you
I will not forget
What a miracle you are
No childish expectation
Love is not the answer
But the line that marks the start
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted (for you)
I write it so I don't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted
I write it so I won't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
I thank a God I've never met
Never loved, never wanted
I sing it so I won't forget
Never let it get away
I keep a picture of you
Just to keep you safe
Amaro
I couldn't describe how love feels in a purer way than drawing pictures of people long before meeting them; or wearing a picture of them just to keep them safe.
LunaLuneraLuneta
I often think about how grateful I am to have met my love and how I want to keep him and our love safe. Lying next to him is as peaceful and heartwarming as this song.
Gentleman Gaming
Wish I could have that experience I'll love a girlfriend who loves treasures understands long to hold me as the nice loving caring polite true gentleman of a man I am.
I'm only 21 years old! I'm young got my life ahead of me I know what I want and how to get it and I live my life everyday freely.
This coronvirus has stopped people from meeting each other also dates and meeting that special someone.
dottrouble
Ya
Danny Kuhrt
I think this song has the best chorus of the album, just so beautiful
Sidekick Cleveland
😔 chorus.. the top comment on this Marley song talks about the “chorus” a word not in a songwriters vocabulary.
Danny Kuhrt
@Sidekick Cleveland nonsense
Sidekick Cleveland
@Danny Kuhrt go turn on your radio then go buy a real album and listen to how many songs have a verse chorus verse chorus verse chorus.