Her 2006 debut solo album entitled Beloved One was shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize and was released through Lou's own label Infinite Bloom. Rhodes' second album, Bloom (A&G Records/Infinite Bloom), was released in October 2007. Her third album, One Good Thing (Motion Audio/Infinite Bloom), was released in early 2010.
She released her third solo album One Good Thing in 2010 and became an author in 2012 with her children's picture book, The Phlunk (Strata Books). Follow-up, The Phlunk's Worldwide Symphony was published in 2014.
In 2012 Rhodes also contributed an essay to The First Time I Heard The Smiths, part of an ongoing series where musicians/writers tell their stories of first hearing the music of an iconic artist or band.
Rhodes released the singles "All The Birds" in April, and "All I Need" in June 2016. A month later, the album theyesandeye was released through Nude records. The album includes a cover of the song "Angels" originally performed by The xx. Other musicians on the album include Ian Kellet (guitars), Nikolaj Bjerre (drums), Danny Keane (strings) and [atist]Tom Moth (harp).
Fortress
Lou Rhodes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That her heart built a wall
And all who tried to get in
Coudln't even go near
Yet deep inside that fortress
Was a lost little girl
Crying out to be seen
He had journeyed so far
Noone's foul would he be
And every moment he swore
That his heart would stay free
Yet deep inside that wanderer
Was a lost little boy
Crying out to be seen
And to love tenderly
Seems to me the child in all of us
Is not so very small
Longing to lie in arms of love
And give our one and all
And it's such a precious blessing
When real love comes to call
But we'd rather build a fortress
Than break down all our walls
She fell apart at the seams
When his love came along
He didn't know what to feel
'Cause he felt it so strong
Seems to me the child in all of us
Is not so very small
Longing to lie in arms of love
And give our one and all
And it's such a precious blessing
When real love comes to call
But we'd rather build a fortress
Than break down all our walls
And it's such a precious blessing
When real love comes to call
But we'd rather build a fortress
Than break down all our walls
Yes we'd rather build a fortress
Than break down all our walls
The song "Fortress" by Lou Rhodes is a powerful track about the walls we build around ourselves as a form of protection from hurt and vulnerability. The lyrics describe two individuals, a woman and a man, who have both built fortresses around their hearts. Despite other people's attempts to break through these walls, the two lost and lonely individuals feel unheard and disconnected from genuine human connection. The chorus repeats the idea that deep down inside, everyone longs to be embraced and loved tenderly, yet we choose to build walls instead.
The song speaks to the universal experience of feeling isolated and emotionally guarded, as well as the challenges of navigating vulnerability and intimacy. The lyrics explore the idea that even the toughest and most unfeeling among us still have a vulnerable inner child who longs for love and connection. The song also highlights the role of love in breaking down our walls of defense, but acknowledges the difficulty in being willing to let go of the safety net of isolation and opening oneself up completely to the possibility of heartbreak.
Overall, Lou Rhodes's "Fortress" is a beautiful and poignant song that delves deep into human emotion and explores the complexities of the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
She was alone for so long
After being on her own for quite some time, her heart grew so numb that it ended up crafting a strong barrier against everyone and everything
And all who tried to get in
The ones who attempted to penetrate her barricades
Coudln't even go near
Could not even come close to her fortification of the heart
Yet deep inside that fortress
Underneath that shield of the heart
Was a lost little girl
Resided a girl who was bewildered and had lost herself
Crying out to be seen
Desiring someone to notice and acknowledge her
And to love tenderly
And to be loved with compassion
He had journeyed so far
He had traveled a great distance
Noone's foul would he be
No one's inferiority complex would affect him
And every moment he swore
And he pledged himself to the moment, every moment
That his heart would stay free
That his heart would remain unshackled
Yet deep inside that wanderer
But beneath the surface of that traveler
Was a lost little boy
There was a boy who felt perplexed and adrift
Crying out to be seen
Screaming out for someone to notice him
And to love tenderly
As well as to be held in a gentle and affectionate manner
Seems to me the child in all of us
I believe that a youthful, innocent part of each one of us
Is not so very small
Is not exactly tiny
Longing to lie in arms of love
Wishes to be embraced by love
And give our one and all
And devote our whole selves to that love
And it's such a precious blessing
When authentic love arrives, it is a valuable gift
When real love comes to call
When true love comes to your door
But we'd rather build a fortress
However, we would rather construct walls around us
Than break down all our walls
Instead of tearing down our fortifications
She fell apart at the seams
She started to come undone
When his love came along
When she met the man she was in love with
He didn't know what to feel
He was uncertain about his emotions
'Cause he felt it so strong
Because he was feeling it so intensely
Yes we'd rather build a fortress
Indeed, it appears as though we are inclined to establish strong defenses
Than break down all our walls
Instead of demolishing those barriers we have erected
Contributed by Camden S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
charlie z
one of her best solo songs. dark, raw, great
Yngve Hauge
It just baffles me that there almost always is that one guy clicking on dislike ...
LowBudgetProdutions
I love you