Mariee Sioux (born Marie Sioux Sobonya in Arcata, CA, on 4 February 1985) i… Read Full Bio ↴Mariee Sioux (born Marie Sioux Sobonya in Arcata, CA, on 4 February 1985) is an American folk singer-songwriter in the vein of Joni Mitchell and Joanna Newsom. She has also released music under the name Mariee Siou.

Raised in Nevada City, CA, Sioux released two albums independently on CD in 2005 and 2006 respectively: "Pray Me a Shadow" and "A Bundled Bundle of Bundles."

Her official debut, "Faces in the Rocks" - partially consisting of re-recorded demos from her previous albums - was recorded in May of 2007 and released via Grass Roots Records in October of that same year. A friend of Alela Diane since childhood, the two worked together for Mr. Toad's Sessions.

"Gift for the End," her second album, was released in Europe on March 5, 2012, on the Almost Musique label, and in the USA in April 2012 on Whale Watch Records.

In 2019, she released "Grief in Exile" on Night Bloom Records, and, in 2023, "Circle of Signs," her debut solo EP.

Flowers and Blood
Mariee Sioux Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I never asked for to find my twin but there you are
No I never asked for to find my twin but there you are
And I never asked for the spools to un-spin but there they roll
I never asked for the spools to un-spin but there they roll
I never asked for to carve your ribs but here I go
I never asked for to carve your ribs but here I go
And I've never pleaded for a new skin as I do now
No I've never pleaded for a new skin as I do now

Oh, flowers and blood
Build up a new me of flowers and blood
Flowers and blood
Build up a new me of flowers and blood
Build up a new me of flowers and blood
Flowers and blood

I'll shoot me a gun made of leaf branch
in this here town
I'll shoot me a gun made of leaf branch
in this here town
And eat me a bowl full of secret and mud, yes I will
I'll eat me a bowl full of secret and mud, yes I will
If you build up a new me of flowers and blood,
say you will
Build up a new me of flowers and blood,
say you will
I'll see you a baby of drying clay, so don't you cry
I'll see you a baby of drying clay, so don't you cry

Oh, flowers and blood
Build up a new me of flowers and blood
Flowers and blood
Build up a new you of flowers and blood
Build up a new us of flowers and blood
Run us a river of flowers and blood
Flowers and blood...
Build up a new us of flowers and blood
Build up a new us of flowers and blood
Run us a river of flowers and blood

Run us a river of flowers and blood
Oh, flowers and blood

Overall Meaning

“Flowers and Blood” by Mariee Sioux is a song that conveys a sense of searching and transformation. The first two stanzas express surprise at finding someone who feels like a twin, and at how life is changing uncontrollably, like unwinding spools. The next stanza is the most visceral, describing the act of carving someone's ribs – presumably a metaphor for causing pain or harm. The final stanza shifts to the idea of transformation, pleading for a new skin, shooting a gun made of a leaf branch (again, suggesting transformation), and eating a bowl full of secrets and mud. The repetition of “flowers and blood” throughout the song creates an image of growth and vitality alongside violence and unpredictability.

The song seems to be about being thrust into a situation that is uncomfortable and unknown. The singer didn't ask for any of these changes, but they are happening nonetheless. The lines about carving someone's ribs and eating secrets and mud suggest a need for self-preservation, possibly at the cost of others. The repetition of the phrase “build up a new me of flowers and blood” reflects the desire to turn these changes into something positive – a new version of oneself that is stronger and more resilient.

Overall, “Flowers and Blood” is a haunting and evocative song that captures the feeling of being caught in a tumultuous period of change. The repeated imagery of flowers and blood creates a sense of beauty and horror that is difficult to shake. The song's final lines, “run us a river of flowers and blood,” feel both ominous and hopeful, suggesting that transformation can be both painful and redemptive.

Line by Line Meaning

I never asked for to find my twin but there you are
I didn't seek to find someone just like me, but fate brought you to me

And I never asked for the spools to un-spin but there they roll
I didn't ask for the unraveling of a situation, but it's happening anyway

I never asked for to carve your ribs but here I go
I never intended to hurt you, but I have to do something painful for us to move forward

And I've never pleaded for a new skin as I do now
I've never felt so desperate for a fresh start, a new beginning

Oh, flowers and blood Build up a new me of flowers and blood Flowers and blood Build up a new me of flowers and blood Build up a new me of flowers and blood Flowers and blood
Metaphors of life and death; a desire for renewal and transformation

I'll shoot me a gun made of leaf branch in this here town
I'll create something powerful and meaningful using what I have in this place

I'll eat me a bowl full of secret and mud, yes I will
I'll take in all the hidden and earthy aspects of life, without shame

If you build up a new me of flowers and blood, say you will
If you help me become a new and better version of myself, please promise me

I'll see you a baby of drying clay, so don't you cry
I'll envision you as something that can be shaped and molded, so don't despair

Build up a new you of flowers and blood Build up a new us of flowers and blood Run us a river of flowers and blood Flowers and blood... Build up a new us of flowers and blood Build up a new us of flowers and blood Run us a river of flowers and blood Run us a river of flowers and blood Oh, flowers and blood
Repeated calls for healing, growth, and change, using the same rhythmic structure and metaphors

Contributed by Sarah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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