She was born in Hampshire and has lived in Devon, Brighton and London. She is of Finnish descent.
Hackman went to Bedales School where she met Cara Delevingne. Together they formed a short-lived band where Hackman played drums and Delevingne played guitar and sang.
Johnny Flynn also studied at the same school and knew and appreciated Hackman's music. He was instrumental in getting her first record deal with Transgressive and produced her debut single.
In 2013 she toured Australia and Europe as an opening act for Laura Marling
Monday Afternoon
Marika Hackman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The forest floor is my bed
The leaves that fall I use as a blanket
For my bones are as cold as lead
The weight of all those hungry mouths
The things they said
I have no eyes
But I will not be gone in the morning
I will lie, still here, I will lie
You said to meet at the edge of the trees
On a Monday afternoon
I waited until the moon
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
The trace of your steps
Leads right to where I took my breath
For the last time, it lingers forever
As a ghost of where we last met
The stars were not so brave to show
What they don't know
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
Standing there in the frosty air
I knew our time had come
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust
I feel no pain
The blood is frozen in my veins
And although you were here in the morning
My skin was cold before you came
The lyrics to Marika Hackman's song "Monday Afternoon" depict a haunting and melancholic scene. The singer is portrayed as someone who feels detached and isolated from the world around them. The opening lines, "I have no head, the forest floor is my bed, the leaves that fall I use as a blanket," create a vivid image of someone disconnected from their physical body and finding solace in nature. The mention of "hungry mouths" and "the things they said" suggests that the weight of others' expectations and judgment has taken a toll on the singer.
The second verse introduces a narrative element, where someone is supposed to meet the singer at the edge of the trees on a Monday afternoon. However, the singer remains waiting until the moon appears, implying that the meeting never takes place. The following lines, "Lay on your back, breathe it in, the sickly sweet of my rotting skin," evoke a sense of decay and mortality. It seems that the singer's physical body symbolizes a decaying relationship or connection, which the other person is drawn to despite its state.
The final verse highlights the fleeting nature of human connections. The singer reflects on the trace of the other person's steps leading to the place where their breath was taken for the last time. The stars, deemed as not brave enough to reveal what they don't know, serve as a metaphor for the hidden emotions and secrets within relationships. The song concludes with the realization that the singer's coldness and detachment existed long before the other person came into their life.
Overall, "Monday Afternoon" delves into themes of alienation, mortality, and the transitory nature of human connections. It poetically explores the complexities of emotional distance and the longing for understanding and connection.
Line by Line Meaning
I have no head
I feel disconnected and lost, lacking direction or purpose.
The forest floor is my bed
I find solace and rest in the natural world, amidst the chaos of life.
The leaves that fall I use as a blanket
I find comfort in embracing the impermanence and cyclical nature of life.
For my bones are as cold as lead
My inner self feels heavy and numb, devoid of warmth or vitality.
The weight of all those hungry mouths
The burden of others' expectations and demands weighs heavily on me.
The things they said
The hurtful words and criticisms from others haunt me.
I have no eyes
I am blind to the beauty and possibilities around me, consumed by negativity.
The forest floor I despise
I resent the very thing that could offer me solace, creating a self-imposed barrier.
But I will not be gone in the morning
Despite my struggles, I will persist and endure, refusing to disappear with the arrival of a new day.
I will lie, still here, I will lie
I will remain in this state of stagnation and self-pity, unwilling to change or move forward.
You said to meet at the edge of the trees
You requested our encounter to take place in a secluded and natural setting.
On a Monday afternoon
During a specific time and day, symbolizing a mundane and ordinary moment.
I waited until the moon
I patiently waited for your presence, extending the anticipation and longing.
Lay on your back, breathe it in
Relax and fully immerse yourself in the experience, take in the essence of the surroundings.
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
Acknowledge and accept the decay and flaws within me, finding beauty in the imperfections.
And you followed the road
You obediently followed the prescribed path or journey.
And it was just our dust, just our dust
Our presence and impact on the world are fleeting and insignificant, reduced to mere particles of dust.
The trace of your steps
The evidence and remnants of your presence and movement.
Leads right to where I took my breath
It guides directly to the moment where I last felt alive or had a significant experience.
For the last time, it lingers forever
Even though it was the final occurrence, its memory and influence endure indefinitely.
As a ghost of where we last met
A lingering presence and reminder of our encounter, haunting the place where it happened.
The stars were not so brave to show
The celestial bodies lacked the courage to reveal or understand the depths of our connection.
What they don't know
They remain ignorant of the profound emotions and experiences we shared.
Standing there in the frosty air
In that chilly atmosphere, frozen in time, we stood face to face.
I knew our time had come
I recognized that our moment together had reached its conclusion.
And it was just our dust
Our presence and impact, once again reduced to mere particles of dust.
I feel no pain
I am numb and unaffected by any physical or emotional discomfort.
The blood is frozen in my veins
My life force and vitality have ceased to flow, leaving me cold and lifeless.
And although you were here in the morning
Even though you were physically present earlier, it had no lasting impact on my inner state.
My skin was cold before you came
My emotional state was already distant and unresponsive even before your presence.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARIKA LOUISE HACKMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Skye Baye
I have no head
The forest floor is my bed
The leaves that fall I use as a blanket
For my bones are as cold as lead
The weight of all those hungry mouths
The things they said
I have no eyes
The forest floor I despise
But I will not be gone in the morning
I will lie, still here, I will lie
You said to meet at the edge of the trees
On a Monday afternoon
I waited until the moon
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
The trace of your steps
Leads right to where I took my breath
For the last time, it lingers forever
As a ghost of where we last met
The stars were not so brave to show
What they don't know
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
Standing there in the frosty air
I knew our time had come
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust
I feel no pain
The blood is frozen in my veins
And although you were here in the morning
My skin was cold before you came
Skye Baye
I have no head
The forest floor is my bed
The leaves that fall I use as a blanket
For my bones are as cold as lead
The weight of all those hungry mouths
The things they said
I have no eyes
The forest floor I despise
But I will not be gone in the morning
I will lie, still here, I will lie
You said to meet at the edge of the trees
On a Monday afternoon
I waited until the moon
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
The trace of your steps
Leads right to where I took my breath
For the last time, it lingers forever
As a ghost of where we last met
The stars were not so brave to show
What they don't know
Lay on your back, breathe it in
The sickly sweet of my rotting skin
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust, just our dust
Standing there in the frosty air
I knew our time had come
And you followed the road
And it was just our dust
I feel no pain
The blood is frozen in my veins
And although you were here in the morning
My skin was cold before you came
Convenient Curse
LIFESAVER
Kirsten Bernhardt
I honestly cannot comprehend the genius of this music; every song is better than the last! Thank you so much Marika for the beautiful music <3
Erin Bridges
Oh my goodness it's so good to have a studio version of Here I Lie, definitely my favourite of Marika's.
lindsay aka film fatale
this is one of the dreamiest and most relaxing songs i've ever heard, blessed 4 marika
photorobuk
Every track is absolutely beautiful. <3
Wolfgang3418
This one is my favorite. You are so great in instrumentation, Marika - that flute is heavenly. Thank you.
gatogreensleeves
There's no way that she hasn't played John Renbourn's "Maid In Bedlam" w/ Jaqui McShee (Black Waterside!) until the grooves are worn out. She has a throne among the great UK folkies of the 70s.
Switch Blade
What a beautifully sad song. Thank you💕
L
Sounds very Vashti Bunyan, love it