Marika Louise Hackman (born 1992) is an English vocalist, multi-instrumenta… Read Full Bio ↴Marika Louise Hackman (born 1992) is an English vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.

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

Mountain Spines
Marika Hackman Lyrics

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There's a place in our minds, where the sun ceases to shine,
and the mountains of our spines are cast in shadows
There's a fortress in the sea and a lake that beads with the greed,
of a million hundred eyes, I've arrived now, in the end

I'm not allowed to be scared anymore
but I am afraid of your flood

Let me hold back the tears I'm sitting on
I will be playing with your blood
In the end, In the end

There's a mistress in our bed, with a thousand pounds on her head
on the poster on the wall above the light switch
the sheets are damp and old and her skin is freckled with mold
but the queue outside the door stretches right out
to the sea

I'm not allowed to be scared anymore,
but I am afraid of your flood

Let me hold back the tears I'm sitting on

I will be playing with your blood
In the end, in the end.

Overall Meaning

"Mountain Spines" by Marika Hackman is a hauntingly beautiful yet dark song that takes us on a journey into the corners of our mind where fear and uncertainty reside. The opening line speaks of a place in our mental landscape where the sun doesn't shine and where the mountains of our spines are cast in shadows. This is a metaphorical representation of the depths of our psyche where we venture into our innermost thoughts and fears. The subsequent lyrics explore the anxiety and fear that come with facing one's own demons. The four lines comprising the chorus speak of not being able to show fear even though it's present, and the desire to hold back the tears rather than letting them flow.

The lyrics continue with imagery of a mistress in bed and a queue outside the door, again emphasizing the murky depths of our own minds. The mistress is a symbol of temptation and indulgence; the sheets are damp and old, and her skin is freckled with mold. The queue outside the door that stretches to the sea can be seen as representative of the endless line of people waiting to indulge in hedonism and excess. The final lines of the song echo those of the chorus, highlighting the fear that we all experience at some point, and the struggle to hide it from the world.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a place in our minds, where the sun ceases to shine, and the mountains of our spines are cast in shadows
There is a dark place in our minds where the sun no longer shines, and our spines are weighed down by the burden of our problems and shortcomings.

There's a fortress in the sea and a lake that beads with the greed, of a million hundred eyes, I've arrived now, in the end
There is a powerful structure in the sea and a lake filled with the covetousness of many people whose eyes are fixated on their desires. Having finally arrived, I am ready to confront them.

I'm not allowed to be scared anymore but I am afraid of your flood
Although I am not supposed to feel fear, I am apprehensive about the overwhelming deluge of your emotions or actions.

Let me hold back the tears I'm sitting on I will be playing with your blood In the end, In the end
I am trying to restrain myself and not show the emotions I have been bottling up. Eventually, I will assert myself in a way that will make you pay for any wrongdoing.

There's a mistress in our bed, with a thousand pounds on her head on the poster on the wall above the light switch the sheets are damp and old and her skin is freckled with mold but the queue outside the door stretches right out to the sea
There is a prominent image of a wealthy adulterous woman in our bed, displayed on the poster above the light switch. The linens are damp and musty and her skin is freckled with decay. Despite this, there is a long queue of people eager to engage in the same immorality.

Writer(s): Marika Louise Hackman

Contributed by Carter E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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