Nadler studied painting at the Rhode Island School of Design, where she began her performing career after writing songs for many years.
The foundation of her sound is her haunting mezzo-soprano, and a delicate 6-string acoustic guitar, often accompanied by a variety of instruments, including electric guitar, theremin, and piano. Nadler writes strange, yet classic, melancholy songs. Her voice is often bathed in a wash of reverb and space echo and creates a ghostly, atmospheric feeling to the music.
She has American Gothic leanings; her songs often take place in an imagined, idealistic time with a cast of characters of her own creation.
Official Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Marissa-Nadler/300932499775
Bandcamp: http://marissanadler.bandcamp.com/
Bird On Your Grave
Marissa Nadler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And say a little prayer for you
Kyle says you've been dead for a couple of months
And I've been thinking you're still here my friend
And I still have your songs in my head
And your face engraved into the glass of me
And say a little prayer for thee
And he misses you when you're gone
When you're gone, you're gone
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
With a note and I'm hoping it will last for days
Faded from flesh they put flowers on your grave
With a great box of cedar where they buried you
The song "Bird On Your Grave" by Marissa Nadler tells the story of a person who has lost a dear friend. Even though it's been a couple of months since the friend passed away, the singer still feels the presence of the deceased friend, as if he/she is still alive. The singer reminisces about the good times they had together, recalling their songs and face which are still etched in her memory. The chorus repeats the sentiment that the singer misses the friend badly when he/she is gone and that the void left behind is immense.
The song erupts into the climax when the singer promises to leave a bird on the grave of the deceased friend and say a little prayer for him/her. The image of a bird symbolizes a messenger of life, and the singer hopes that their message and memories stay with the bird, even after they are gone. The last two lines of the song talk about how the friend's body has been "faded from flesh," and how people still put flowers on his/her grave and buried him/her in a "great box of cedar." These lines represent the transition from life to death and how friends and family try to keep their loved ones alive with their memories.
Overall, the song talks about how we keep our loved ones alive in our memories even after they have passed away. The lyrics are melancholic yet beautiful, and the melody is haunting and expressive of the emotions the singer feels.
Line by Line Meaning
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
I plan to visit your grave tomorrow and leave a symbolic bird as a token of remembrance and respect.
And say a little prayer for you
I will dedicate a moment to say a prayer for you, wishing you peace and tranquility in the afterlife.
Kyle says you've been dead for a couple of months
Kyle informed me that it has been a few months since your passing.
And I've been thinking you're still here my friend
Despite your departure, I still feel your presence around me and cherish our friendship.
And I still have your songs in my head
Your music continues to play in my memory and bring me joy and comfort.
And your face engraved into the glass of me
Your face and memories of you are deeply rooted in me and never fade away.
And say a little prayer for thee
In old English, 'thee' is used as the second person singular objective case, and here it means the same as 'you', referring to the deceased friend.
And he misses you when you're gone
The artist's use of third person pronoun 'he' implies a sense of distance and melancholy in missing the deceased friend.
When you're gone, you're gone
Losing someone to death is irreversible, and the artist accepts the finality of it.
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
The repetition reiterates the artist's plan of visiting the friend's grave and leaving a bird as a symbol of remembrance.
With a note and I'm hoping it will last for days
Leaving a note with the bird as a token of the singer's love and respect, with the hope that it lasts for a few days.
Faded from flesh they put flowers on your grave
The flowers placed on the grave by others have withered and died over time, symbolizing the fleeting nature of life and beauty.
With a great box of cedar where they buried you
The deceased friend was buried in a wooden coffin made of cedar, a durable and long-lasting wood, which symbolizes his strength and resilience in life.
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Marissa Nadler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@manuelcabral1625
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
And say a little prayer for you
Kyle says you've been dead for a couple of months
And I've been thinking you're still here my friend
And I still have your songs in my head
And your face engraved into the glass of me
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
And say a little prayer for thee
And he misses you when you're gone
When you're gone, you're gone
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
With a note and I'm hoping it will last for days
Faded from flesh they put flowers on your grave
With a great box of cedar where they buried you
@sharonsimons8144
My soundtrack of 2023
@mimikaspilioti182
So beautiful...🖤
@AllisonChains64
The electric guitar in this is just lovely 🖤
@paolovallejo8022
indeed
@Whitsundial
Just watched 'Alice, darling' with/produced by Anna Kendrick. The closing credits had a song 'Baby', by Hannah Cohen, made me think it was Marissa.
@unsx9761
❤
@manuelcabral1625
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
And say a little prayer for you
Kyle says you've been dead for a couple of months
And I've been thinking you're still here my friend
And I still have your songs in my head
And your face engraved into the glass of me
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
And say a little prayer for thee
And he misses you when you're gone
When you're gone, you're gone
Tomorrow I'm gonna leave a bird on your grave
With a note and I'm hoping it will last for days
Faded from flesh they put flowers on your grave
With a great box of cedar where they buried you
@sophjasamsonova4309
μαγεία!!!
@beataspiewakjonsson1749
🖤🕯️🙏
@rendipityse
💞