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/
Days Of Rum
Marissa Nadler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She was young
And yearned to die
She'd gaze at the light
In the corner in the night
And the men would come to her
In the dead of old winter
To touch her body and her mind
Singing, dumb-diddy-dumb
Days of fun, days of rum
Singing, dumb-diddy-dumb
Days of fun, days of rum
Scarlet in the wine
Raise the bloody vine
Oh, she'd know in her time
She was young
And yearned to die
But the roses never came
She was just some winter grain
And in her bed, she lay
As she dreamt of a dying day
Singing, dumb-diddy-dumb
Days of fun, days of rum
Singing, dumb-diddy-dumb
Days of fun, days of rum
The lyrics to Marissa Nadler’s song Days of Rum are both melancholy and mysterious. The opening stanza suggests that this song is about a young woman who longs for death, but also seems to have some sort of supernatural ability to see and feel things that others cannot. The second stanza reveals that men come to her in the winter, and while it is not explicitly stated, it can be inferred that they come for sexual reasons. The chorus of the song is a simple, repetitive chant that reinforces the idea of carefree days, drinking, and perhaps even forgetting one’s troubles. The final stanza reveals that the woman never found the love she longed for and instead died alone, dreaming of death. The imagery of the rose that never came and the woman lying in bed, waiting for death, is particularly striking and adds to the overall mood of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
She'd know in her time
She had a certain knowledge that was unique to her and that came with time.
She was young
The person in question was still in the prime of her youth.
And yearned to die
Despite her youth, she was already longing for death.
She'd gaze at the light
She would stare at the illumination, perhaps looking for answers in it.
In the corner in the night
She would stand near some source of light in a dark spot at night.
And the men would come to her
The people of the opposite gender would come up to her.
In the dead of old winter
During the coldest and darkest days of the winter season.
In the doldrums it was fine
It was considered acceptable to engage in activities that might be perceived as dull or dreary.
To touch her body and her mind
To establish a physical and emotional bond with her.
Singing, dumb-diddy-dumb
Singing, apparently without great meaning, with some syllables repeating.
Days of fun, days of rum
A period of light, enjoyable activities where alcohol was possibly consumed.
Scarlet in the wine
Red hues or colorations were present in the alcoholic beverages.
Raise the bloody vine
Perhaps a suggestion to celebrate with more alcohol, this time harder drinks that could stain or leave more obvious marks.
But the roses never came
Expectations were never met or fulfilled.
She was just some winter grain
She was nothing more than just an additional aspect of the winter season, like any other feature at the time.
And in her bed, she lay
She resided in her bed, possibly alone.
As she dreamt of a dying day
As she slept, the one thought that occupied her mind was the idea of her own demise.
Days of fun, days of rum
A repeated statement of the same idea from earlier.
Singing, dumb-diddy-dumb
A repeated statement of the same phrase from earlier.
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: MARISSA NADLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind