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/
I
Marissa Nadler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd swim out to the shore
And if I'd read the future
I'd go back to before
Shapeshifter, cloud above your door
Laid with her like a storm
I thought I saw you floating away
If I could bring the moon down
So the day would never come
Would you fly, circle around the sun?
Shapeshifter, cloud above your door
Laid with her like a storm
I thought I saw you floating away
I thought I saw you, babe
Shapeshifter, cloud above your door
Laid with her like a storm
I thought I saw you floating away
I thought I saw you, babe
The lyrics to Marissa Nadler's song, "I," are poetic and evoke feelings of longing and melancholy. The idea of breathing underwater suggests a desire to escape from reality and retreat into a place where life's pressures can't reach. The line "if I'd read the future, I'd go back to before" shows regret for past mistakes and a desire to change them. The use of the word "shapeshifter" and the image of a cloud above a door are mysterious and perhaps represent the elusive nature of the person the singer is addressing.
The next verse continues the theme of wanting to escape reality. Bringing the moon down would create a perpetual night, and the question "would you fly, circle around the sun?" implies a fantasy of flying away to a different world. However, the repetition of the chorus suggests that the singer cannot escape her feelings of loss and heartbreak.
The overall interpretation of the lyrics may be that the singer is mourning the loss of a loved one or a relationship that has ended. The use of the word "babe" in the chorus adds to the feeling of nostalgia and sadness. The theme of wanting to escape reality could be a coping mechanism for dealing with the pain of loss.
Line by Line Meaning
If I could breathe underwater
If I had a way to exist in impossible conditions
I'd swim out to the shore
I'd find my way to a new environment
And if I'd read the future
If I had the ability to know what's to come
I'd go back to before
I'd change the past to affect the present and future
Shapeshifter, cloud above your door
A person who is unpredictable and mysterious
Laid with her like a storm
Had a passionate, intense encounter
I thought I saw you floating away
I feared losing you
I thought I saw you, babe
I felt uncertain and apprehensive about your intentions
If I could bring the moon down
If I had the capability to do extraordinary things
So the day would never come
So I could avoid confronting reality
Would you fly, circle around the sun?
Would you join me in my impossible quest?
Shapeshifter, cloud above your door
A person who is unpredictable and mysterious
Laid with her like a storm
Had a passionate, intense encounter
I thought I saw you floating away
I feared losing you
I thought I saw you, babe
I felt uncertain and apprehensive about your intentions
Lyrics © PFIVE Entertainment Mexico, TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Marissa Nadler
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@beasanjust6252
Love this ❤️. The songs and stripped down sound of this performance are amazing. Marissa Nadler creates such an atmosphere ✨, great playing by Milky Burgess too
@vicariotamara808
Quelle voix merveilleuse
@dreamcastruls
0:36 - For My Crimes
5:25 - I Can't Listen To Gene Clark Anymore
17:45 - Blue Vapor
21:55 - Said Goodbye To That Car
@eggjoe122
I can listen to this performance on a loop and not get tired of it. She is magical.
@shashamane
Another great session from Marissa and a lovely interview with excellent questions from Kevin too.
@philtred21
I love this woman, she is sublime.
@exerciserelax8719
Marissa you are great! Believe in yourself!
@28Ultraspective
I love Marissa’s performance. In par with PJ Harvey’s from the basement set. Fucking emotional as hell yet beautiful.
@SergioSanchezBorja
KEXP siempre recomienda lo mejor. Es la primera ves que los escucho y me gusto demasiado.
@diosdiablo6953
Sergio Sánchez Borja sí que lo es.