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/
In Your Lair Bear
Marissa Nadler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the snow fell that year
You were inside these wooden walls
Like a bear
Eager child for the end in your lair
For the end of the year
And that old familiar fear
And runs through your veins
Like blood through your songs
Like blood through your songs
Like blood through your songs
And then summer came
And he wore you like a charm
And you knew yourself
That what had come
Would soon be gone
Well sometimes in your burrowed hole
You love to be the pawn
Always moving on
Oh where did I go
When the rains fell that year
We were inside that wooden house
Like a bear
Eager child for the end to be near
For the end of the year
And then winter came
And I wore him
Like a charm
And we knew that what had come
Would soon be gone
Well sometimes in my burrowed hole
I feel it coming on
Always moving on
An island is always alone
And you were breaking yours with a stone
So I took you home to a bastion
A hurricane by any other name
So I took you home and I crashed you
A hurricane in your veins
The lyrics of Marissa Nadler's song "In Your Lair Bear" can be interpreted as a reflection on the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of change. The opening lines, "Where did you go when the snow fell that year, You were inside these wooden walls like a bear," evoke a sense of hibernation and withdrawal, as the singer describes themselves and their loved one retreating from the outside world. The repeated reference to acting like "a bear" reinforces this idea, as bears are known for hibernating during the winter months.
As the song progresses, the lyrics shift to a more introspective tone, with the singer reflecting on their own fears and insecurities. The lines "And that old familiar fear, Creeps up your little arms and runs through your veins like blood through your songs" suggest that fear is an integral part of the singer's identity, something that they cannot escape from. However, the mention of songs provides a glimmer of hope, as if the act of expressing oneself through music helps to alleviate the fear in some small way.
The second half of the song deals with the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The lines "Well sometimes in my burrowed hole, I feel it coming on, Always moving on" suggest that the singer is aware of the impermanence of life and is constantly trying to come to terms with it. The final lines "A hurricane in your veins" and "A hurricane by any other name" provide a bleak but powerful image of the raw, powerful energy that exists within all of us, and how we must learn to harness it in order to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Where did you go
Asking where the person went during a particular time
When the snow fell that year
Referring to a specific event in the past
You were inside these wooden walls
Describing the person's location during the event
Like a bear
Comparing the person's behavior to that of a bear, perhaps hibernating
Eager child for the end in your lair
Implying that the person was excited for something to happen while hiding away
For the end of the year
Clarifying that the event was related to the year ending
And that old familiar fear
Introducing a feeling of fear, possibly related to the event or time of year
Creeps up your little arms
Describing how the fear feels physically
And runs through your veins
Suggesting that the fear is intense and affects the person deeply
Like blood through your songs
Comparing the fear to the emotion conveyed in the person's music
And then summer came
Switching to a different season and time period
And he wore you like a charm
Describing a relationship where one person has control or influence over the other
And you knew yourself
Implying that the person has some level of self-awareness
That what had come
Referring to an event or situation
Would soon be gone
Indicating that the situation is temporary
Well sometimes in your burrowed hole
Describing the person's hiding place metaphorically
You love to be the pawn
Suggesting that the person is willing to give up control or agency in a situation
Always moving on
Implying that the person is not content with staying in one place or situation for too long
Oh where did I go
Asking where the singer went during a specific time
When the rains fell that year
Referring to a different event in the past
We were inside that wooden house
Describing the artist's location during the event
And then winter came
Switching to another season and time period
And I wore him
Describing a relationship where the singer has control or influence over another person
Like a charm
Comparing the relationship to a piece of jewelry or good luck symbol
And we knew that what had come
Indicating that the two people involved in the relationship were aware of the situation's impermanence
Would soon be gone
Reiterating that the situation is temporary
Well sometimes in my burrowed hole
Describing the singer's hiding place metaphorically
I feel it coming on
Suggesting that the artist can sense a change or shift in the relationship or situation
Always moving on
Repeating the earlier theme of restlessness and dissatisfaction with staying in one place or situation
An island is always alone
A philosophical statement about the nature of being separate or isolated
And you were breaking yours with a stone
Describing the person's attempt to change their situation, perhaps violently
So I took you home to a bastion
Implying that the artist provided a safe space or protection
A hurricane by any other name
Comparing the person's emotional state or behavior to a powerful natural disaster
So I took you home and I crashed you
Suggesting that the artist's actions had a negative effect on the person
A hurricane in your veins
Finalizing the comparison between the person and a natural disaster, this time internally
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MARISSA NADLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind