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/
Puppet Master
Marissa Nadler Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
muse to all my songs
cobalt and sea come back to me
I'll never do wrong
Winter would come
and nothing would move
summer's undone with all did I choose
i'll never do you wrong
I was your pearl and I knew that you lied
I was your pearl and I knew that you lied
Lately all I want is you
sometimes I believe I do
fifty strings of yarn and glue
puppet master see me through
lately all I want is you
puppet master see me through
Scissors in hand a knife at my strings
an odd way to go but I seen stranger things
oh I grew the finest wings
over the water
And on my old menagerie
a bottle that you made stood me
cobalt and sea
come back to me
I'll never do you wrong
I was your pearl
and I knew that you lied
I was your pearl
and I knew that you lied
Lately all I want is you
sometimes I believe I do
fifty strings of yarn and glue
puppet master see me through
lately all I want is you
puppet master see me through
The song "Puppet Master" by Marissa Nadler appears to be about a person reflecting on a past relationship they had with someone who they saw as a source of inspiration for their music. The chorus "Lately all I want is you/Puppet master see me through" suggests that the singer is feeling lost without this person and turning to them for guidance. The imagery of "fifty strings of yarn and glue" and "Scissors in hand a knife at my strings" brings to mind the idea of the singer being a puppet being controlled by their former partner. The line "I was your pearl and I knew that you lied" implies that the singer knew they were being manipulated, but was willing to accept it in order to maintain the creative inspiration that their partner provided.
The first verse describes the sense of longing that the singer feels for their former partner, using the color imagery of "cobalt and sea" to evoke a sense of nostalgia. The second verse suggests that the relationship was a source of stability for the singer, with the line "Winter would come and nothing would move" indicating a sense of constancy, and "summer's undone with all did I choose" hinting at the idea of the relationship ending or changing. The third, final verse brings in a new image of a "menagerie" and "bottle" that the singer's former partner made for them, both of which could be interpreted as symbols for the relationship itself - something that the singer cherishes despite the painful truth they know about it.
Overall, "Puppet Master" is a mournful song about a past relationship that was both inspiring and manipulative. The singer is struggling with the loss of this person, and is looking to them for support even though they know that they were not entirely trustworthy.
Line by Line Meaning
Once your eyes were the master
In the past, your gaze had a strong hold over me
muse to all my songs
You were the source of inspiration for all of the music that I created
cobalt and sea come back to me
I long for the deep blue color of cobalt and the vastness of the sea to return to my life
I'll never do wrong
I promise to never intentionally cause harm
Winter would come
The season of cold and darkness would arrive
and nothing would move
There would be an eerie stillness in the air
summer's undone with all did I choose
I regret the choices I made in the past that led to the unraveling of summertime
I was your pearl and I knew that you lied
I was valuable to you, yet I was aware of your dishonesty
Lately all I want is you
Recently, you are the only thing I desire
sometimes I believe I do
There are times when I convince myself that I actually have you back
fifty strings of yarn and glue
I realize that I am powerless and you are the one who controls me through these metaphorical strings
puppet master see me through
I am reaching out to you in the hope that you can guide me through this situation
Scissors in hand a knife at my strings
You have the tools to easily cut me off from your control
an odd way to go but I seen stranger things
Although it may seem unusual, I have witnessed even more bizarre events
oh I grew the finest wings
Despite being stuck in these strings, I managed to achieve greatness
over the water
I accomplished this while flying high over the sea
And on my old menagerie
Looking back on everything I've been through
a bottle that you made stood me
You played a significant role in keeping me contained and controlled
I'll never do you wrong
Once again, I am making a promise to not hurt you
I was your pearl
I was the cherished item that you possessed
sometimes I believe I do
Although I know it's not true, I convince myself that I have you
fifty strings of yarn and glue
I am still aware that you have complete hold over me
puppet master see me through
I am once again calling out for your guidance
Contributed by Hannah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.