Tilston is the daughter of acclaimed songwriter Steve Tilston and step-daughter of singer Maggie Boyle. She began writing songs at an early age. After attending drama school, she formed Mouse with guitarist Nick Marshall. They released two albums: Helicopter Trees (2000) and Tales (2001), and played many gigs and festivals throughout the UK and Ireland. Martha's solo debut, Rolling, was self-released in 2003, followed by Bimbling in 2004. In 2005 she assembled The Woods, including members of Semble, to record Ropeswing, which was given away as a free download. 2006 saw a full UK tour and the release of Of Milkmaids And Architects, which earned her a nomination for best new act in the BBC Folk Awards.
Her album Lucy And The Wolves was released in April 2010, and she spent the remainder of that year spent playing live, including supporting Beth Nielsen Chapman on her UK dates.
Her album Machines of Love and Grace was released in 2012.
http://www.marthatilston.co.uk
Artificial
Martha Tilston Lyrics
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I'm just sleep rising
I put on my clothes
Sleep gliding
Onto the bus
Sleep riding to work again
To work again
Sleep lifting
Up to my floor
Sleep drifting
A number twenty-four
White coffee with a sweetener
A sweetener.
This artificial me
I'd like to show you what I really could be
I'd like to run across the office tables
Singing "No you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea"
I switch on my machine
Sleep typing
I answer the phone
Sleep hyping
Am I alone?
I don't really know what I'm selling
I'm selling
And the boss wants a word
I've been daydreaming
Boss wants a word
Clockwatching
I wish I was a bird
I'd fly right out of the window
The window
This artificial me
I'd like to show you what I really could be
I'd like to run across the office tables
Singing "No you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea"
I don't awake
I'm just sleep rising
I put on my clothes
Sleep gliding
Onto the bus
Sleep riding to work again
Swiping the door
Sleep lifting
Up to my floor
Sleep dritfing
A number twenty-four
White coffee with a sweetener
A sweetener.
This artificial me
One day I'll show you what I really can be
And I'll run across the office tables
Singing "No you didn't have me
No, no you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
No, no you won't have me
I'm not your company policy
A little more humanity please
I'm not the company policy
A little more humanity
I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea"
In "Artificial," Martha Tilston explores the struggle with finding oneself in a world of routine and conformity. The first and last verses repeat the same lines, emphasizing the monotony of daily life. Tilston describes herself as "sleep rising" and "sleep gliding," suggesting that she is not truly awake or alive in this world. She goes through the motions of getting dressed, taking the bus, and performing her job without any sense of purpose or fulfillment. The chorus introduces the idea that there is more to her than this artificial persona, and she longs to break free and show the world her true self. She dreams of running across office tables and singing out against the pressures to conform, stating "No you won't have me." Despite the constant repetition of her daily routine, Tilston vows to keep running until she finds the sea – a symbol of adventure, freedom, and self-discovery.
Throughout the song, Tilston uses the metaphor of being asleep to represent the suffocation of conformity and the suppression of individuality. She wants to break free from her robotic lifestyle and become more authentic, expressing her true self in a world that demands conformity. The repetition of the lines "No you won't have me" reinforce her defiance against the limiting expectations of society. The song presents a romanticized view of rebellion and the pursuit of authenticity, suggesting that it is possible to escape the mundane and find one's true self if one keeps running.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't awake
I don't feel awake or alive
I'm just sleep rising
I'm going through the motions of waking up without actually feeling awake
I put on my clothes
I dress without any real awareness
Sleep gliding
I move without any real intention
Onto the bus
I follow the same routine every day
Sleep riding to work again
I'm on autopilot
Swiping the door
I enter work without much thought
Sleep lifting
I move through work without really engaging
Up to my floor
I go through the motions of going to work
Sleep drifting
I go through the motions of working without any enthusiasm
A number twenty-four
My usual order of coffee
White coffee with a sweetener
My usual order of coffee with a sweetener
This artificial me
I feel like I'm living a fake version of myself
I'd like to show you what I really could be
I feel limited by my current circumstances
I'd like to run across the office tables
I yearn for freedom and spontaneity
Singing 'No you won't have me'
I want to break free from the monotony of my life
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea
I'll keep pushing for a better life until I find it
I switch on my machine
I start my computer
Sleep typing
I type without thinking
I answer the phone
I do what's expected of me
Sleep hyping
I try to sound enthusiastic on the phone, but I'm not really feeling it
Am I alone?
I'm not sure if anyone else feels the way I do
I don't really know what I'm selling
I feel disconnected from my job and its purpose
And the boss wants a word
I'm not performing my job to the expectations of my boss
I've been daydreaming
I'm preoccupied with my own thoughts
Clockwatching
I'm counting down the minutes until the day is over
I wish I was a bird
I wish I had the freedom to fly away
I'd fly right out of the window
I want to escape my current situation
One day I'll show you what I really can be
I'm holding onto hope for a better future
No you didn't have me
I refused to be held back by my current circumstances
I'm not your company policy
I refuse to be defined by the expectations of my job
A little more humanity please
I want more empathy and understanding in my workplace
And I'll keep running 'til I reach the sea
I'll keep pushing for a better life until I find it
Contributed by Aaron I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.