Daughter of Loudon Wainwright III and Kate McGarrigle, and the sister of Rufus Wainwright, she has frequently appeared on recordings by her family members, the McGarrigle Sisters and Family and has released several independent EPs. Wainwright released an independent cassette, Ground Floor, in 1997. The following year, her song "Year of the Dragon" appeared on The McGarrigle Hour, an album released by Kate & Anna McGarrigle. Shortly after this recording, Martha began singing backup vocals for her brother, and released the six-song EP Martha Wainwright in 1999.
Her full length self-titled first album was released in 2005, followed in 2008 by I Know You're Married but I've Got Feelings Too, and in 2009 by Sans fusils, ni souliers, à Paris: Martha Wainwright's Piaf Record. The Prosperpina Songfacts reports that her 4th album, Come Home To Mama, was recorded at Sean Lennon's studio in New York City. Speaking about the album, Wainwright said: "This record is a culmination of my life experiences so far. Everything changed for me a couple of years ago and this record is a representation of that and a return to the reason I started writing songs."
Jimi
Martha Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one at all
That life is a myth and I won't be missed
When I'm gone
But they say that you are no one
No one at all without the people who know and love you
Around
For leaving her sad and alone
In this big house
And these are the thoughts that I have
When I'm alone at home in my bed
And I get scared
[Chorus: ]
And it takes up so much time
And it makes up for nothing
And it takes up so much time
And it makes up for nothing
And some people ask why I can't
Remember the past
There is this dead women in my lane
She's eating my brain
Her skin is soft and white and bright
Against the night
There is this man in my house
When I'm not there
He says he knows me, from somewhere
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
The lyrics of Martha Wainwright's song "Jimi" express the feeling of loneliness, emptiness, and existential crisis that the singer experiences. She begins the song by saying she feels like there is no one and that life is a myth. She questions her existence and wonders whether she will be missed when she's gone. However, she realizes that we are nobody without the people who love us and know us. She then compares her feeling to her father's abandonment of her mother, leaving her sad and alone in a big house.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the feeling of emptiness and how it takes up so much time in our lives and yet it makes up for nothing. The second verse describes the singer's disturbing thoughts and hallucinations, where a dead woman is "eating" her brain and a mysterious man claims to know her from somewhere. These dark thoughts and visions could be a result of her overwhelming feeling of loneliness and the fear of being forgotten.
In summary, "Jimi" is a song that expresses the deep-rooted and existential crisis that we all can relate to. It shows the struggle of finding meaning and purpose in life and the fear of being forgotten or not being loved.
Line by Line Meaning
Sometimes I feel like there is no one
At times, I feel lonely and isolated without anyone to turn to
No one at all
I feel completely alone and like no one understands me
That life is a myth and I won't be missed
I doubt the value of my own existence and wonder if anyone would truly care if I were to disappear
When I'm gone
In the event of my death or departure
But they say that you are no one
Others argue that humans depend on social bonds and relationships to feel fulfilled
No one at all without the people who know and love you
Without the presence of loved ones and acquaintances, an individual may feel empty and purposeless
Around
In their immediate vicinity
And sometimes I feel like my Dad
At times, I identify with the life struggles and mistakes of my father
For leaving her sad and alone
Specifically for causing my mom to feel sad and lonely in our large home
In this big house
Referring to the size and possibly emptiness of my family's living space
And these are the thoughts that I have
These negative and introspective thoughts are commonplace for me
When I'm alone at home in my bed
Especially when I have time to think by myself while lying in bed
And I get scared
These thoughts and feelings cause me to feel fearful or uneasy
And it takes up so much time
These thoughts and feelings consume a significant amount of my mental energy and life force
And it makes up for nothing
Despite the time and energy I invest in these thought patterns, they do not bring any tangible benefit or fulfill any personal needs
And some people ask why I can't
Certain individuals may question my inability to move on from my past or my troubled thoughts
Remember the past
I struggle to forget or reconcile with past experiences and emotions
There is this dead woman in my lane
I experience haunting or disturbing thoughts that center around death or tragedy
She's eating my brain
These thoughts are overpowering and consume my mind
Her skin is soft and white and bright
Despite the disturbing nature of these thoughts, they may appear visually appealing or captivating
Against the night
Standing out in contrast to the darkness around me
There is this man in my house
I feel like there is an intrusive presence in my personal space
When I'm not there
Specifically when I am out of my home
He says he knows me, from somewhere
This presence feels familiar and recognizable despite being unfamiliar to me
[Chorus: Repeat 2X]
The refrain of the song repeats twice, emphasizing the time-consuming and unproductive nature of the negative thoughts and emotions described throughout the song
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Martha Wainwright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind