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."
These Flowers
Martha Wainwright Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They're coming up, they're coming up
They're coming up wild
These flowers are coming up wild
They're coming up, they're coming up
They're coming up wild
Go off to school & don't come back
And I am like their mother
Waiting around about to crack
Crack
Crack
I want them back
Crack
Crack
I want them back
Back
Back
Back
You are like a flower
You rise & rise to the sun
You do not look back at where you came from
I want to be like that
That
That
That
And the boys they run faster
And they throw harder
And they get stronger
And they are gone, they are gone, they are gone
I want to be like that
That
That
That
And the girls they are pretty
And they get silly
When they get giddy
And they are gone, they are gone, they are gone
I want to be like that
That
I'm on my knees in the corner
Wiping my floor, wiping my floor, yeah
And they are gone, they are gone, they are gone
I want to be like that
That
That
That
These flowers are coming up wild
They're coming up, they're coming up
They're coming up wild
The first verse of "These Flowers" by Martha Wainwright describes a beautiful and wild growth of flowers. The repeated phrase "they're coming up wild" emphasizes this untamed, natural growth. However, as the lyrics continue, the imagery shifts to a more somber tone. The singer compares the flowers to children who "go off to school & don't come back." The singer identifies with the "mother" of these children, feeling anxious and "about to crack" from the grief and loss.
In the second verse, the singer longs to be like the flowers that rise to the sun and don't look back, rather than being weighed down by the pain of loss. The repeated phrase "That" emphasizes this desire for freedom and liberation from the singer's current state. The third and final verse shifts to a description of youth and fleeting moments of happiness before they are "gone, they are gone, they are gone." The singer again expresses a longing to be like these figures who don't dwell on the past or fears for the future, but instead revel in the present moment.
Overall, "These Flowers" is a poignant and emotional exploration of love, loss, and the desire for freedom and release from pain. The lyrics use striking imagery and repetition to emphasize these themes and convey the intense emotions of the singer.
Line by Line Meaning
These flowers are coming up wild
These flowers are growing naturally and without control
They're coming up, they're coming up
Their growth is steady and persistent
They're coming up wild
They are not being cultivated or restrained
They are like those children
These flowers are similar to children who leave home to go to school and don't return
Go off to school & don't come back
Children leave their homes for school and then create their own paths in life
And I am like their mother
The singer identifies with the parental role in watching loved ones leave and grow independently
Waiting around about to crack
The singer is anxious and fearful for the safety and success of those who have left
I want them back
The artist desires the return and success of their loved ones
You are like a flower
The artist addresses a person, comparing them to a flower that grows towards the sun
You rise & rise to the sun
The person is driven to reach their goals and aspirations
You do not look back at where you came from
The person is singularly focused on their future and not concerned with their past
And the boys they run faster
The artist observes boys who are physically improving and leaving childhood behind
And they throw harder
The boys are developing skills and abilities beyond those of childhood
And they get stronger
The boys are physically maturing and becoming stronger
And they are gone, they are gone, they are gone
The boys are leaving childhood behind and continuing to grow independently
And the girls they are pretty
The artist observes that girls are becoming attractive and developing their own identities
And they get silly
Girls are also enjoying life and developing their personalities
When they get giddy
Girls are experiencing excitement and joy in life
And they are gone, they are gone, they are gone
Girls are also leaving childhood behind and becoming independent
I'm on my knees in the corner
The artist is feeling overwhelmed and helpless
Wiping my floor, wiping my floor, yeah
The artist is attempting to distract themselves from their anxieties by focusing on a mundane task
These flowers are coming up wild
The growth of these flowers continues without any obstruction or direction from humans or other forces
They're coming up, they're coming up
These flowers are growing steadily and surely
They're coming up wild
These flowers are growing naturally, without being managed or directed
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Martha Wainwright
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind