Nastasia has released six albums so far, the first of which, Dogs, was initially released in 2000 in a miniscule edition of 1000 copies on Socialist Records. The album sold out quickly and her subsequent albums, The Blackened Air (2001) and Run to Ruin (2003) were released on indie label Touch and Go Records. The label also re-released Dogs in 2004. All three albums were recorded by Steve Albini, as were later albums released on Fat Cat Records. These include On Leaving in 2006 and You Follow Me (produced in collaboration with Jim White) in 2007. Her sixth and most recent album, Outlaster, was also recorded by Steve Albini and was released in June 2010, preceded by the single Cry, Cry, Baby in May.
Nastasia was a favorite of late BBC disc jockey John Peel and recorded six sessions for his shows. The last one was recorded with the help of Tuvan throat singing group Huun-Huur-Tu. Nastasia also contributed a song to the tribute compilation for Peel named "Bird of Cuzco". Two of Nastasia's songs made Peel's annual Festive Fifty: "Ugly Face" (ranked 4th in 2002) and "You, Her & Me" (13th in 2003).
Discography:
Albums
2000 Dogs (Socialist)
2004 Dogs re-released (Touch and Go)
2001 The Blackened Air (Touch and Go)
2003 Run to Ruin (Touch and Go)
2006 On Leaving (Fat Cat)
2007 You Follow Me [with Jim White] (Fat Cat)
2010 Outlaster (Fat Cat)
Singles
2008 What She Doesn't Know (Fat Cat)
2010 Cry, Cry, Baby (Fat Cat)
Nina's official myspace page can be found at www.myspace.com/ninanastasia.
Rosemary
Nina Nastasia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The tears on my face, they don't burn quite the same
And I look in the mirror and your reflection's not there
Just the daughter of a man and a cold, hard stare
Rosemary, my desire to hold you is deep
And it keeps me from living and it keeps me from sleep
And my holding-on's so tight that my fingers might bleed
Nina Nastasia's "Rosemary" is a haunting melody that speaks to the pain of loss and the difficulty of letting go. The lyrics are a plaintive lament for a lost love, someone named Rosemary. The singer has almost forgotten Rosemary's name, but the pain of her absence lingers on. Tears still stream down her face, but they don't burn quite as much as they used to. She looks in the mirror and doesn't see Rosemary's reflection there, just her own haunted gaze. She is the daughter of a man, which could suggest a troubled family history that might explain her inability to let go of Rosemary.
The chorus of the song expresses the deep desire the singer feels to hold Rosemary, a desire so strong that it keeps her from living and sleeping. She clings to the memory of Rosemary with such intensity that her fingers might bleed if she were to let go. She wonders if Rosemary is still holding on as tightly as she is, and whether letting go might finally allow her to move on.
Overall, "Rosemary" is a poignant and mournful meditation on the pain of loss and the difficulty of moving on. The imagery is understated but powerful, and the melody is spare and haunting. It's a beautiful and moving song that speaks to the universal human experience of grappling with grief and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Rosemary, I've almost forgotten your name
The memory of Rosemary is fading from my mind.
The tears on my face, they don't burn quite the same
The pain and sadness of missing Rosemary is starting to lessen.
And I look in the mirror and your reflection's not there
Rosemary is no longer a part of my life, and I cannot see her in myself anymore.
Just the daughter of a man and a cold, hard stare
I feel like I am defined by my relationship with my father, and his disapproval weighs heavily on me.
Rosemary, my desire to hold you is deep
I long to be with Rosemary on a deep emotional level.
And it keeps me from living and it keeps me from sleep
My longing for Rosemary is preventing me from enjoying life and sleeping peacefully.
And my holding-on's so tight that my fingers might bleed
I am holding on to my desire for Rosemary so tightly that it is causing me physical pain.
If I let go of you now, will you let go of me?
I am unsure if Rosemary feels the same way about me, and if I were to move on, I wonder if she would still hold on to me emotionally.
Contributed by Alice P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.