Born and living just outside Tel Aviv, multi-instrumentalist Erez’s grainy textures and potent atmospheres forged with her synths and ingenious beats bravely straddle genres, energized further by the environment in which she’s grown up.
While the music she makes in collaboration with her partner and co-writer, composer and producer Ori Rousso exploits many of the more physical dynamic elements of electronic music, it also embraces a cerebral sensitivity that’s made her one of her home city’s most exciting, idiosyncratic artists to date.
For NOGA EREZ, there was never any doubt that, whatever music she chose to make, and whatever she felt about her homeland, she could never ignore her surroundings. After all, even escapism acknowledges there’s something to escape from, and at times – like many who’ve grown up in Tel Aviv – Erez has wanted to shut herself off from a world rendered beyond comprehension by forces beyond her control. But if there’s one thing Erez isn’t – and sometimes it’s easier to say what artists as complex and fresh as her aren’t than are – it’s naïve. And what this means is simple: her work reflects the manner in which she’s learned to live. As she puts it, “I have this idea of giving people moments of thought and inspiration, and at the same time offering escapism and fun."
It’s not the easiest of goals, but few succeed as well as Erez. While the music she makes in collaboration with her partner and co-writer, composer and producer Ori Rousso, exploits many of the more physical, dynamic elements of electronic music, it also embraces a cerebral sensitivity that’s made her one of her home city’s most exciting, idiosyncratic artists. As inspired by Björk, M.I.A. and fka Twigs as by Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar and Frank Ocean, the grainy textures and potent atmospheres forged with her synths and ingenious beats bravely straddle genres, energised further by the environment in which she’s grown up.
Consequently, another of Erez’ goals is, as she puts it, “to process the world, and deliver ideas on how to process it. If you're able to create a musical context that captures the state you were in when you were writing it, that can potentially bring someone closer to understanding their own world.” In her case, this means articulating the fierce anger that lies behind the hypnotically percussive “Dance While You Shoot”, about the realisation that “you can’t live without the government that ensures your basic needs, but at the same time takes your money, keeps you in the dark about the real, important matters that affect your life directly, while drowning you in manipulative media, ignorance and bureaucracy.”
Then there’s the edgy “Pity”, provoked by a court case concerning a gang rape filmed on phones and shared across the web. “We took it to a more day to day level of being a woman in a men’s world, the need to use your ‘feminine’ qualities to get around, and the borders that can be crossed while you try to do that.” And that’s not to mention the extraordinary grit of “Off The Radar”, which addresses contemporary fears of being anonymous or forgotten, and “our indecent urge to leave our mark by publicly sharing thoughts and ideas without due consideration, purely for the rush we get from approval and affirmation.”
Erez was born four days before 1990, the year the Gulf War started, and it would be impossible for her now, as an artist, to ignore what’s been going on around her all her life. Nonetheless, she admits that, for a while, she retreated from the highly politicised climate in which she was raised. “As I became more aware of everything going on – the complexity of the situation, and how it affects lives on both sides – my reaction was to separate myself from it. I got rid of my TV and stopped consuming news completely.”
She found sanctuary in music, but withdrawal is rarely permanent, and if there’s tension in Erez’ work – and there’s plenty, as it happens – then it’s an acknowledgement of this simple truth. “Most of the time it's easy just to ignore what’s happening, but every now and then reality makes that impossible.” Erez is, however, thoroughly self-aware, and acknowledges how “we are very lucky not to live near the borders, not to be at the wrong place at the wrong time, and to have shelters and technology protecting us. But with this sense of luck comes a sense of guilt for being able to do something like make music while lives are being taken.”
Uncompromising and unpredictable, sophisticated and bold, Noga Erez is clear about her ambitions. “Our way of trying to keep in contact with our feelings and fears, and of avoiding emotional detachment about everything, is music. Human beings can come from completely different places but share a fundamental basis of emotions. In my opinion, music is the form of art or communication that expresses that most accurately.” The conversation starts now.
PITY
Noga Erez Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two more to go
I think I'll go bad
Sharp sharp tongue
Ready for the speech
I think I'll go bad
Everybody wants it now
All of them want one thing
They're here to get it
They keep saying
Pity pity pity
Oh you're so pretty
Pit pity pity
Let me come in give a taste of you
Smart sharp witty
But oh so weary
Skinny skinny skinny skinny
Skinny cat in a dog's land
So they're waiting for me to bend
Think I would spend most of my days searching for their eyes
Dirty talking, choking on guilt
Satin Smoky sheets my grip slipping
No no no
Sharks with guns and lots of other toys
Aiming for the forehead
I think I've gone bad
Everybody wants it now
Everybody stands in line
Partners in crime no shame
You don't deserve it
It makes you think
Noga Erez's song "Pity" is a commentary on the modern culture of instant gratification and desire for attention. The first verse sets the tone of the song with the lines "One head down, two more to go, I think I'll go bad." This could be interpreted as the pressure to keep up with societal expectations and desires. The second line of the verse, "Sharp sharp tongue, Ready for the speech, I think I'll go bad," indicates the frustration and desperation that comes with trying to meet these expectations.
The chorus of the song is where the theme is fully realized. "Everybody wants it now, Everybody stands in line, All of them want one thing, They're here to get it, They keep saying, Pity pity pity, Oh you're so pretty, Pit pity pity, Let me come in give a taste of you, Smart sharp witty, But oh so weary, Skinny skinny skinny skinny, Skinny cat in a dog's land." The repetition of "pity" and "pretty" emphasizes the need for attention and the desire to be seen and desired. The references to being smart, sharp, and witty indicate intelligence and the pressure to be both attractive and successful. The line "Skinny cat in a dog's land" could be interpreted as feeling out of place or a misfit in a society that values conformity.
The second verse explores the consequences of trying to meet these expectations. The line "So they're waiting for me to bend" suggests that people are waiting for her to give in and conform to their desires. The next line, "Think I would spend most of my days searching for their eyes," emphasizes the obsession with being desired and validated. The following lines "Dirty talking, choking on guilt, Satin Smoky sheets my grip slipping" add an element of darkness and danger to the song. The final line of the verse, "No no no," indicates a resistance to giving in to societal pressure.
Line by Line Meaning
One head down
I have successfully defeated one of my enemies and have two more left to conquer.
Two more to go
I still have two opponents that I need to vanquish in order to achieve what I want.
I think I'll go bad
I am beginning to feel like a ruthless person who will do whatever it takes to succeed.
Sharp sharp tongue
I have a clever and biting way of speaking that I will use to intimidate others.
Ready for the speech
I have prepared a speech to give that will further my goals and establish my dominance.
I think I'll go bad
I am becoming more willing to act immorally and unethically in order to get what I want.
Everybody wants it now
There are many people who desire what I have and will stop at nothing to get it.
Everybody stands in line
People are waiting for their turn to try and take what is mine.
All of them want one thing
The people who are vying for what I have all have the same goal in mind.
They're here to get it
They are determined to take what I have and will do whatever it takes to achieve their goal.
They keep saying
The people who are after me keep repeating the same things, believing that they will succeed sooner or later.
Pity pity pity
Others express false sympathy for me and sneer at my vulnerability.
Oh you're so pretty
People make snarky comments about my appearance, implying that I am weak because I am attractive.
Pit pity pity
People are using false compassion as a way to manipulate and control me.
Let me come in give a taste of you
People want to use me for their own satisfaction without regard for my feelings or well-being.
Smart sharp witty
I am a mentally sharp and quick-witted person who knows how to use words to their advantage.
But oh so weary
Despite my sharp mind, I am feeling weary and tired from constantly needing to defend myself.
Skinny skinny skinny skinny
Others are fixated on my appearance and use it to try and undermine me.
Skinny cat in a dog's land
I feel out of place and like a target because of my appearance and situation.
So they're waiting for me to bend
Others are waiting for me to show weakness so they can take advantage of me.
Think I would spend most of my days searching for their eyes
I am constantly looking for threats and watching those around me to try and predict their next move.
Dirty talking, choking on guilt
Others use manipulative and underhanded tactics to try and control me, making me feel guilty for opposing them.
Satin Smoky sheets my grip slipping
I am powerless and losing control, like slipping on smooth satin sheets in a smoky room.
No no no
I am resisting their manipulations and am determined not to give in to their control.
Sharks with guns and lots of other toys
My enemies are well-armed and have many resources at their disposal to threaten and harm me.
Aiming for the forehead
They are targeting me specifically in order to inflict more damage and assert their dominance.
I think I've gone bad
I am beginning to feel like I am becoming ruthless and am willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.
Partners in crime no shame
Those who oppose me are willing to work together and have no qualms about engaging in unethical and illegal behavior.
You don't deserve it
They believe that I am undeserving of what I have and will do whatever it takes to take it away from me.
It makes you think
Their actions and behavior force me to question my own motives and actions in order to protect myself.
Contributed by Jayce C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
R4ND0M
One head down
Two more to go
I think I’ll go bad
Sharp sharp tongue
Ready for the speech
I think I’ll go bad
Everybody wants it now
Everybody stands in line
All of them want one thing
They're here to get it
They keep saying
Pity pity pity
Oh you're so pretty
Pit pity pity
Let me come in give a taste of you
Smart sharp witty
But oh so weary
Skinny skinny skinny skinny
Skinny cat in a dog's land
So they’re waiting for me to bend
Think I would spend most of my days searching for their eyes
Dirty talking, choking on guilt
Satin Smoky sheets my grip slipping
No no no
Sharks with guns and lots of other toys
Aiming for the forehead
I think I've gone bad
Everybody wants it now
Everybody stands in line
Partners in crime no shame
You don't deserve it
It makes you think
Abby
1 minuto de silencio para las personas que todavia no encuentran estas obras de arte
Janey Bear
Her voice is unique, exactly the type of gem i want 😍
R4ND0M
One head down
Two more to go
I think I’ll go bad
Sharp sharp tongue
Ready for the speech
I think I’ll go bad
Everybody wants it now
Everybody stands in line
All of them want one thing
They're here to get it
They keep saying
Pity pity pity
Oh you're so pretty
Pit pity pity
Let me come in give a taste of you
Smart sharp witty
But oh so weary
Skinny skinny skinny skinny
Skinny cat in a dog's land
So they’re waiting for me to bend
Think I would spend most of my days searching for their eyes
Dirty talking, choking on guilt
Satin Smoky sheets my grip slipping
No no no
Sharks with guns and lots of other toys
Aiming for the forehead
I think I've gone bad
Everybody wants it now
Everybody stands in line
Partners in crime no shame
You don't deserve it
It makes you think
simoscopa
I see her live yesterday.. Omg so powerful
Mal McLewin
Dude you need more attention. Your music is so good. And I can tell you put so much work into it
Potato
I feel like this song is still under rated :'(
pel
I love the male and female voices mixed together near the end.
W
Saw her in Tel Aviv last July, everything was pure fire! Her, the crowd, the place... Pure! Fire! Not to mention Garden City Movement's presence!
Petra Klein
Alexia Levy political resistance packed in music brilliant!!!
W
That's exactly what I thought!! That show felt like one hell of a protest!