Says Alex of the first single from the fourth Oh Mercy album - still untitled... “Sandy is a fast song. Faster than the other ones. Or slower. It really just depends on how you count the bars. And which song you compare it to. Faster than a real slow song. Slower than a real fast one. Sandy is a stuck in the middle kind of song. I wrote it in Nashville. I was walking to a Mexican restaurant. It's about self loathing. And self loathing by way of resenting someone who loves you. Just for loving you! (what a world!!!). It's a little about needing it. But wishing you didn’t need it. In the end you're god damn glad you got it.”
Alex Gow recently returned home to Melbourne from the States where he spent time in Nashville, Portland and Los Angeles, disconnected and rootless - a ‘romatic saboteur’ creating his forthcoming album.
Read the album’s travel diary here: http://www.ohmercy.com.au/about/
Gow is one of Australia’s most acclaimed singer/songwriters. Releasing three albums by the time he was 25, he won the ‘Outstanding Potential Award’ at the AMP’s in 2009 and was awarded the EG Music ‘Outstanding Achivement’ Award in 2012. He also has a string of ARIA nominations under his belt for the albums Privileged Woes, Great Barrier Grief and most recent, Deep Heat.
Doldrums
Oh Mercy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sail through the doldrums as
Idle as a painted ship
On a painted sea
Destined to wander aimless
Whisper my songs to
Those who run from me
They see the burden I've
This love I give for free
I sit and weep as my lover
Tries to sell it back to me
And I won't decline
'Cuz when you're done with it
I don't recognize it as mine
The lyrics to Oh Mercy's song "Doldrums" convey a sense of aimlessness and despair. The opening lines "Sail through August moons, Sail through the doldrums as, Idle as a painted ship, On a painted sea" suggest a journey without direction or purpose, where the singer is a passive spectator of their own fate. The metaphor of a painted ship on a painted sea reinforces the idea that everything is superficial and lacking substance, and that there is no anchor, no stability, and no meaning to hold on to.
The second stanza, "Destined to wander aimless, Whisper my songs to, Those who run from me, They see the burden I've, Carried for the world to see" conveys a sense of loneliness and isolation. The singer has a message to share, but no one seems to listen, or worse, they run away from him. The burden he carries is heavy and visible, yet no one seems to understand or to care. The theme of isolation and the desire to connect with others is prevalent throughout the song, as is the sense of disillusionment and loss.
In the final stanza, "This love I give for free, I sit and weep as my lover, Tries to sell it back to me, And I won't decline, Cuz when you're done with it, I don't recognize it as mine," the images of love and loss become intertwined. The singer gives his love freely, but his lover sells it back to him, turning it into a commodity. The irony of the situation is that the love that he gives away is no longer recognizable as his when it returns to him. The sense of alienation becomes even stronger, as the singer feels that not only his fate, but also his own emotions are beyond his control.
Line by Line Meaning
Sail through August moons
Travel through a specific time period, possibly of heightened emotions or passion.
Sail through the doldrums as
Navigate through a period of boredom or lack of motivation.
Idle as a painted ship
Feeling stuck or unmoving like a ship that has been painted and cannot move.
On a painted sea
Existing in a surreal or unrealistic environment.
Destined to wander aimless
Fated to drift or roam without direction or purpose.
Whisper my songs to
Secretly share my feelings or emotions with someone.
Those who run from me
People who distance themselves from the singer, possibly due to fear or uncertainty.
They see the burden I've
Others can see the weight or responsibility that the artist carries.
Carried for the world to see
The artist's load is visible or evident to others.
This love I give for free
The artist's affection or devotion is freely given without expectation of return.
I sit and weep as my lover
The singer is saddened and mourns as their significant other does something hurtful.
Tries to sell it back to me
The artist's partner is attempting to negotiate or gain something from their relationship.
And I won't decline
The singer will not say no, even though they know it may end badly or lead to heartbreak.
'Cuz when you're done with it
The singer anticipates their loved one will misuse or abuse what they have been given.
I don't recognize it as mine
The singer will distance themselves from the relationship if it becomes something they do not recognize.
Writer(s): A. Gow, T. SAVAGE
Contributed by Alyssa F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cole Pruitt
I wish this song had tabs
birb
Pretty sure it is D (x4), C (x2) and G (x2) which repeats until the solo and the solo ends on D.
Then for the chorus it goes, Bm (x2), D (x2), C (x2), G (x2) then D (x4), C (x2), G (x2), D (x4).
Then for the outro it is C (x2), G (x2), D (x4).
The picking pattern is something like this, if you barre the D chord, you play the root note which is 5 then 3, 4, 2, 4, 3.
I play all the chords as barre chords so the only time the root note changes is for the G, which will be 6 then 3, 4, 2, 4, 3 but otherwise all the other chords are 5 then 3, 4, 2, 4, 3.
P.S. the (x2) and (x4) is just how many times the picking pattern repeats for each chord. If I figure out the solo, write it out properly and upload it to ultimate guitar I will link the tab in the comments.