Following 11.5 million hits on youtube and almost 80k likes on Facebook, Gartland independently released her first single in 2011 which reached top 10 iTunes placement in over 17 countries. Since then, 2 EPs have followed.
Empty Man
Orla Gartland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Only the shoes that you wore
I've redesigned everything i adore
But you're eyes I can't recall
Blood, bone and metal on the kitchen floor
The manual gripped in my hand
Trying to build everything that I can
It's just darkness and me
No substitute love
So I'm dying to be back in your love
Back in your love, but you're just an empty man
I don't remember a single edge
Or the shape of your shadow
Your blank DNA holds no memories
Nothing God or science can recall
It's just darkness and me
No substitute love
So I'm dying to be back in your love
Back in your love
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
It's just darkness and me
No substitute love
So I'm dying to be back in your love
Back in your love
It's just darkness and me
No substitute love
So I'm dying to be back in your love
Back in your love, but you're just an empty man
The lyrics of "Empty Man" by Orla Gartland are about a person who has moved on from a past relationship but is haunted by the memory of their ex-partner. The singer recalls only the shoes that the ex-partner wore and has redesigned everything she loves in an attempt to forget about them. However, the ex-partner's eyes are the one thing she cannot forget. The second verse speaks of a dark and violent scene, with blood, bone, and metal on the kitchen floor, as the singer tries to build something with a manual in her hand. She questions why no one can understand the pain and emptiness she feels.
The chorus of the song talks about how there is no substitute for love and how the singer is dying to be back in her ex-partner's love. However, she comes to the realization that her ex-partner is an empty man, someone who has left no lasting impression on her. The bridge of the song repeats the lines about darkness and the absence of substitute love before leading back into the chorus again. Overall, the lyrics convey a sense of loneliness and longing for something unattainable, which is a theme that many people can relate to.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't remember you at all
I cannot recall any memory or image of you in my mind
Only the shoes that you wore
The only trace of you that I remember is what you were wearing on your feet
I've redesigned everything i adore
I have changed and updated everything that I used to like and admire except for the memories of you
But you're eyes I can't recall
However, I cannot remember the color or the look of your eyes
Blood, bone and metal on the kitchen floor
A mixture of bodily fluids and other materials are scattered on the floor of the kitchen
The manual gripped in my hand
I am holding a user guide or a set of instructions in my hand
Trying to build everything that I can
I am attempting to construct or create something with the tools and materials in my possession
Why does no one understand?
I am feeling frustrated and perplexed that nobody comprehends or empathizes with my situation
It's just darkness and me
There is nothing else but darkness and myself in this moment
No substitute love
There is no substitute or replacement for love
So I'm dying to be back in your love
I am feeling a desperate need to be loved by you once again
I don't remember a single edge
I cannot recall any of your physical features, such as your facial contours or your body shape
Or the shape of your shadow
I cannot recall the shape of your silhouette or the way your shadow looked
Your blank DNA holds no memories
Your DNA does not contain any memories or feelings that we once shared
Nothing God or science can recall
Neither religion nor science can help me retrieve my lost memories of you
Back in your love, but you're just an empty man
I want to return to your love, but you are not the same person I once knew. You are now an empty shell of a man
Writer(s): Kyan Kuatois, Orla Gartland
Contributed by Evelyn T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
S7evenfromCanada
Absolutely amazing. Deserves 10,000,000 more views and then some
shjobbi _
One of my favorites from her, I love it
Ellie louise
The best mom anyone could ask for
Jayson T
What?
ripmyfictionalfriends
@Jayson T i think the comment was referring to her saying the "this is one of the few lovey dovey songs i have, us gingers don't get much. [crowd awes] don't awe me "i'll be your valentine" thanks mum" bit at the beginning
Jayson T
@ripmyfictionalfriends Thanks