Let England Shake
PJ Harvey Lyrics
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No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
The West's asleep, let England shake
Weighted down with silent dead
I fear our blood won't rise again
Oh, rise again
England's dancing days are done
Another day, Bobby, for you to come home
And tell me indifference has won, won, won
Smile, smile Bobby, with your lovely mouth
Pack up your troubles, let's head out
To the fountain, fountain of death
And splash about, swim back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back
Until the day is ending
And the birds are silent
And the insects are courting
By the shores
By the shores, heavy stones are falling
Smile, smile Bobby, with your lovely mouth
Pack up your troubles, let's head out
To the fountain, fountain of death
Splash about, swim back, forth, back, back, back, back, back
Laugh out loud
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me back to Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
Take me
"Let England Shake" is one of PJ Harvey's most politically charged songs, released in 2011. The song is a commentary on the futility of war, the displacement of people, and the loss of national identity. The lyrics are layered with references to past events and cultures, as well as current contemporary issues.
The opening lyrics, "take me back to Constantinople, no you can't go back to Constantinople," refers to the former Byzantine capital, Istanbul, which was a prominent city during the medieval period. The lyrics suggest a longing for the nostalgia of a bygone era that can never be revived. This seems to highlight the idea that war destroys everything, including history and culture, leaving people lost and unable to connect with their roots.
The song then shifts to a more specific focus on England. The lyrics "the West's asleep, let England shake, weighted down with silent dead," speak to the idea that England, like other Western countries, has become dormant and complacent, weighed down by the tragedies of war. The phrase "silent dead" implies that the voices of those lost in war have been silenced, further emphasizing the loss of heritage and identity.
The chorus repeats the phrase "take me back to Constantinople, no you can't go back to Constantinople," suggesting that the quest for reviving the past, while impossible, remains a persistent longing in the psyche of a society that has lost its sense of history and direction.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me back to Constantinople
The singer longs for an idealized and romanticized past, represented by the former city of Constantinople
No, you can't go back to Constantinople
The reality is that the past cannot be resuscitated or recreated
The West's asleep, let England shake
The current state of the western world is stagnant and unresponsive, and England needs an awakening in order to progress
Weighted down with silent dead
The weight of past wars and death silences the potential for progress and change in the present
I fear our blood won't rise again
The singer is worried that England's spirit and will to succeed may be lost forever
England's dancing days are done
The glory days of England are over, and the country is struggling to find its identity and purpose
Another day, Bobby, for you to come home
The singer is waiting for someone, possibly a soldier, to return home to help fix the problems in England
And tell me indifference has won, won, won
The singer is afraid that apathy and lack of action have won over the fight for change and progress
Smile, smile Bobby, with your lovely mouth
The singer encourages positivity and hope for the future
Pack up your troubles, let's head out
The singer wants to leave behind the burdensome past and move forward with a new start
To the fountain, fountain of death
The singer recognizes the irony that while a fountain represents life and renewal, in this case it represents death and past conflict
And splash about, swim back, back, back, back, back, back, back, back
The singer wants to acknowledge and feel the weight and pain of the past, but also to move through it and come out on the other side
Until the day is ending
The singer wants to take advantage of every minute of time to make a change and create a better future
And the birds are silent
The singer recognizes that the world is not always a peaceful and harmonious place, as represented by the silence of the birds
And the insects are courting
The singer recognizes that life still exists and the cycle of birth and renewal continues, despite the weight of the past
By the shores
The location where the events of the song take place
By the shores, heavy stones are falling
The burden of the past and the struggle for change is palpable
Laugh out loud
The singer encourages joy and optimism in the face of adversity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group
Written by: Polly Harvey, Jimmy Kennedy, Nat Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@guidefa
Let England Shake
(PJ Harvey)
The west's asleep, let England shake
Weighted down with silent dead
I fear our blood won't rise again
Won't rise again
England's dancing days are done
Another day, Bobby, for you to come
Home and tell me indifference
Is won, won, won
Smile, smile Bobby, with your lovely mouth
Pack up your troubles and let's head out
To the fountain of death and splash about
Swim back, forth, back, back, laugh out loud
Until the day is ending
And the birds are silent
And the insects are courting
And by the shores, heavy stones are falling
Smile, smile Bobby, with your lovely mouth
Pack up your troubles and let's head out
To the fountain of death and splash about
Swim back, forth, back, back, laugh out loud
@guidefa
Deixe a Inglaterra tremer
(PJ Harvey)
O ocidente está dormindo, deixe a Inglaterra tremer
Sobrecarregada com mortos silenciosos
Eu temo que nosso sangue não suba novamente
não vai subir de novo
Os dias de dança da Inglaterra acabaram
Outro dia, Bobby, para você
voltar pra casa,mostrando indiferença,
vencido, vencido, vencido
Sorria, sorria Bobby, com sua linda boca
Empacote seus problemas e vamos sair
Para a fonte da morte e espadanar
Nadar para trás, para trás, para trás, rindo alto
Até o dia acabar
E os pássaros silenciosos
E os insetos cortejando
E nas margens, pedras pesadas estão caindo
Sorria, sorria Bobby, com sua linda boca
empacote seus problemas e vamos sair
Para a fonte da morte e espadanar
Nadando para trás, para trás, para trás, gargalhando
19
@benjaminrappit
I'll repeat from my previous comment.....
Goddess
Guy Garvey told me personally of when he met her at Glastonbury for the first time and he was so scared because he admired her so much
Years later
Goddess
@Thunda65
God, shes just amazing- hypnotic, smart, electrifying...
@gabix7488
Brilliant
Love Polly for 20 yrs since i was 15
Kisses from Romania, brilliant artist
@TheRealStrayWolf
So thankful to my Dad for exposing me to PJ Harvey as a kid
@skippydebushkangarugus
Cops were smashing up youth and workers in Bristol this weekend.Hats off to your fellow English West Coasters,our hearts and thoughts are with them from Sydney,Aus.
Let England Shake!
@peacemonger1967
really quite extraordinary...this is a classic album with fantastic lyrics that read like great poetry
@mrjolieguy8673
Bloody brilliant polly
God bless you and all who listen to your music 🎶
@pauliamsocool
It’s that headdress again. Looking good, Polly.
@openskiesmedia
England’s dancing days are done, indeed.
@Hammett175
This is her best work.
@eugenehogan2448
That's a special talent she's got.