Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automatic Dlamini as a vocalist, guitarist and saxophonist. The band's frontman, John Parish, became her long-term collaborator. In 1991, she formed an eponymous trio called PJ Harvey and subsequently began her career as PJ Harvey. The trio released two studio albums called Dry (1992) and Rid of Me (1993) before disbanding, after which Harvey continued as a solo artist. Since 1995, she has released a further nine studio albums with collaborations from various musicians including Parish, former bandmate Rob Ellis, Mick Harvey and Eric Drew Feldman, and has also worked extensively with record producer Flood.
Among the accolades Harvey has received are both the 2001 and 2011 Mercury Prize for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000) and Let England Shake (2011), respectively, making her the only artist to have been awarded the prize twice. She has also garnered eight Brit Award nominations, seven Grammy Award nominations and two further Mercury Prize nominations. Rolling Stone awarded her three accolades: 1992's Best New Artist and Best Singer Songwriter, and 1995's Artist of the Year. Rolling Stone also listed Rid of Me, To Bring You My Love and Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea on its list of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2011, she was awarded for Outstanding Contribution To Music at the NME Awards. In the 2013 Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to music.
The Garden
PJ Harvey Lyrics
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And he was walking in the night
And he was singing a sad love song
And he was praying for his life
And the stars came out around him
He was thinking of his sins
And he's looking at his song-bird
There inside the garden
Came another with his lips
Said, 'Won't you come and be my lover?'
'Let me give you a little kiss'
And he came, knelt down before him
And fell upon his knees
Said, 'I will give you gold and mountains
If you stay awhile with me'
And there was trouble taking place.
There inside the garden
They kissed, and the sun rose
And he walked a little further
And he found he was alone
And the wind, it gathered round him
He was thinking of his sins
He was looking at his song-bird
And he was looking at his wings
And there was trouble taking place.
The Garden, a hauntingly beautiful song by PJ Harvey, is seemingly about a man who is walking in a garden at night, singing a sad love song and praying for his life. As he walks, he reflects on his sins and looks at his songbird and its wings. In the garden, he is approached by another man who asks him to be his lover and promises him riches if he stays with him. The man agrees and they kiss, but as the sun rises, he finds himself alone and troubled by his sins.
There are several interpretations of the song, but one common one is that it is about temptation and the consequences of giving in to it. The man is tempted by the other man's offer of riches and experiences a moment of pleasure, but as the sun rises and the moment passes, he is left alone and troubled by his actions. The garden, with its imagery of growth and change, may also symbolize the cyclical nature of life and the need for self-reflection and growth.
Overall, The Garden is a beautifully crafted song with rich imagery and haunting lyrics that leave a lasting impact on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
And he was walking in the garden
He was strolling through the garden
And he was walking in the night
He was walking through the garden at night
And he was singing a sad love song
He was singing a melancholic love song
And he was praying for his life
He was pleading for his life
And the stars came out around him
The stars began to appear in the sky above him
He was thinking of his sins
He was contemplating his wrongdoings
And he's looking at his song-bird
He was admiring his pet bird
And he's looking at his wings
He was gazing at the wings of his bird
There inside the garden
Within the confines of the garden
Came another with his lips
Another person approached him and spoke to him
Said, 'Won't you come and be my lover?'
The other person asked him to be their lover
'Let me give you a little kiss'
The other person offered him a small kiss
And he came, knelt down before him
He moved towards the other person and kneeled before them
And fell upon his knees
He dropped down onto his knees
Said, 'I will give you gold and mountains
He promised to give the other person riches beyond measure
If you stay awhile with me'
On the condition that the other person stays with him for some time
And there was trouble taking place.
There was discord between the two people
They kissed, and the sun rose
They kissed each other as the sun began to rise
And he walked a little further
He took a few more steps forwards
And he found he was alone
He realized that he was alone
And the wind, it gathered round him
The wind picked up around him
He was thinking of his sins
He was reflecting on his transgressions
He was looking at his song-bird
He was observing his bird
And he was looking at his wings
He was inspecting the wings of his bird
And there was trouble taking place.
There was still conflict between the two people
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind