Her music is centered on her singing, in a fairly low register and a traditional bluesy-jazz style, and her piano playing, which is technically accomplished. Her repertoire includes many of her own compositions, but also a selection of standards drawn mostly from the classic-rock genre; examples include "Ode to Billie Joe," "A Taste of Honey," and "Black Magic Woman." She is known for her apparent above-average intelligence and vocabulary, which results in complex and witty lyrics. Her last album to date, Mythologies is a set of songs based on Ovid's Metamorphoses. In September 2008, Patricia is releasing "The Cole Porter Mix," a collection of Patricia's renditions of the Porter songbook along with three Barber originals inspired by Cole Porter.
Patricia Barber is a lesbian. Interviews with her suggests that she does not try to hide this fact, but that she 'tires' of the public interest in her sexuality – disliking the fact that it contributes to her fame.
Her albums Cafe Blue, Modern Cool, Companion, Nightclub, Verse have been reissued by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab on SACD and limited edition 45 rpm 1/2 speed mastered, 180 gram audiophile vinyl.
Icarus
Patricia Barber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
feathers are waxed and laced
reeds are stockpiled, patiently cast
and curved, each longer than the last
it is a perfect design, a boldfaced
attempt to fly
Back off the boardwalk, at the Midtown
an angel black as the color of her hair
begins to sing and play and dare
to form a perfect design, a boldfaced
attempt to fly
falling out of the middle
the air begins to thin
from light into darkness
into the light again
gravity conspiring
with the forces of drag
so nose up and farewell
to those who lag
and who didn't blow the whistle
took calculated risks
who didn't push the river
who didn't use their fists
who didn't go to great lengths
nor to great heights
you're up in the air now
Divine
Moonshine drunk, you're smug as the Sun
larger than life, baby you're the one
with wings, rising over the wall
falling out of the middle, away from us all
it was a perfect design
a boldfaced attempt to fly
The lyrics to “Icarus” by Patricia Barber are inspired by the ancient Greek myth of Icarus, who wore wings made of feathers and wax and flew too close to the sun, melting his wings and falling to his death. The song narrates the construction process of the wings and the excitement and audacity of wanting to fly despite the risks involved. The opening lines describe the careful preparation and engineering that goes into building the wings, from the wooden frame to the feathers and reeds that are selected and crafted.
The middle of the song embodies the moment when Icarus is in mid-flight, as he rises and falls, experiencing weightlessness and freedom but also the real danger of gravity and atmospheric drag. The lyrics evoke the sensation of the air becoming thinner and the light shifting as the character hurtles forward. The song also describes the tragic consequences of Icarus's journey, with the lines "who didn't blow the whistle / took calculated risks" suggesting that perhaps he could have been warned or cautioned against his dangerous venture.
Overall, "Icarus" is a meditation on the human desire to push beyond our limitations and boundaries, even if it means risking everything. It also speaks to the inevitability of tragedy and the complex emotions that accompany moments of great ambition and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Intent, a wooden lattice is placed
A plan is put in motion to build a wood structure similar to a lattice
feathers are waxed and laced
Feathers are prepared with wax and attached to the wood structure
reeds are stockpiled, patiently cast
Reeds are gathered and carefully placed at the right spots on the wood structure
and curved, each longer than the last
The reeds are bent in a certain shape, each one getting longer than the previous one
it is a perfect design, a boldfaced
attempt to fly
The wood structure with the feather and reed additions is meant to fly, and the architects believe it's perfect
Back off the boardwalk, at the Midtown
Moving away from the boardwalk and to the Midtown area
dressed in chiffon, dressed in her best gown
A woman is wearing a chiffon dress, dressed in her finest clothes
an angel black as the color of her hair
A woman with dark hair is referred to as an angel
begins to sing and play and dare
She starts singing and playing music boldly without care
to form a perfect design, a boldfaced
attempt to fly
She attempts to create a perfect design of her music and singing, trying to soar with it like the wooden lattice structure
falling out of the middle
Suddenly falling out from the center of the structure
the air begins to thin
As she falls, the air starts to thin, making it harder to breathe
from light into darkness
into the light again
As she falls, the light around her changes, going from light to dark and back to light again
gravity conspiring
with the forces of drag
She's being pulled down by gravity and slowed down by air resistance
so nose up and farewell
to those who lag
She tries lifting her face up and says goodbye to those who can't keep up
and who didn't blow the whistle
took calculated risks
People who didn't speak up or alert others about the danger they were in took risks that they thought were manageable
who didn't push the river
who didn't use their fists
People who didn't challenge the status quo or fight against obstacles with force
who didn't go to great lengths
nor to great heights
People who didn't work hard or achieve great success
you're up in the air now
Despite not being successful in flying, she's elevated and feels alive
Divine
An exclamation that describes the feeling of being on top of the world
Moonshine drunk, you're smug as the Sun
Feeling drunk and overconfident, as if she's better than the sun
larger than life, baby you're the one
Feeling like she's more important and powerful than anyone else
with wings, rising over the wall
Having wings, she climbs over an obstacle and soars higher
falling out of the middle, away from us all
Suddenly falling from her high point and away from everyone else
it was a perfect design
a boldfaced attempt to fly
Her music and singing was a perfect design and an attempt to soar like the wooden lattice structure earlier
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.