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.
Phaeton
Patricia Barber Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
as if Heaven sent you
son of the father
son of the Sun for whom
the Hours attend
and the East Wind waits
holding her breath
because she's afraid
bewitched and belittled
by daddy's light
crowned and cloaked
and ready for flight
on a chariot drawn
by fire breathing steeds
as the stars scatter
and the Moon retreats
slapping the reins
a dilettante drives
winged horses of the Sun
into the open sky
Divine fire in the hands
of mortal man
a coarse charted then lost
for lack of command
dust to dust
and dry as bone
hot as hell without trees
without snow
Mother Earth now choking
on soot and ash
begs for life
for those with one
last chance
who'll save us now?
In Patricia Barber's song "Phaeton," the lyrics describe the story of Phaeton, the son of Helios (the Sun God). The song opens with the singer addressing Phaeton as if he were a heavenly being, "blinding my eyes as if Heaven sent you." The lyrics describe Phaeton as the son of the Sun, for whom the Hours attend and the East Wind waits in fear. Phaeton is portrayed as being bewitched by his father's light, and he is crowned and cloaked, ready for flight on a chariot drawn by fire-breathing steeds.
As Phaeton rides the chariot, he slaps the reins and drives the horses up into the open sky, with "Divine fire in the hands of mortal man." However, his lack of control leads to disaster, as the chariot goes off course and causes destruction on Earth. The lyrics describe the aftermath of the disaster, wherein "Mother Earth is choking on soot and ash" and begs for life.
Overall, the lyrics of "Phaeton" tell a story of a young man who is given too much power and is unable to handle it. It is a cautionary tale about the dangers of overconfidence and the importance of responsibility.
Line by Line Meaning
blinding my eyes
My eyes are dazzled by your radiance.
as if Heaven sent you
You are as divine as if you were sent from heaven.
son of the father
You are the son of Helios, the god of the Sun.
son of the Sun for whom
You, Phaeton, are the son of the Sun, for whom everything is possible.
the Hours attend
The Horae, the goddesses of the seasons, attend to you.
and the East Wind waits
The East Wind, which originates from the palace of the Sun, waits for your command.
holding her breath
The East Wind is waiting eagerly and holding her breath out of anticipation.
because she's afraid
The East Wind is afraid of the power you hold as the son of Helios.
bewitched and belittled
You are under the spell of your father's powerful light and oppressed by your own lack of control.
by daddy's light
Your desire to fly the chariot of the Sun is fueled by the overwhelming force of your father's light.
crowned and cloaked
You are adorned in the glory of the Sun and the power that comes with it.
and ready for flight
You are eager to control the chariot and take flight with your fire-breathing steeds.
on a chariot drawn
You ride on your father's chariot, a symbol of the Sun and the power it holds.
by fire breathing steeds
You ride on horses that breathe flames, symbols of the power you hold as the son of Helios.
as the stars scatter
The stars scatter in your wake as you ride the chariot of the Sun, leaving the night behind.
and the Moon retreats
The Moon, knowing her light cannot outshine yours, retreats in fear.
slapping the reins
You take the reins of the chariot with force and energy, eager to take control of such power.
a dilettante drives
Even as the son of Helios, you lack the true knowledge and discipline needed to control the chariot of the Sun.
winged horses of the Sun
The fire-breathing steeds you ride upon are the horses of the Sun, symbols of power and strength.
into the open sky
You ascend into the open sky, flying higher and higher as you approach the heavens.
Divine fire in the hands
You hold the divine fire of the Sun in your hands, a power that only the gods should wield.
of mortal man
You are still a mortal man, ill-equipped to handle the tremendous power you hold.
a course charted then lost
Your journey was planned out but lost due to your lack of control over the chariot and its power.
for lack of command
You lacked the necessary authority and guidance to control the chariot and its powers, which led to disaster.
dust to dust
You, Phaeton, have fallen and returned to the Earth, reminding those watching of the inevitable end of all things.
and dry as bone
The Earth is parched and dry, a symbol of the disaster that occurred as you attempted to control the chariot.
hot as hell without trees
The Earth is scorched and barren, a lifeless desert without the growth or nourishment of trees.
Mother Earth now choking
The Earth is now struggling to survive due to your reckless actions, which have left her choking and suffocating.
on soot and ash
The Earth is covered in debris and ash from the powerful flames that consumed it.
begs for life
The Earth pleads for the chance to regenerate and be restored to its former beauty and vitality.
for those with one last chance
Those remaining on Earth now have one final opportunity to save the planet and give it the chance to recover.
who'll save us now?
The artist reflects on the disaster that befell the Earth and questions who will be able to save it now.
Contributed by Reagan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.