He began experimenting with sound and four-track recording at the age of 11, eventually building an arsenal of instruments that included junk-shop organs and a home-built theremin. At the age of 14 he joined the pop-art collective Minty, a venture that caught the eyes and ears of Fat Cat Records, which went on to supply the youth with a computer and mixing tools for aid in his newfound audio experimentation. He left home at the age of 16 and formed Maison Crimineaux with his friend Fanny, which eventually found its way to France where the noisy duo played a show attended by electronic maestro Kristian Robinson (aka Capitol K), who went on to release Wolf's lauded 2003 debut. With Lycanthropy reaching number 39 in the NME's top LPs of the year, as well as receiving critical acclaim throughout Europe and America, Wolf decided to study composition at the Trinity College Music Conservatoire.
The results of that endeavor can be heard on his 2005 release Wind in the Wires, a dark collection of moody British folk and chamber pop with a chilly laptop sheen.
Wolf released his third album, and the first on a major label, The Magic Position, in February 2007. A concept album on the theme of love, the majority of it was written after the end of a long term intimate relationship. It featured collaborations with Marianne Faithfull and Edward Larrikin of Larrikin Love.
His fourth album, The Bachelor, was originally supposed to be part of a double album called Battle (the other disc was to be called The Conqueror). It was released on 1 June 2009. Guest musicians included Atari Teenage Riot's Alec Empire, actress Tilda Swinton, folk musician Eliza Carthy and avant-garde electronic pioneer Matthew Herbert.
Wolf's fifth album, Lupercalia, was released on 20 June 2011 by Hideout, a subsidiary of Mercury Records. Songfacts explains that the album title refers to the fertility and love festival which the ancient Romans celebrated between February 13-15 (the predecessor to Valentine's Day).
His latest release is a double album entitled Sundark and Riverlight, celebrating Wolf's 10 years as a recording artist. The album features acoustic re-recordings of songs from throughout his career, as well as previously unheard tracks.
Bermondsey Street
Patrick Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rises high on the balls of her feet
Declares this the greatest love of the century
He fumbles for a wedding ring
She's no, no clone from Vogue Magazine
She is complex in all her complexions
Love is here to heal
And I'm so proud of you
But now you must too
Take pride with what this love you do
He kisses him on Bermondsey Street and
Standing brave on the balls of his feet
Declares this the greatest love of the century
He fumbles for a wedding ring
He's no, no clone from Colt magazines
He is complex in all his complexions
Love is here to heal
And I'm so proud of you
Now you must too
Take pride with what this love you do
Now you know, love knows no boundaries
Sees beyond sexuality
Holds the sun in the palm of its hand
And laughs down the cynical man
Hear what I say, hear what I see
Two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street
Regardless of religion
Braver than any faith
No fear of society
Evolves you and me
Love, whoa
Two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street now
Two kisses sweet
Two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street now
And two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street now
Two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street
The song Bermondsey Street by Patrick Wolf is a celebration of love, regardless of sexuality or societal expectations. The lyrics describe two couples, one heterosexual and one homosexual, who share kisses on Bermondsey Street and declare their love as the greatest of the century. The fumbling for a wedding ring suggests a desire for commitment and official recognition of their love. The complex descriptions of the lovers point to the depth and richness of their relationships, in contrast to the superficial expectations set by Vogue Magazine and Colt magazines.
The chorus "And I'm so proud of you. Now you must, too. Take pride in what this love you do" suggests a sense of pride in oneself and one's partner, and a call to embrace love without fear of societal expectations. The lyrics also suggest that love has the power to heal and transcend boundaries, beyond religion, faith, and cynicism. The repetition of "two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street" emphasizes the simple yet transformative power of love.
Overall, Bermondsey Street is a hopeful, uplifting anthem for love and acceptance, urging listeners to embrace all forms of love and reject fear and prejudice.
Line by Line Meaning
She kisses him on Bermondsey Street and
A woman kisses her partner on Bermondsey Street
Rises high on the balls of her feet
The woman feels euphoric and elated
Declares this the greatest love of the century
She declares their love to be the greatest of the century
He fumbles for a wedding ring
The man searches for a wedding ring
She's no, no clone from Vogue Magazine
The woman does not conform to societal beauty standards
She is complex in all her complexions
The woman is complex with many facets to her personality
Love is here to heal
Love has the power to heal
And I'm so proud of you
The singer is proud of the couple for being in love
But now you must too
The singer urges the couple to be proud of their love
Take pride with what this love you do
The singer wants the couple to take pride in their love
He kisses him on Bermondsey Street and
A man kisses his partner on Bermondsey Street
Standing brave on the balls of his feet
The man feels courageous and strong
Declares this the greatest love of the century
He declares their love to be the greatest of the century
He fumbles for a wedding ring
The man searches for a wedding ring
He's no, no clone from Colt magazines
The man does not conform to traditional masculine stereotypes
He is complex in all his complexions
The man is complex with many facets to his personality
Love is here to heal
Love has the power to heal
And I'm so proud of you
The singer is proud of the couple for being in love
Now you must too
The singer urges the couple to be proud of their love
Take pride with what this love you do
The singer wants the couple to take pride in their love
Now you know, love knows no boundaries
Love transcends societal norms and boundaries
Sees beyond sexuality
Love sees beyond sexual orientation and gender identity
Holds the sun in the palm of its hand
Love has the power to conquer anything, even the impossible
And laughs down the cynical man
Love triumphs over cynicism and negativity
Hear what I say, hear what I see
The singer urges the listener to pay attention
Two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street
The two kisses represent love in all its forms
Regardless of religion
Love transcends religious differences
Braver than any faith
Love is more courageous than any belief system
No fear of society
Love is not afraid to defy societal expectations
Evolves you and me
Love leads to personal growth and evolution
Love, whoa
The singer emphasizes the power of love
Two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street now
The two kisses are a symbol of love and acceptance
Two kisses sweet
The two kisses represent love in all its forms
And two kisses sweet on Bermondsey Street now
The two kisses are a symbol of love and acceptance
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PATRICK WOLF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
SKLauridsen
Patrick Wolf is made of magic.
Stephen Schneider
Patrick Wolf is himself The Magic.
Brad Herrera
🌹