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.
Jacob's Ladder
Patrick Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The ladder
Is falling
Down
Heaven
Is out
Of reach
The golden gates
The closing clouds
Jacob
The ladder
Has fallen
Down
The song "Jacob's Ladder" by Patrick Wolf is a melancholic piece that speaks of a sense of loss and longing. The lyrics describe the falling of the ladder that once connected heaven and earth. 'Jacob' is a biblical reference to the story of Jacob's dream, where he saw a ladder that was set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. The falling of the ladder implies that the connection between heaven and earth is no longer present, and the gates of heaven are now closed. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for a loss of faith or spiritual connection.
The mood of the song is further intensified by the use of emotive language such as 'golden gates' and 'closing clouds'. The former can be interpreted as a symbol of opportunity that has been lost, and the latter could refer to the end of a beautiful day or perhaps even the end of time. The repetitiveness of the lyrics conveys a sense of hopelessness, and the lack of movement or progression in the song suggests a feeling of being stuck or trapped in a situation, unable to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Jacob
The subject of the song.
The ladder
Metaphorically represents the path to heaven or enlightenment.
Is falling
The path to heaven or enlightenment is becoming more difficult to access.
Down
The path to heaven or enlightenment is becoming completely inaccessible.
Heaven
A metaphorical destination representing enlightenment, nirvana, or a similar state of being.
Is out
Heaven or enlightenment is not readily accessible.
Of reach
A state of being where heaven or enlightenment is not achievable.
For us now
The artist and possibly others are unable to achieve enlightenment or access to heaven.
The golden gates
Symbolizes the entrance to heaven, a representation of paradise or heaven.
The closing clouds
Symbolize the increasing distance or separation from heaven or enlightenment.
Has fallen
The path to heaven or enlightenment is completely destroyed or no longer available.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PATRICK WOLF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind