Patrick Wolf (born Patrick Denis Apps on 30 June, 1983) is a singer-songwri… Read Full Bio ↴Patrick Wolf (born Patrick Denis Apps on 30 June, 1983) is a singer-songwriter from London, United Kingdom. Wolf mixes electronics and samples with a wide range of instruments including viola, keyboards, ukulele, and percussion, all of which he plays himself to form a fusion of jazz, folk and electronic music.

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.

Souvenirs
Patrick Wolf Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Last winter you came home
From an island of fire and stone
With fire to relight the life you lost
And stones to weigh out the heavy cost
And the damage

You put my hand to your heart
And ran right hrough your history

The souvenirs and lost luggage
The shipwrecks and the mysteries

And with your warm chest against my back
Whispered words and this growing crack
My sweet companion, you knew my name
You lit a candle and a moth came through the window

I put your hand to my heart
And ran right through my history
The souvenirs and lost luggage
The shipwrecks and the mysteries

"Your lips speak a joy
But your eyes tell a sorrow"

How dare you say that to me?
You don't know and you will never know.

I keep these moments as souvenirs
You read my story

Cover to cover
Ear to ear

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Patrick Wolf's "Souvenirs" reflect the themes of love, loss, and the unraveling of the past. The opening lines of the song evoke a sense of coming home after an experience that has left you forever changed. The imagery of "fire and stone" is symbolic of the transformative nature of this experience - the fire representing the passion that has been reignited within the singer, and the stones representing the weight of the past that they carry with them.

As the song progresses, it becomes clear that the singer's relationship with the person who has returned from the island is both complex and deeply intimate. The lines "you put my hand to your heart" and "I put your hand to my heart" suggest a mutual understanding and empathy between the two. They are both struggling to make sense of their pasts, and their relationship offers a safe space to do so.

However, there is also an undercurrent of tension and mistrust running through the song. The line "Your lips speak a joy / But your eyes tell a sorrow" suggests that the singer's companion is hiding something or is not being entirely truthful with them. The response - "How dare you say that to me? / You don't know and you will never know" - indicates a level of defensiveness and suggests that the singer may be harboring their own secrets.

Overall, "Souvenirs" is a beautiful and haunting ballad that explores the complexities of love and loss. It is a song about finding strength amidst the ruins of the past and seeking solace in the embrace of someone who understands your pain.

Line by Line Meaning

Last winter you came home
Patrick Wolf's lover returned from a perilous journey during winter.

From an island of fire and stone
The lover returned from a place that was simultaneously both fiery and rocky.

With fire to relight the life you lost
The lover has brought back a renewed sense of purpose and energy to Patrick Wolf's life.

And stones to weigh out the heavy cost and the damage
The cost of the journey was heavy and the damage was profound.

You put my hand to your heart
Patrick Wolf's lover placed his hand on his own heart as a cue to pay attention.

And ran right through your history
The lover shared experiences and stories from their past.

The souvenirs and lost luggage, The shipwrecks and the mysteries
Everything the lover brought back told a story, including things that were left behind or lost.

And with your warm chest against my back, Whispered words and this growing crack
The two are physically close and the intimacy and vulnerability are causing emotions to surface.

My sweet companion, you knew my name
Patrick Wolf's lover knows and understands him fully.

You lit a candle and a moth came through the window
A candle was lit and a moth was drawn in, symbolizing a new beginning and the start of a journey.

I put your hand to my heart
Patrick Wolf placed his lover's hand on his own heart as a sign of his own emotional vulnerability.

And ran right through my history
Patrick Wolf shared his own past with his lover.

The souvenirs and lost luggage, The shipwrecks and the mysteries
Just like the lover, everything Patrick Wolf has gone through tells a story, including things that were left behind or lost.

"Your lips speak a joy, But your eyes tell a sorrow"
Patrick Wolf is accused of hiding his true emotions and presenting a front of happiness.

How dare you say that to me? You don't know and you will never know.
Patrick Wolf is defensive, convinced that his lover could never understand what he's going through.

I keep these moments as souvenirs, You read my story, Cover to cover, Ear to ear
The moments shared with his lover are precious and Patrick Wolf trusts him with his life story, from beginning to end.

Contributed by Christian W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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