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.
The Gypsy King
Patrick Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A ship in a harbor
Yes I will go
I'll be going there soon
A blue map of Cornwall
Up on a bedroom wall
Drawing a line
But how do I follow?
What road to be choosing?
Do I follow the star
Or the gypsy king?
I recall when I was younger
There was a fire
To travel the world
And shine with a passion
But as ambition shoots blank
Day by Day
On a train from Edinburgh
To the Kings Cross rain
I see a small house
Built on the sea
I could live there alone
With a horse and a ukulele
But how do I get there?
What road to be choosing?
When the seasons so high
For losing
How do I follow
What road to be choosing?
Do I follow the star
Or the Gypsy King?
The song “The Gypsy King” by Patrick Wolf is a contemplative piece about the wandering spirit of the artist himself. The opening lines of the song are ‘Drawing a line, a ship in a harbor, yes I will go, I’ll be going there soon’. This suggests a readiness to leave, to embark on a journey of sorts. There is a sense of restlessness pervading the song, a feeling like the artist just can’t stay in one place for too long. This is further underlined by the lines, ‘I recall when I was younger, there was a fire, to travel the world to shine with a passion’.
Line by Line Meaning
Drawing a line
I am making a decision to move forward with my life.
A ship in a harbor
I am restless and desire to depart from where I currently am.
Yes I will go
I have made the decision to embark on a new journey.
I'll be going there soon
I am eager to begin my new journey as soon as possible.
A blue map of Cornwall
I have a plan and destination in mind (Cornwall).
Up on a bedroom wall
I have visualized my plan and it is displayed prominently in my thoughts.
Drawing a line
I am confident in my decision and committed to following through on my plan.
I'll be following soon
I am motivated to take action and start following my plan.
But how do I follow?
I am uncertain of the path I should take to reach my goal.
What road to be choosing?
I am questioning which direction to take and feeling overwhelmed by the options available to me.
Do I follow the star
Should I trust my intuition and follow my dreams?
Or the gypsy king?
Or should I look to someone else's lead to guide me on my journey?
I recall when I was younger
I remember a time when I was more determined and ambitious.
There was a fire
I had a strong passion and drive within me.
To travel the world
I had dreams of exploring and experiencing different cultures.
And shine with a passion
I wanted to make my mark on the world and live with purpose.
But as ambition shoots blank
As I grew older, my passion and drive dwindled.
Day by Day
Over time, it became increasingly more difficult to maintain my motivation.
On a train from Edinburgh
I am currently on a journey, but one that is not fulfilling my desires.
To the Kings Cross rain
I am heading towards an unknown and uncertain future.
I see a small house
I have a clear image in my mind of what I want my future to look like.
Built on the sea
My ideal future involves a tranquil and picturesque environment.
I could live there alone
I desire independence and solitude.
With a horse and a ukulele
I want to enjoy simple pleasures and hobbies in my ideal future.
But how do I get there?
I am still unsure of the path I need to take to realize my ideal future.
What road to be choosing?
I am overwhelmed by the different paths and decisions I need to make to reach my goals.
When the seasons so high
I am feeling discouraged by the obstacles and challenges that come with making a significant change in my life.
For losing
I am worried that I will fail or not be successful in my journey.
How do I follow?
I am still searching for guidance and direction to follow.
What road to be choosing?
I am still faced with uncertainty and indecision about which direction to take.
Do I follow the star
I still wonder if I should trust my intuition and ambitions to guide me.
Or the Gypsy King?
Or should I look to the influence and guidance of others to help me reach my goals?
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PATRICK WOLF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
WinterofAshes
One of my all time favorites, forever!
SheLooksToMe
Do I follow the star, or the gypsy king? I love this song <3
Danielle Tucker
This is my favourite song at the moment, along with Augustine <3
biro bird
this is so inspiring
Gabe A.
Love this.
eebeelive
A M A Z I N !
beansinmyhat
Seeing him next week! :D
Kenn Crestwell
reminds me of hemlock grove :))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
emmaeliina
you lucky one; o ;