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 Railway House
Patrick Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the rails that I know
In a valley
Of
It's own
With trains and bones
And birds in the yard
Nettles
Grow
Growing over the door
Growing up through the walls
Growing up
Growing over
A treasure to be told
So wave goodbye
To living alone
I think
We've found
Our home
Let's paint these walls
And pull up the weeds
And cast
Our fevers
In stone
Growing out of the drugs
Growing up through the night
Growing up
Growing older
With treasure to be told
I see us growing old
I watch us growing old
Together, together
Together
The lyrics of Patrick Wolf's "The Railway House" describe a house by the railway tracks in a valley, where wild nettles grow and birds make their homes in the yard. It is a place filled with history, both of trains and the bones that may have been left behind, and it holds a treasure waiting to be discovered. The singer suggests that this could be a home for both him and his partner, and they will make it theirs by painting the walls and pulling up the weeds. In the end, the lyrics become a celebration of growing old together.
The song is a beautiful homage to the idea of a home, not as a building but as a place where memories are made and love is shared. The house is a symbol for this idea, representing a place where both the good and the bad times are cherished and remembered. The train tracks connect the house to the rest of the world, but it also provides a sense of continuity and stability. The growing of wild nettles and other plants become an allegory for the growth and evolution of life.
Interestingly, the lyrics of "The Railway House" are reminiscent of traditional folk songs. The references to nature, love and growing older together are themes found throughout folk music. The song itself is a perfect example of Patrick Wolf's unique style, blending traditional sounds with electronic beats, creating something beautiful and timeless.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a house
The song is about a particular house.
By the rails that I know
The house is located close to train tracks and the singer knows it well.
In a valley
The house is in a valley, surrounded by hills.
Of
This line seems to connect 'valley' to the next line.
It's own
The house is unique and has its own character.
With trains and bones
The house has a history, with remains of trains and bones found nearby.
And birds in the yard
The house is a place where birds come to rest in the yard.
Where the wild
The location of the house is untamed and unpredictable.
Nettles
There are nettles growing around the house.
Grow
The vegetation around the house continues to grow.
Growing over the door
The nettles are growing over the entrance to the house.
Growing up through the walls
The vegetation is growing through the walls of the house.
Growing up
The house and everything around it is growing and evolving.
Growing over
The vegetation is taking over the house.
A treasure to be told
The house has a history and stories to be discovered.
So wave goodbye
The singer is leaving behind an old life.
To living alone
The singer is not alone anymore, having found the special house.
I think
The singer is confident about the house.
We've found
The singer has found the perfect place to call home with another.
Our home
The house belongs to the two of them now.
Let's paint these walls
The house needs some work to make it their own.
And pull up the weeds
They want to clean up the space.
And cast
They want to create something lasting.
Our fevers
The energy and passion they have.
In stone
They want to solidify their relationship and time in the house.
Growing out of the drugs
Their love is growing and maturing over time.
Growing up through the night
They are growing and learning together, through both dark and light times.
Growing up
They are continuing to mature, as individuals and as a couple.
Growing older
They will continue growing together over time.
With treasure to be told
They will continue to discover the hidden stories and histories of the house and their love.
I see us growing old
The singer is hopeful and excited about their aging together.
I watch us growing old
The singer enjoys observing their journey through life together.
Together, together
The two of them will always be together on this journey, growing and experiencing life together.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PATRICK WOLF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind