Perfume Genius is the alias of singer-songwriter Mike Hadreas. Born in Des … Read Full Bio ↴Perfume Genius is the alias of singer-songwriter Mike Hadreas. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, Mike moved to Seattle when he was 6. Growing up, Hadreas was the only openly gay student at his school, and he received death threats that were ignored by the school administration. He dropped out of high school during his senior year. Two years after dropping out, he was attacked by several young men in his neighborhood. He moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and worked as a doorman for a club in the East Village. In 2005, Hadreas returned home to Seattle and began recording music. In 2008, Hadreas set up a MySpace page under the name Perfume Genius, beginning his music career. The moniker comes from the genius perfume-maker in Tom Tykwer’s 2006 movie Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.

Mike has released six studio albums - 2010's Learning, 2012's Put Your Back N 2 It, 2014's Too Bright, 2017's No Shape, 2020's Set My Heart On Fire Immediately and his most recent, 2022's Ugly Season, all of which have received praise from music critics.

Write to Your Brother
Perfume Genius Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Mary, you should write to your brother
Every night until he recovers
And in the letter press a fresh flower
And bless it with a higher power

Tell him mom treats you like a lover
That you have to hide all the mouthwash from her
And seal it with three closed mouth kisses

And write do not open 'til christmas

Overall Meaning

In the song 'Write to Your Brother' by Perfume Genius, the singer advises Mary to write to her brother every night until he recovers from an undisclosed ailment. This act is seen as a way to show love, support and care for her brother during his tough time. Furthermore, he urges Mary to put a fresh flower in every letter and bless it with a higher power. This act of floral symbolism highlights the importance of nature and prayer in healing.

The song also mentions how the mother treats Mary like a lover, and how she has to hide all the mouthwash from her. This could indicate a dysfunctional and unhealthy relationship within the family which could have led to the brother's illness. This dysfunctional family dynamic is brought to light in the lyrics and adds to the theme of healing through love. The song ends with a request to seal the letter with three closed mouth kisses and to be opened only on Christmas.

Overall, 'Write to Your Brother' is a song about the power of love, support and family. It portrays the message that love and support are essential for healing and recovery. The use of symbolism in the form of fresh flowers and closed mouth kisses highlights the importance of expressing love and care in a sincere and thoughtful manner.

Line by Line Meaning

Mary, you should write to your brother
Mary, it is important to keep in touch with your brother.

Every night until he recovers
You should consistently communicate with your brother until he gets better.

And in the letter press a fresh flower
Include a fresh flower in the letter as a symbol of hope and new beginnings.

And bless it with a higher power
Give the flower a spiritual blessing to bring comfort and healing to your brother.

Tell him mom treats you like a lover
Share with him the uncomfortable truth that your mother's actions towards you are inappropriate.

That you have to hide all the mouthwash from her
Explain the strange and concerning behavior that you are forced to endure in your household.

And seal it with three closed mouth kisses
End the letter with a loving gesture to show your brother how much you care about him.

And write do not open 'til christmas
Leave the letter unopened until a certain date to add a sense of anticipation and excitement to the correspondence.

Contributed by Carson J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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