Before recording under the name Phosphorescent, Houck traveled the world playing under the moniker Fillup Shack and, in 2000, self-released a limited pressing of the album "Hipolit". In 2001 Houck changed his recording name to Phosphorescent, and, in 2003, released the full-length album "A Hundred Times or More". Interestingly, in the liner notes of the album, Fillup Shack is credited with the drum recordings. The following year, he released the EP "The Weight of Flight".
Phosphorescent rose to wider critical acclaim after releasing "Aw Come Aw Wry" in August 2005 and "Pride" in October 2007. The latter was named the 12th best album of 2007 by Stylus Magazine and received a 8.0 rating from indie website Pitchfork Media. In 2009, inspired by Willie Nelson's tribute album to Lefty Frizzell entitled "To Lefty From Willie", Houck crafted a tribute album to Nelson himself entitled "To Willie" which was released through Dead Oceans. Phosphorescent released "Here's to Taking It Easy" in 2010 and "Muchacho" in 2013.
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The Quotidian Beasts
Phosphorescent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yeah I knew she'd been coming and she had got here at last
Well I started to scold her aw she just started to laugh
Yeah the beast came upon me, I guess it wasn't so bad
I said It's you took your claws you slipped em under my skin
There's parts that got outside, honey I want to put em back in
We've been playing like children, honey, now we'll play it like men
She took the beak of a raven ah she laid it out just for show
She spun it round on the table, honey. Hey, I thought you should know
I saw the streets were of lightning all out the window below
Yeah the beast was upon me, honey, I thought you should know
Her ancient eyes were upon me they were familiar and black
She laid her claws all up on me, she had found me at last
Ah it woke me up early, I went and I drew me a bath
Ah, the beast was upon me, honey, I guess it wasn't so bad
The song "The Quotidian Beasts" by Phosphorescent has a complex and layered meaning that explores themes of self-realization, identity and transformation. The opening lines suggest a sense of awakening or realization, as the singer wakes up early and draws a bath. The phrase "it woke me up early" could also allude to a mental or emotional awakening, something that has stirred him from his slumber and forced him to confront his deepest fears and desires.
As the song progresses, the singer speaks directly to the "beast" that has come upon him. At first, he tries to scold her, but she just laughs in response. The beast is a metaphor for the singer's darker or untamed impulses, and he accepts that it's a part of him that he will always have to contend with. In fact, he speculates that maybe it wasn't so bad after all, as if the beast has helped him realize something important about himself.
The third and final verse involves the singer and the beast playing "like men," suggesting a newfound sense of maturity and acceptance. He takes responsibility for the parts of himself that have "got outside," and he vows to put them back in. The song ends with the singer reflecting on the experience and acknowledging that it wasn't necessarily a bad thing - it was just a part of his quotidian existence.
Line by Line Meaning
Well it woke me up early I went and I drew me a bath
I was awakened early in the morning and decided to take a bath.
Yeah I knew she'd been coming and she had got here at last
I was aware that someone or something was coming, and now it has arrived.
Well I started to scold her aw she just started to laugh
I began to scold the creature that had arrived, but it just laughed in response.
Yeah the beast came upon me, I guess it wasn't so bad
The beast I had been expecting finally arrived, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.
I said It's you took your claws you slipped em under my skin
I accused the creature of digging its claws under my skin.
There's parts that got outside, honey I want to put em back in
Some parts of me feel like they're exposed and vulnerable, and I want to protect them.
We've been playing like children, honey, now we'll play it like men
We've been acting playful and immature, but now it's time to be serious and face the situation head-on.
Those parts that got outside, I'm gonna put them back in.
I'm determined to protect the vulnerable parts of myself and keep them safe.
She took the beak of a raven ah she laid it out just for show
The creature showed me a raven's beak that it had taken, seemingly just for display.
She spun it round on the table, honey. Hey, I thought you should know
The creature spun the beak around on a table, as if to demonstrate its power or dominance.
I saw the streets were of lightning all out the window below
As I looked out the window, I saw that the streets were lit up by flashes of lightning.
Yeah the beast was upon me, honey, I thought you should know
The creature had fully arrived and was now right in front of me, and I wanted to make sure my companion was aware of the situation.
Her ancient eyes were upon me they were familiar and black
The creature had old, haunting eyes that looked at me with a sense of familiarity and darkness.
She laid her claws all up on me, she had found me at last
The creature placed its claws on me, having finally caught up with me.
Ah it woke me up early, I went and I drew me a bath
Once again, I woke up early and decided to take a bath.
Ah, the beast was upon me, honey, I guess it wasn't so bad
Despite the presence of the powerful creature, I had come to accept its presence and realized it wasn't as scary as I had thought it would be.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MATTHEW HOUCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Steven Attanasso
@Tommy Cruz Actually , for a guy that started in His teens and finally quit in His 50's I'm pretty lucky to be alive .... Never used needles , only snorted , so I was very lucky .... Still clean , but this song brought the bad memories of withdrawal back .......
Well it woke me up early I went and I drew me a bath
Yeah I knew she'd been coming and she had got here at last
Well I started to scold her aw she just started to laugh
Yeah the beast came upon me, I guess it wasn't so bad
Sometimes You know You will get real sick , You're out of money and You can no longer beg , borrow or steal any more .....
You have to wait it out .....
The seconds quickly turn into hours .....
The "beast" will come EVERY day for 1-3 weeks depending on how bad Your habit is and whether or not it's heroin or methadone.
Withdrawal is a very strange pain unlike any other I've experienced ..... You get really depressed also ..... Suicidal perhaps ??
..... and the only thing harder than getting clean is STAYING clean .....
Steven Attanasso
OK ....
It's five years later and I hope You're still here on planet earth .....
I am a heroin addict in recovery .....
The Quotidian ( Daily ? ) Beast is "withdrawal" when You are so badly addicted You wake up every morning already "dope sick" .....
Listen to the song again with that in mind .....
I know I'm almost definitely WRONG and the song has nothing to do with that but the lyrics fit so incredibly well right up and down the line ......
It will always mean that to Me ..... Always ......
HOPEFULLY , You will never really understand what I'm talking about .....
Have a great life ......
Hallucino_Ray
Well it woke me up early I went and I drew me a bath
Yeah I knew she’d been coming and she had got here at last
Well I started to scold her aw she just started to laugh
Yeah the beast came upon me, I guess it wasn’t so bad
I said It’s you took your claws you slipped em under my skin
There’s parts that got outside, honey I want to put em back in
We’ve been playing like children, honey, now we’ll play it like men
Those parts that got outside, I'm gonna put them back in.
She took the beak of a raven ah she laid it out just for show
She spun it round on the table, honey. Hey, I thought you should know
I saw the streets were of lightning all out the window below
Yeah the beast was upon me, honey, I thought you should know
Her ancient eyes were upon me they were familiar and black
She laid her claws all up on me, she had found me at last
Ah it woke me up early, I went and I drew me a bath
Ah, the beast was upon me, honey, I guess
Riccardo Pinzi
I love this song and I've listened to it infinite times. In my opinion the lyrics are full of desperation and resignation, because it's about a broken relationship that you knew someday would have come to an end. I think that the beast is the consciousness of the fact that one day this beautiful thing would be over, and it's not so bad because you were prepared for that, because you knew.
Anyway, spend some moments to listen carefully to the piano... it's awesome. It makes me feel so relieved...
Steven Attanasso
@Tommy Cruz I've heard the withdrawal from benzodiazepines (xanax , vallium , etc) is worse than opiates as far as not being able to sleep ..... Hope You are clean now .... If You can't resist and have to do something , smoke weed ..... If that just leads back to "other things" then QUIT EVERYTHING ..... But don't drink , that gets'em every time .... But maybe You're not an addict (I hope) although I still suggest just smoking weed .....
Tommy Cruz
@Steven Attanasso it is a real disease. I never ventured into heroin, but I played around with oxycontin, vicodin, and whatever other pill I could taste, but the xanax was my favorite. Of course I mixed them all with alcohol, just like my dad. Just like my uncles. Then I fucked up hardcore, almost killed someone, went to rehab then 180 days in jail, plus drug court after all that.
I myself never really had the struggle that you describe, but I've been around those who have.
Steven Attanasso
@Tommy Cruz Actually , for a guy that started in His teens and finally quit in His 50's I'm pretty lucky to be alive .... Never used needles , only snorted , so I was very lucky .... Still clean , but this song brought the bad memories of withdrawal back .......
Well it woke me up early I went and I drew me a bath
Yeah I knew she'd been coming and she had got here at last
Well I started to scold her aw she just started to laugh
Yeah the beast came upon me, I guess it wasn't so bad
Sometimes You know You will get real sick , You're out of money and You can no longer beg , borrow or steal any more .....
You have to wait it out .....
The seconds quickly turn into hours .....
The "beast" will come EVERY day for 1-3 weeks depending on how bad Your habit is and whether or not it's heroin or methadone.
Withdrawal is a very strange pain unlike any other I've experienced ..... You get really depressed also ..... Suicidal perhaps ??
..... and the only thing harder than getting clean is STAYING clean .....
Tommy Cruz
@Steven Attanasso isn't that the beaurt of art? How it can totally fit perfectly into your own experiences? Stunning.
How goes your recovery?
Steven Attanasso
OK ....
It's five years later and I hope You're still here on planet earth .....
I am a heroin addict in recovery .....
The Quotidian ( Daily ? ) Beast is "withdrawal" when You are so badly addicted You wake up every morning already "dope sick" .....
Listen to the song again with that in mind .....
I know I'm almost definitely WRONG and the song has nothing to do with that but the lyrics fit so incredibly well right up and down the line ......
It will always mean that to Me ..... Always ......
HOPEFULLY , You will never really understand what I'm talking about .....
Have a great life ......
Hallucino_Ray
Well it woke me up early I went and I drew me a bath
Yeah I knew she’d been coming and she had got here at last
Well I started to scold her aw she just started to laugh
Yeah the beast came upon me, I guess it wasn’t so bad
I said It’s you took your claws you slipped em under my skin
There’s parts that got outside, honey I want to put em back in
We’ve been playing like children, honey, now we’ll play it like men
Those parts that got outside, I'm gonna put them back in.
She took the beak of a raven ah she laid it out just for show
She spun it round on the table, honey. Hey, I thought you should know
I saw the streets were of lightning all out the window below
Yeah the beast was upon me, honey, I thought you should know
Her ancient eyes were upon me they were familiar and black
She laid her claws all up on me, she had found me at last
Ah it woke me up early, I went and I drew me a bath
Ah, the beast was upon me, honey, I guess
waef
“It’s not where you take things from - it’s where you take them to.” -Jean-Luc Godard
Alexander Nachaj
Magnificent song and progression towards the end.
K.L. Kehoe
Sentimentality drenched in timeless gratitude. I love this song.