Portishead's debut album, Dummy (1994), fused hip hop production with an atmospheric, cinematic style reminiscent of spy film soundtracks. The album was met with commercial and critical acclaim, quickly becoming a landmark album in the emerging trip hop genre. However, the band disliked being associated with the term, and would consciously step away from that sound on later releases. Two other studio albums have been issued: Portishead in 1997 and Third in 2008, both of which received similar acclaim. In 1998, the band released a concert album, Roseland NYC Live.
Revenge of the Number
Portishead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't find my way,
Been searching, but I have never seen,
A turning, a turning from deceit.
'Cause the child roses like,
Try to reveal what I could feel,
I can't understand myself anymore,
Feeling so unholy.
'Cause the child roses like,
Try to reveal what I could feel,
And this loneliness,
It just won't leave me alone, oh no.
I'm fooling somebody,
A faithless path to roam,
Deceiving to breath this secretly,
A silence, this silence I can't bear.
'Cause a child roses light,
Try to reveal what I could feel,
And this loneliness,
It just won't leave me alone, oh no,
And this loneliness,
It just won't leave me alone.
A lady of war,
A lady of war.
The lyrics to Portishead's song Revenge of the Number are crafted with raw emotion, pain, and an honest exploration of the self. The opening lines of the song paint a picture of a person who feels deeply lost and unable to find their way. The singer seems to be seeking something or someone elusive, but they can't find what they are looking for. They are tired of deceit and have come to a turning point in their life.
The repetition of the phrase "Cause the child roses like, try to reveal what I could feel" suggests a yearning to understand oneself at a core level. Despite this desire for self-awareness, though, the singer is still struggling with loneliness and a sense of feeling unholy. In the third verse, the singer admits that they are "fooling somebody" and are on a "faithless path to roam." The silence that envelopes them is unbearable. The repeated refrain of "And this loneliness, it just won't leave me alone, oh no" is a powerful reminder of how all-consuming loneliness can be. Overall, the song seems to be an exploration of identity, self-doubt, and the search for inner peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Unable so lost,
I feel so lost and confused that I am unable to find my way in life.
I can't find my way,
I am unable to figure out what direction I should take.
Been searching, but I have never seen,
I have been searching for answers but have never found any satisfactory ones.
A turning, a turning from deceit.
I need to turn away from the lies and deceit in my life to find the truth.
'Cause the child roses like, Try to reveal what I could feel,
The innocence and purity of children inspire me to be honest and share my true feelings.
I can't understand myself anymore,
I have lost touch with who I really am and am struggling to make sense of my own thoughts and emotions.
'Cause I'm still feeling lonely, Feeling so unholy.
Despite my efforts, I still feel a sense of isolation and shame.
And this loneliness, It just won't leave me alone, oh no.
Despite my attempts to escape it, loneliness continues to haunt me.
I'm fooling somebody,
I am pretending to be someone I am not, deceiving those around me.
A faithless path to roam,
I am wandering aimlessly without faith or direction.
Deceiving to breath this secretly,
I am lying and keeping secrets, causing myself to suffer silently.
A silence, this silence I can't bear.
The silence and loneliness is too much for me to handle.
And this loneliness, It just won't leave me alone, oh no,
I cannot escape the overwhelming sense of isolation and solitude.
A lady of war,
The persona of a warrior woman, ready to fight for what she believes in.
A lady of war.
Reinforcing the image of a strong and fierce female character.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ADRIAN UTLEY, BETH GIBBONS, GEOFF BARROW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aerialwheel3719
And ever so lost
I can't find my way
Been searching, but I have never seen
A turning, a turning from deceit
'Cause the child roses like
Try to reveal what I could feel
I can't understand myself anymore
'Cause I'm still feeling lonely
Feeling so unholy
'Cause the child roses like
Try to reveal what I could feel
And this loneliness
It just won't leave me alone, oh no
I'm fooling somebody
A faithless path to roam
Deceiving to breath this secretly
A silence, this silence I can't bear
'Cause a child roses light
Try to reveal what I could feel
And this loneliness
It just won't leave me alone, oh no
And this loneliness
It just won't leave me alone
@michaelcray8667
La venganza del número
Incapaz tan perdido
No puedo encontrar mi camino
He estado buscando, pero nunca he visto
Un giro, un giro del engaño
Porque el niño rosas como
Trata de revelar lo que pude sentir
Ya no puedo entenderme
Porque todavía me siento sola
Me siento tan imsanta
Porque el niño rosas como
Trata de revelar lo que pude sentir
Y esta soledad
Simplemente no me dejará en paz, oh no
Estoy engañando a alguien
Un camino sin fe para vagar
Engañando a respirar esto en secreto
Un silencio, este silencio que no puedo soportar
Porque un niño rosas luz
Trata de revelar lo que pude sentir
Y esta soledad
Simplemente no me dejará en paz, oh no
Y esta soledad
No me dejará en paz
Una dama de guerra
Una dama de guerra
@Maxipooh69
2021 and still loving this song!
@SLYGUY79
Portishead just wow 😱😱
#2018 still jamming this tune
@joemoma8maduck857
NOTHING LIKE A DAY OF LSD SNEAKER PIMPS ,N.I.N ,PORTISHEAD ,BJORK AND RADIOHEAD
@deadmoonscriptures1556
Can we be friends? Hahaha
@BlackElephantProject
Wow are you me from summer of 2016?
@djsaeg
one of my 90´s trip hop top 5, back then this was the bomb
@GraemeWilliams21
djsaeg
> back then
Nigga, u wot. This is still good.
@djsaeg
***** fi shaw
@Mocoso7
+djsaeg This song came out in the 90s? Why didn't anyone tell me?
@jovinamaguire5285
djsaeg ahem Portishead is never gonna die!! #bringingbackthe90s