7 Daughters
Q and Not U Lyrics
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A strong bull pulls a strong till
A fume of smoke, a fume
I cannot digest what I ingest in jest. what doth I protest?
Lungs in throat, rigged with wire and hay
A jewel from rote, shines strongs as binds
Our jewel from rote, a jewel
Tied with wire hay, pressed in rock and clay. 'til their not they
A strong bull tills the strong soil
Amused of self, amused
First born will be eve and second shed rebecca and third bred keturah
Fourth birthed is sarah, fifth fifth fifth will be judith, sixth sixth left us basemith, seventh seventh truthful ruth, and eighth, oh, it's my turn
The lyrics to Q and Not U's song "7 Daughters" are full of thematic imagery, strong metaphors, and religious references. The song seems to delve into the complexities of tradition, gender roles, and the struggle to find one's place within those constructs. The first line, "A fume of smoke, a perfumed rain," sets the tone for the rest of the song with its contrast between the light and the heavy, the subtle and the overpowering. This contrast is further explored in the next line, "A strong bull pulls a strong till," which suggests the unyielding nature of traditional values and the pressure to conform.
The lyrics then move on to the struggle of the individual within these constructs, "I cannot digest what I ingest in jest. what doth I protest?" This line speaks to the conflict between wanting to fit in and wanting to challenge societal norms. The next few lines, "Lungs in throat, rigged with wire and hay. A jewel from rote, shines strongs as binds," continue to explore this idea of being tied down by tradition and the difficulty of breaking free.
The second half of the song focuses on the seven daughters mentioned in the title. Each daughter is named, and their birth order is significant as it follows the biblical traditions of lineage. The song seems to suggest that each of these daughters has struggled with their place in the world, just as the singer has. However, the final line of the song, "and eighth, oh, it's my turn," suggests that the singer is ready to break from tradition and find their own way.
Line by Line Meaning
A fume of smoke, a perfumed rain
There's a mix of unpleasant and pleasant sensations in the air
A strong bull pulls a strong till
A powerful animal is working hard
A fume of smoke, a fume
The smoke continues to fill the air
I cannot digest what I ingest in jest. what doth I protest?
I'm having trouble accepting something that seems like a joke. What am I really objecting to?
Lungs in throat, rigged with wire and hay
Breathing is difficult, almost as if the airway is blocked with something scratchy
A jewel from rote, shines strongs as binds
Something routine and ordinary can still be valuable
Our jewel from rote, a jewel
The valuable thing we've found comes from something we see every day
Tied with wire hay, pressed in rock and clay. 'til their not they
Our valuable thing might not remain valuable forever, depending on how it's treated
Cartoon of self, rich in yes and no, no, yes, and no, no
We present a simplified, exaggerated version of ourselves that fluctuates between positive and negative traits
A strong bull tills the strong soil
The powerful animal continues to work hard in the earth
Amused of self, amused
We find ourselves entertaining, but it might not be entirely genuine
First born will be eve and second shed rebecca and third bred keturah
A list of names is being recited, likely to represent something important
Fourth birthed is sarah, fifth fifth fifth will be judith, sixth sixth left us basemith, seventh seventh truthful ruth, and eighth, oh, it's my turn
More names are being recited, building up to some sort of climax
Contributed by Zachary J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.