Rose Chronicles was an alternative rock band from Vancouver, Canada, active… Read Full Bio ↴Rose Chronicles was an alternative rock band from Vancouver, Canada, active in the 1990s. The group consisted of vocalist Kristy Thirsk, guitarist Richard Maranda, bassist Judd Cochrane and drummer Steve van der Woerd.
Their musical style merged elements of the shoegaze scene with ethereal vocals in the style of Sarah McLachlan and the Cocteau Twins.

The band released their debut EP, "Dead and Gone to Heaven", in 1993, scoring a significant chart hit with "Awaiting Eternity". Their debut full-length album, "Shiver", was released in 1994 under the Nettwerk label. "Shiver" went on to win a Juno Award in 1995 for Best Alternative Album.

Thirsk subsequently contributed vocals to tracks on several of Delerium's albums from "Semantic Spaces" (1994) onwards.

In 1996, founding members Judd Cochrane and Steve van der Woerd had finished the followup to "Shiver", but left the band amidst a hailstorm of in-fighting and uncertainty with Nettwerk's intentions. Maranda and Thirsk regrouped with drummer Trevor Grant and bassist Howard Redekopp to complete one new song, which was added to the forthcoming album. The follow-up album "Happily Ever After" was released in 1996, but Thirsk and Maranda's partnership had dissolved prior to its release. The break-up announcement came after the album's release. The single "Voice in Jail" was moderately successful.

Undertow
Rose Chronicles Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I give it to you
I give it to you
I steal the fire from winter's rose
I feel desire
A chilled rejection off azure skin
For mere affection
I give it to you
I give it to you

A tempest will writhe
In my veins and mine eyes
So pellucid, the vain desperation
Your indifference is my demise
Your indifference is my demise
Take me there
Opened my veins, let you inside
Opened my veins
Blissfully blind to the crossbones you hide
All of myself
Let you inside
Blissfully blind
I give it to you
I give it to you
To the crossbones you hide
I give it, I give it, I
Now I've become ill and still
I want to nurture you back to health
I give it to you
I give it to you
A tempest will writhe
In my veins and mine eyes
So pellucid, the vain desperation
Your indifference
The blood, my lifeline
Watch it drain, realise

I give it, I give it, I give it, I give it to you
To you, to you, to you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rose Chronicles's song "Undertow" seem to describe a one-sided love affair, where the singer is willingly offering themselves to the other person, but the affection is not reciprocated. The opening lines "I give it to you, I give it to you" imply a strong desire to offer everything they have to the person they love. The line "I steal the fire from winter's rose" suggests that the singer is willing to go to any lengths, even taking something that does not belong to them, to kindle the love between them and the other person.

However, as the song progresses, we see a clear sense of desperation creeping in. The reference to "chilled rejection off azure skin" suggests that the other person is cold and distant, and their "indifference is my demise." The singer is aware that they are giving everything they have, but the other person seems unconcerned. The lines "Blissfully blind to the crossbones you hide" convey the idea that the other person is hiding something dark about themselves, and the singer is willingly ignoring the warning signs. Overall, the lyrics of "Undertow" are about a person who is consumed by their love for someone else, and despite the lack of reciprocity, they are willing to give everything they have to keep the relationship going.

Line by Line Meaning

I give it to you
I am surrendering myself completely to you

I steal the fire from winter's rose
I am taking something beautiful and giving it to you

I feel desire
I am overwhelmed with strong feelings of wanting you

A chilled rejection off azure skin
I am being rejected by you, which feels cold and painful

For mere affection
I am doing all of this just for your love

A tempest will writhe In my veins and mine eyes
I am overwhelmed with emotion, and it is causing me physical distress

So pellucid, the vain desperation
My desperation for your love is clear and obvious

Your indifference is my demise
Your lack of love for me is destroying me

Take me there
I want you to take me wherever you want to go

Opened my veins, let you inside
I have given you access to my innermost self

Blissfully blind to the crossbones you hide
I am ignoring or unaware of warning signs that you may be dangerous or harmful to me