Following her departure from The Pipettes in 2008, Rose Elinor Dougall has quietly been recasting herself as a psychedelic-folk chanteuse par-excel lance.
Two limited singles have demonstrated a breadth of inspiration, from the timeless, melancholy of Sandy Denny, through the leftfield melodicism of Smiths-era Morrissey to the primitive-futurism of Broadcast.
Rose spent most of 2008 isolated in her bedroom with just a casio-tone for company writing a bunch of songs that she hoped “could convey that the music and lyrics were vital but allowed you to engage with the songs on your own terms”.
These swirling cascades of dream-pop started appearing on Rose’s myspace for a short while before they were taken down and replaced with some fleshed out versions, courtesy of a collaboration with Brighton producer Lee Baker. On these recordings a melee of instruments including dulcimers, harps, drum machines, strings and horns colluded to create a sonic foundation for Rose’s unmistakable alto.
Her debut 7”, Another Version Of Pop Song, the title, a reference to her girl-group past and the song itself a declaration of breaking these ties, received praise from many quarters. Second single, Start/Stop/Synchro raised the ante further with publications such as the NME, Pitchfork, The Guardian, The Sunday Times and Under The Radar bringing the plaudits.
An album, Without Why was released in September 2010
To the Sea
Rose Elinor Dougall Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Really love someone
Makes one solitary
Struggles all alone
Come
Come home
Come home to whatever you think home to be
And we'll ride through the valley and the rivers and the fields to the sea
Gentle affections will be the death of you
In the silent hours
Who will call to find you?
So no more fighting with yourself
The war is won
Never ended
Never begun
Oh, come
Come home
Come home to whatever you think home to be
Oh, come alone
And we'll ride through the valley and the rivers and the fields to the sea
Oh, come
Come home
Come home to whatever you think home to be
Oh, come alone
And we'll ride through the valley and the rivers and the fields to the sea
Sea, sea, sea, sea, sea, sea
The lyrics of Rose Elinor Dougall's "To The Sea" reveal a theme of love and loneliness. The song starts with the lines, "Oh, to love someone / Really love someone / Makes one solitary / Struggles all alone." These lines depict the idea that even though love is capable of bringing two people together, it can also alienate them from everything else. The next set of verses encourages someone to come home, but it is left up to one's interpretation of what or where home is. The idea of home can mean something different to everyone, and the song acknowledges this by stating, "Come home to whatever you think home to be." The singer invites the listener to take a journey with her through valleys, rivers, and fields to the sea, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the journey of life.
The next verse takes a turn, portraying a sense of hopelessness and despair. Dougall sings about how "Gentle affections will be the death of you / In the silent hours / Who will call to find you?" These lines suggest that even though love can bring happiness, it can also lead to emotional destruction. The war metaphor in the lines "So no more fighting with yourself / The war is won / Never ended / Never begun" could represent the internal struggles and battles that one goes through in life, and how ultimately they are never really won or lost.
Overall, "To The Sea" by Rose Elinor Dougall encapsulates the beauty and fragility of love and the journey through life. The song's meaning is subjective and can be interpreted by each listener in their own way.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, to love someone
The experience of loving someone deeply is deeply moving
Really love someone
The love that is referenced is a love that is true and enduring, not simply transient
Makes one solitary
Love can simultaneously be a source of loneliness, even when in the presence of others
Struggles all alone
Sometimes, in being truly committed to someone, one may find themselves alone and in conflict
Come
Invitation to the listener
Come home
Invitation to return to a familiar and comfortable place
Come home to whatever you think home to be
Home is a subjective concept different for each individual, but universally captures a sense of belonging
Come alone
Isolation is sometimes necessary when facing struggle
And we'll ride through the valley and the rivers and the fields to the sea
Together, we will transcend any difficulties and experience a sense of peace together
Gentle affections will be the death of you
Love can be deceptive in its subtlety and can have a powerful and destructive grip on those who experience it
In the silent hours
Self-reflection and introspection can be particularly difficult, often leaving one vulnerable to the grip of intense emotions such as love
Who will call to find you?
Calling out for help when experiencing this feeling of loneliness is important, but also difficult when it seems that no one else is in reach
So no more fighting with yourself
Letting go of one's internal struggles and accepting oneself is the only way to move forward, even when feeling isolated
The war is won
There is a sense of closure in having overcome one's inner conflicts
Never ended
The fight with oneself is ongoing
Never begun
The struggle has always been there, and will always be there in some shape or form
Sea, sea, sea, sea, sea, sea
Repetition of this line emphasizes the feeling of being caught in a cycle and the endless nature of the sea, a common metaphor for the unconscious mind
Contributed by Kayla G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.