Wise was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. He grew up amongst a religious family; his father owned a Christian bookstore and his mother was a choir director. Wise joined the church choir as a child and grew up with classical and gospel music as a primary influence.
He attended the University of the Arts and sang with a couple of neo-soul bands in Philadelphia, before re-locating to New York City where he started working with Robin Carolan of Tri Angle Records. The blisters EP was released in September 2016 with previously available songs 'flickering', 'blisters' and 'four ethers' , alongside 'penance' and 'redemption'. The EP was co-written and produced with The Haxan Cloak.
Wise is openly gay and from a young age used gospel music to express his sexuality.
http://tri-anglerecords.com/serpentwithfeet
four ethers
SERPENTWITHFEET Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause I see the depression filling up your eyes
And I see the oceans overflowing
Babe, It's cool with me that you want to die
And I'm not gonna stop you if you try
But the hole in my belly has started growing
Your name is about as easy to remember as the four ethers
Your pain is about as easy to feel as the four ethers?
And who could do without the four ethers?
Babe, I know you learned some fucked up shit from your mother
Had you tucking your dick
Had you hiding the shit that would have made you special
Show me yourself
Baby, I know you picked up some fucked up habits from your father
Had folding over your ears, denying the shit that you hear
But I'm asking you to feel me
Your name is impossible to know, you're like my four ethers
How the hell do you know the four ethers?
Your pain is impossible to hold, you're like the four ethers
Baby, what do I do with these four ethers
Your name is like the four ethers, what do I do with these four ethers?
I can't draw you no warm bath no more
How can I touch somebody who won't even touch themselves?
It's tiring to me
I'm fine with you being a liar
I'm fine with you being a killer
I'm fine with you being suicidal
That shit don't bother me, no
But you've gotta show me yourself
Oh, you've gotta show me yourself
The song "four ethers" by SERPENTWITHFEET is a compelling and raw exploration of love, pain, and the complexities of human relationships. The song starts with the artist claiming that it is "cool with him" that his partner likes to lie and wants to die. These are not typical responses to someone's struggles, but the artist recognizes the pain in his partner's eyes and accepts them for who they are. He even suggests he won't fight them if they want to harm themselves. However, he acknowledges that this pain is affecting him too, as he describes "the hole in my belly" that has started growing.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the phrase "Your name is like the four ethers," which can be interpreted in various ways. The four ethers are a concept in spiritualism that refers to the four stages of the human consciousness after death. They also represent the four elements, air, water, earth, and fire, which are believed to form the material world. The phrase is fraught with ambiguity and suggests something that is difficult to grasp or comprehend, much like the pain and emotions of the artist's partner.
The second verse explores the trauma that the artist's partner has experienced from their parents. The artist empathizes with them, recognizing that they have been conditioned to reject their true selves to fit someone else's expectations. He urges them to let their guard down and "show me yourself." In the bridge, the artist acknowledges that he is tired of the situation, that he can't "draw you a warm bath no more." He recognizes that he cannot touch someone who refuses to touch themselves, and it is frustrating for him.
Overall, "four ethers" is a powerful and poignant song that delves deep into the complexities of human relationships and the struggles of mental health. It's an example of how music can be used to explore and open conversations on difficult topics.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby, it's cool with me that you like to lie
I understand that you prefer to tell lies.
'Cause I see the depression filling up your eyes
I can see the sadness in your eyes.
And I see the oceans overflowing
I can see the emotions overflowing.
Babe, It's cool with me that you want to die
I'm okay if you want to die.
And I'm not gonna stop you if you try
I won't interfere if you attempt suicide.
But the hole in my belly has started growing
But it hurts me deeply.
Your name is about as easy to remember as the four ethers
Your name is difficult to recall like the four ethers.
And who the hell knows the four ethers?
Hardly anyone can remember what four ethers are.
Your pain is about as easy to feel as the four ethers?
It's hard for me to grasp the extent of your pain, like four ethers.
And who could do without the four ethers?
Who could endure without any solace?
Babe, I know you learned some fucked up shit from your mother
I know you experienced abusive things from your mother.
Had you tucking your dick
She made you feel ashamed of your sexuality.
Had you hiding the shit that would have made you special
She made you conceal your unique qualities.
Show me yourself
Be true to yourself, show me who you really are.
Baby, I know you picked up some fucked up habits from your father
Your father taught you negative habits.
Had folding over your ears, denying the shit that you hear
He influenced you to ignore important information.
But I'm asking you to feel me
I'm asking you to connect with me emotionally.
Your name is impossible to know, you're like my four ethers
I can't remember your name, like I can't remember what four ethers are.
How the hell do you know the four ethers?
Who can even remember what four ethers are?
Your pain is impossible to hold, you're like the four ethers
It's hard to fathom the depth of your pain, like it's hard to grasp what four ethers are.
Baby, what do I do with these four ethers
What can I do with my sorrow?
Your name is like the four ethers, what do I do with these four ethers?
I can't even remember your name, like I can't find solace in my sorrow.
I can't draw you no warm bath no more
I can't comfort you anymore.
How can I touch somebody who won't even touch themselves?
How can I connect with someone who won't be honest with themselves?
It's tiring to me
It exhausts me.
I'm fine with you being a liar
I accept that you lie.
I'm fine with you being a killer
I accept that you may harm others.
I'm fine with you being suicidal
I accept that you may think of suicide.
That shit don't bother me, no
That doesn't bother me.
But you've gotta show me yourself
But you must show me your true self.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jonathan Wise
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@killahbeatz1240
Damn baby keem sample brought here. I'm glad it did this is fire. His voice
@ambrosewilliams1384
what song by baby keen
@anotherdayforrj
@Ambrose Williams scapegoats
@jellycleaver5969
Have I missed something? How has the world been sleeping on this? It's INCREDIBLE!
@BoS-tw3vc
ssshhh don't tell anyone, he's our great secret
@RobertClark11
@Bo S Cherubim is a super sleeper too!!!
@jaynecounty666
my love and I kept it private
@BenUrquidez
I thought it was weird that my Spotify Discover Weekly started playing Berlioz, cos I don't listen to classical music on Spotify. Then the vocals started. This is my favorite music discovery in recent years.
@eleanorwilli508
SAME! Thank you spotify -- absolutely favorite music discovery in recent years
@SANECCO
exact same thing happened to me haha