Donelly is best known for her Grammy-nominated work in the mid-1990s as lead vocalist and songwriter for Belly, when she scored a national radio and music television hit with her composition "Feed the Tree." Belly recorded on Sire/Reprise Records and 4AD; Donelly's solo works have been released on Warner Brothers Records and 4AD.
Over the years she has listed several musical influences. In one interview she named her guitar-playing influences as Marc Ribot, the Beatles, and former bandmate Hersh. More recently she mentioned Leonard Cohen as a songwriting hero, citing her then-current listening favorites as Lucinda Williams and Joan Wasser, and listing Boston-based groups like the Dambuilders, Pixies, and Count Zero as past favorites. Although Donelly mainly performs her own original songs, she has in recent years added covers by Robyn Hitchcock, Nina Simone, and the Beatles to her repertoire.
these days
Tanya Donelly Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Give me the reason you do
If it's the right reason to know me
If you love me
I'll ride a camel to you
Heaven is
Heaven is
Heavy with
Heavy with
Uninvited saints
Now bats fly to this ribcage
This ribcage
My bad form ended strange
My bad form ended strange
You say you alone can save me
Give me the reason it's true
If you see the true face of my jailer
And you save her too
I'll walk on razors to you
Heaven is
Heaven is
Heavy these days
Heavy with
Heavy with
Cross-fingered saints
Now bats fly to this ribcage
This ribcage
My bad form ended strange [Repeat: x3]
The song "These Days" by Tanya Donelly is a mesmerizing exploration of love, trust, and faith. The opening lines of the song are intriguingly layered and provoke questions about the meaning of love and the reasons for it. The singer is questioning the singer and asking for an explanation of why they claim to love them. The lyrics are like a plea, and the singer is almost imploring the singer to give a convincing explanation that will satisfy their curiosity. The singer then says if the reason given is the "right reason" to know them, they would be willing to accept their love.
The second verse takes on a dark and mystical tone as Donelly sings about the heaviness of heaven, which is heavy with "uninvited saints" and "cross-fingered saints." The imagery suggests that not all saints are welcome in heaven and there's a sense of chaos and uncertainty. The third verse introduces the image of bats flying to a ribcage, which is both eerie and beautiful. The image ties in with the earlier verses; it's possibly a symbol of sorrow or repression, yet it also hints at the possibility of rebirth or freedom. The repetition of "my bad form ended strange" in the third verse is ambiguous but could be interpreted as a sign of transformation or acceptance.
Overall, "These Days" is a haunting and poetic song that weaves together deep themes of love, doubt, and redemption through its powerful lyrics and evocative sonic texture.
Line by Line Meaning
You say you alone can love me
Tell me why you love me so much that you think no one else can love me like you do
Give me the reason you do
Explain the exact reason(s) why you feel so strongly about me
If it's the right reason to know me
If you genuinely have a positive reason to love me for who I am, then tell me
If you love me
If you truly have feelings for me, then share them with me
I'll ride a camel to you
I will go to great lengths and take risks just to be with you
Heaven is
Heaven is
Heavy these days
The once heavenly experience is now emotionally taxing and burdensome
Heavy with
Heavy with
Uninvited saints
The burdens are caused by unwelcome religious or pious people in the singer's life
Now bats fly to this ribcage
This ribcage
The burden is so great that it feels like bats are living in the artist's chest
My bad form ended strange
The artist's mistakes and issues were resolved in an unconventional and unexpected way
You say you alone can save me
You claim to be the only one who can rescue me from my troubles
Give me the reason it's true
Explain why you believe you are the only one capable of saving me
If you see the true face of my jailer
And you save her too
If you can recognize the true cause of my troubles and help both me and my oppressor, then prove that you can save me
I'll walk on razors to you
I am willing to undergo extreme pain and danger just to be with you
Heavy with
Heavy with
Cross-fingered saints
The burden is caused by hypocritical or two-faced religious people in the singer's life
My bad form ended strange [Repeat: x3]
The singer's issues were resolved in an unconventional and unexpected way, which is reiterated multiple times
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TANYA DONELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind