By 2008 The Blackwater Fever had gained national radio exposure from youth radio station Triple J, on the Home & Hosed (October) and Roots 'n' All (November) segments,and from that station's Unearthed competition for new unsigned bands. In November 2008 they released their debut studio album, Sweet Misery, where DeMarco had been replaced by Andrew Walter on drums.
By late 2010 the line-up was a trio with Hicks and Walter joined by Jed A. Walters on bass guitar and keyboards. However their second album, In Stereo (June 2011), had been recorded before Walters had joined, "[Jed] didn't contribute to this album but he'll definitely be making a big contribution to the next one." Their third album, The Depths, appeared in March 2013 Luke Saunders of Reverb Street Press compared it with the previous two albums "[its] another intriguing step forward following the solid foundations the band laid on their dark and gritty debut, Sweet Misery (2009) and its more refined, equally accomplished follow-up, In Stereo (2011).
Sweet Misery
The Blackwater Fever Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and the vine directing me to you
Sweet Misery
I'm haunted by your sharpened teeth
But your kiss so bitter sweet
the love you give will be the death of me
Sweet Misery
poison this horse that I ride upon
and dam this trail that I walk along
my heart is bound by a vine of throne, I'm torn to you
Sweet Misery
on a endless night i dream of you
hanging by my wrists from a old barn roof
you hollowed my chest to a open wound
and it burns for you, Sweet Misery
oh haunted by your sharpened teeth
but your kiss so bitter sweet
the love you give will be the death of me
The song Sweet Misery by The Blackwater Fever appears to be a love song, but one with a dark and haunting twist. The opening lyrics set the scene of a moonlit night, with the singer supposedly led to the object of his affections by a vine. There is an eerie sense of foreboding as soon as the word "misery" is introduced, with the suggestion that this love is not only bittersweet but actually dangerous.
The second verse gives further hints as to why this love is so troubling. The imagery of "sharpened teeth" suggests a predator/prey dynamic in the relationship, with the singer both frightened and intrigued by his lover's power. The love he receives is so potent that it threatens to kill him, hence the suggestion that it is both sweet and poisonous. The third verse reinforces this sense of being trapped, with the singer's heart bound and the trail he walks on dammed up. There is a sense of inevitability to the final stanza, with the singer dreaming of the lover who has left him wounded but still burning with desire.
Overall, the song is a potent exploration of how love can be simultaneously irresistible and dangerous. It is a reminder that sometimes the things that draw us in can also end up destroying us.
Line by Line Meaning
the moon hanging overhead
The moon is shining in the night sky
and the vine directing me to you
A vine is leading me to you
Sweet Misery
This situation is bittersweet
I'm haunted by your sharpened teeth
Your words and actions hurt me deeply
But your kiss so bitter sweet
Even though you cause me pain, I still can't resist you
the love you give will be the death of me
Your love will destroy me in the end
poison this horse that I ride upon
I wish to be rid of this painful journey
and dam this trail that I walk along
I want to put an end to this exhausting path
my heart is bound by a vine of throne, I'm torn to you
I am trapped in my love for you, unable to break free
on a endless night i dream of you
You are constantly on my mind, even in my sleep
hanging by my wrists from a old barn roof
I feel exposed and vulnerable with you
you hollowed my chest to a open wound
You have hurt me deeply, leaving me vulnerable
and it burns for you, Sweet Misery
Even though it hurts, I am drawn to you
oh haunted by your sharpened teeth
Your words and actions continue to haunt me
but your kiss so bitter sweet
Even though it hurts, I crave your love
the love you give will be the death of me
I know that my love for you will ultimately lead to my downfall
Writer(s): Janis Ian Copyright: Grown Your Own Music O.B.O. Taosongs Two
Contributed by Oliver R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
mojotheaverage
To me this is the way the Black Keys would sound if they were a bit darker and hadn't changed their sound. Good to see there are still people out there carrying the torch for the awesomeness that is blues-rock :D
Jon Valdez
i call this a good fusion of rock and blues
Meredith Essus
Oh my God, you sound divine