The Good Natured, recently signed to Regal/Parlophone Records, offer a catchy gothic twist on electropop with their new EP titled Skeleton, released on 20 June 2011. In the songs featured on the Skeleton EP, Sarah displays her compellingly mature command of the nuances of serious pop music, combined with the darker, and often more sensual, emotional and lyrical content of the gothic. Both "Skeleton" and "Wolves" are produced by Patrik Berger, known for his work with Robyn.
The title track "Skeleton" has an energetic blend of raw passion, synthpop and a murky, driving rhythm section. The track describes being stripped of emotional and physical coverings, leaving you with nothing to hide; metaphorically stripped down to two skeletons standing alone.
"Wolves" is a fast-paced, intimate dance track which sees Sarah in the deep dark wood, “dancing ’round fires, lost in desire” and ready to surrender to the howling of the wolves. The clarity of the interplay between the instruments is a stark contrast to the cheerfully morbid metaphor for escapism – feral and sensual.
The band have already been making a name for themselves with their previous EPs; Be My Animal, Your Body Is A Machine and their cover of Sufjan Stevens's "For the Widows in Paradise", retitled "For the Fatherless in Ypsilanti". These have helped their popularity on music blogs so much that they were in the top 10 most searched acts on Hypemachine last December. The band have also received strong support from Nick Grimshaw, Huw Stephens and Jo Whiley on Radio 1 amongst others on Radio 1, plus XFM and 6 Music.
With such catchy songs able to stay true to the dark pop theme it's no surprise that The Good Natured’s fans are so loyal, or that blogs and forums and all over the web are already clamouring for more music.
"A compelling new talent” The Sunday Times
"A talented and passionate force to be reckoned with" The Fly
"Swirling exciting Synth pop” The Times
"An exciting prospect indeed" Artrocker
"This is how pop should be done" Time Out
Official site: http://www.thegoodnatured.co.uk
Red Skin
The Good Natured Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Crawl back into a shadow
I’m blinded by the rays
I remember when you told me to
Never show myself again
Let the sunlight fall on my face
Self-conscious wreck
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
To my shell I’ll never tell my story
And you’ll never see my red skin
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
You expect me to stand tall and to stand proud
How can I be full of pride when you beat me to the ground?
I’m quite content in my shell
My lips are sealed I’ll never tell
Let the sunlight fall on my face
Self-conscious wreck
You can see my red skin
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
To my shell I’ll never tell my story
And you’ll never see my red skin
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
Red skin x8
Let the sunlight fall on my face
Self-conscious wreck
You can see my red skin
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
To my shell I’ll never tell my story
And you’ll never see my red skin
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
Let the sunlight fall on my face
Self-conscious wreck
You can see my red skin
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
The Good Natured's song "Red Skin" is a powerful reflection on feelings of shame, self-consciousness, and the struggle to overcome them. The opening lines describe a struggle with the elements of light and shadow, as the singer feels exposed and vulnerable in the bright sunlight but also isolated and hidden in the shadows. These lines could represent a metaphor for the singer's inner emotional landscape, with a desire to both hide from and confront the things that make them feel ashamed or uncomfortable.
The chorus continues this theme, with the repeated phrase "Let the sunlight fall on my face" suggesting a desire to face one's fears head-on, but also acknowledging the difficulty and pain involved in doing so. The mention of "red skin" could be interpreted as a metaphor for the physical manifestations of embarrassment or shame, or perhaps as a reference to an actual skin condition that the singer struggles with. The repeated refrain of "I'm crawling back, I'm caving in" highlights the difficulty of trying to confront one's feelings while also feeling overwhelmed or defeated by them.
The verses themselves center on the idea of being expected to "stand tall and stand proud" despite feelings of shame, and the difficulty of reconciling those expectations with one's own feelings of inadequacy. The lines "my lips are sealed, I'll never tell" suggest a sense of inner secrecy or guilt, while the final lines "I'm crawling back, I'm caving in" seem to acknowledge the cyclical nature of these emotions, and the difficulty of breaking free from self-doubt and negative self-talk.
Overall, "Red Skin" is a poignant reflection on the experience of shame and self-consciousness, and the struggle to break free from those negative emotions and find a sense of self-acceptance and pride.
Line by Line Meaning
Let the sun light full upon my face
I crave attention but also fear being seen
Crawl back into a shadow
I want to hide from scrutiny
I’m blinded by the rays
When I'm exposed, I feel overwhelmed and helpless
I remember when you told me to Never show myself again
Someone hurt me before and threatened to do so again if I didn't hide
You expect me to stand tall and to stand proud
You don't understand the trauma I've experienced and how it affects me
How can I be full of pride when you beat me to the ground?
My confidence has been shattered by past mistreatment
I’m quite content in my shell
I feel safe retreating into my own world
My lips are sealed I’ll never tell
I've been told to keep silent and I believe it's better for me to do so
You can see my red skin
The pain and vulnerability I feel is visible on the surface
To my shell I’ll never tell my story
I'll never share the details of my suffering with others
And you’ll never see my red skin
I'll continue to hide my pain and insecurity from you
Red skin x8
A repeated reminder of the outward signs of my internal struggle
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
I'm giving in to the pressure to hide and avoid attention
Let the sunlight fall on my face
I still desire acceptance and validation, even as I withdraw
Self-conscious wreck
I'm filled with anxiety and insecurity about my own worth
I’m crawling back I’m caving in
I'm overwhelmed and shutting down emotionally
Contributed by Luke E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@blazerkingUK
The wait for the album is killing me!
@Lythium90
This song is amazing ... just close ur eyes and listen! Listen her voice o_O Amazing <3 u TGN
@tharimomoko1
so do I :P jeje siempre que veo esto me da risa y hasta ahora lo corregi :D!!
@kudelm
sick !
@kudelm
great
@tharimomoko1
there are 2 versions... one is in Your body is a machine EP
@leeconnelly6364
Shes american indian sorta right ? Shes awesome but her stuff has that vibe. Theres no one quite like her with her unique voice and funky beats.
@Lythium90
@blazerkingUK it will release in september?
@citroenboter
@Turps109 Me too!
@ScarfinThomas
very dramatic, likes....