We are a thing that came out of a few chance meetings at Sydney University. You see, Heather and Hayley had been playing music together for a while. Inevitably came the journey south from Byron - being their place of youth - to Sydney for a foray into higher education. Nik and Sam were studying at Sydney University also. And you know, for some reason you just meet people...
We don't have a manifesto as such, but we do have definite intentions in what we do. We wish to play pop, but with a recognizable element of self-awareness. We wish to be emotional, but with a sense of certainty that our audiences won't walk away thinking that we take ourselves too seriously. What is paramount is an attempt to push this thing called the culture industry in some direction which makes it more human. (I guess this is all too ambitious but oh well... We do try)
Heather studies piano at the conservatorium and reads a bit too much Russian literature. Hayley looks toward her personal canon of pop ballads for guidance in all situations and believes we must return to the way life was prior to the poker machine epidemic. Nik is a science student who imbues his drumming with formulas and mathematical complexities. Sam is a country music-playing, Marx-spouting communist with a love of all things meaningfully subversive.
The Jezabels have released 3 EPs: Dark Storm (2010), The Man is Dead (2009) and She's So Hard (2009).
Their debut album Prisoner was released in September 2011. The Jezabels won the 2012 ARIA Award for Best Independent Release for their album, Prisoner.
Official site: http://www.thejezabels.com
Horsehead
The Jezabels Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Deep in my heart like nobody else
I'm dipping, now, in to forbidden lakes
I don't mind if you call me names
It will remain your recurring theme
The ragdoll who you dare not mend
Be poppin' up on in your broken dreams
Until the horse has its head
So take logic off the shelf
Deep in my heart like nobody else
Love is a gun I cannot fight
A stronger hold than the hands of time
So don't hate if you don't wear it
Don't hate if you don't wear it
A horsehead in our doorway
For you can cull the beast, cull the beast
And you can shear the sheep, sheer the sheep
But if there comes a time when
When she opens up her doors
When she comes down upon man
She will show him no remorse
So take logic off the shelf
Deep in your heart and your vision of self
Your cold blood is wearing thin
Cold blood and the stain on me
Look at the dear in the headlight
You don't know it will be fine
Look at the dear in the headlight
But don't you be terrified
Of just a deer in the headlight
The Jezabels's song Horsehead is a hauntingly poetic tribute to the power love has over logic and reason. The opening lines suggest that the singer is surrendering themselves to a deep and intense emotion that is both overwhelming and forbidden. The metaphor of forbidden lakes and the willingness to be called names speaks to the idea of taboo desires and hushed passions. The recurring theme of the ragdoll who is not mended implies an acceptance of being broken and unfixable, which only serves to feed the idea that love is beyond reason and control. The line "it won't stop until the rainbows end, until the horse has its head" suggests that love will persist until it reaches its inevitable conclusion, even if that means it will end in disaster.
The second verse further emphasizes the singer's awareness of the hold love has over them. The gun metaphor suggests that love is a force to be reckoned with, one that cannot easily be fought off. The lines "don't hate if you don't wear it" underscore the idea that love is unique to each individual, and what may seem irrational to one person may be perfectly logical to another. The reference to a horse head in the doorway is intriguing, and it is left to the listener to interpret what this symbolizes.
The third verse shifts the focus from the singer to the listener, suggesting that they are also in danger of being overcome by love. The lines "your cold blood is wearing thin, cold blood and the stain on me" suggest that the listener's emotional detachment is being penetrated by the overwhelming power of love. The metaphor of the deer in the headlights is often used to describe a state of fear or shock, but in this song, it is used to suggest that the listener should not be afraid of love, even though it may seem overwhelming and unpredictable.
Line by Line Meaning
You take logic off the shelf
You discard reason and understanding
Deep in my heart like nobody else
Emotions reside in me in a way that's unique
I'm dipping, now, in to forbidden lakes
I'm venturing into unknown and taboo territories
I don't mind if you call me names
I'm not affected by unpleasant words from others
It will remain your recurring theme
It's an ongoing subject for you
The ragdoll who you dare not mend
Me, who you can't fix or make better
Be poppin' up on in your broken dreams
Appearing in your disturbed dreams repeatedly
It won't stop until the rainbows end
This won't stop until everything is perfect
Until the horse has its head
Until completion and success
Love is a gun I cannot fight
I'm powerless in the face of love
A stronger hold than the hands of time
Love is more powerful than time itself
So don't hate if you don't wear it
Don't criticize what you don't understand
A horsehead in our doorway
A symbol of change and transformation
For you can cull the beast, cull the beast
You can control the wild side of people
And you can shear the sheep, sheer the sheep
You can take advantage of the vulnerable
But if there comes a time when
When there's an important moment
When she opens up her doors
When she becomes vulnerable
When she comes down upon man
When she asserts her power over man
She will show him no remorse
She won't feel bad about it
Deep in your heart and your vision of self
In your soul and your understanding of yourself
Your cold blood is wearing thin
Your detachment is disappearing
Cold blood and the stain on me
My contamination with detached mindsets
Look at the dear in the headlight
Consider how the innocent are affected
You don't know it will be fine
You can't be certain of positive outcomes
But don't you be terrified
Don't let fear control you
Of just a deer in the headlight
Of things that may seem insignificant
Contributed by Arianna S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@TimorDa
You take logic off the shelf
Deep in my heart like nobody else
I'm dipping, now, in to forbidden lakes
I don't mind if you call me names
It will remain your recurring theme
The ragdoll who you dare not mend
Be poppin' up on in your broken dreams
It won't stop until the rainbows end
Until the horse has its head
So take logic off the shelf
Deep in my heart like nobody else
Love is a gun I cannot fight
A stronger hold than the hands of time
So don't hate if you don't wear it
Don't hate if you don't wear it
A horsehead in your doorway
For you can cull the beast, cull the beast
And you can shear the sheep, sheer the sheep
But if there comes a time when
When she opens up her doors
When she comes down upon man
She will show no remorse
So take logic off the shelf
Deep in your heart and your vision of self
Your cold blood is wearing thin
Cold blood and the stain on me
Look at the dear in the headlight
You don't know it will be fine
Look at the dear in the headlight
But don't you be terrified
Of just a deer in the headlight
@rosariotermini941
This band has such a warm, rich sound. Nik Kaloper is an insane drummer... I feel as if he should be much more well known.
@TimorDa
You take logic off the shelf
Deep in my heart like nobody else
I'm dipping, now, in to forbidden lakes
I don't mind if you call me names
It will remain your recurring theme
The ragdoll who you dare not mend
Be poppin' up on in your broken dreams
It won't stop until the rainbows end
Until the horse has its head
So take logic off the shelf
Deep in my heart like nobody else
Love is a gun I cannot fight
A stronger hold than the hands of time
So don't hate if you don't wear it
Don't hate if you don't wear it
A horsehead in your doorway
For you can cull the beast, cull the beast
And you can shear the sheep, sheer the sheep
But if there comes a time when
When she opens up her doors
When she comes down upon man
She will show no remorse
So take logic off the shelf
Deep in your heart and your vision of self
Your cold blood is wearing thin
Cold blood and the stain on me
Look at the dear in the headlight
You don't know it will be fine
Look at the dear in the headlight
But don't you be terrified
Of just a deer in the headlight
@joshuaoconnor403
Absolutely angelic. So cool and sweet as. I can't get enough👼🏻
@diamondmg
~<3~ I love every song on their album equally!
@wesgush
2:10 - 2:25 reminiscent of Dolores O'Riordan's (The Cranberries) vocal quality: chills!
@AikonMGB
I always wondered what the Cranberries would sound like if they collaborated with Rush ;) On a related note, I saw The Jezabels live at The Phoenix in Toronto last Thursday. One word: phenomenal! Easily one of my new favourite bands.
@TomBentleyWrites
This album is the first album ever to make me gasp whilst listening to it... amazing.
@MrFragglerock75
Absolutely massive song. If Florence and the Machine un clenched and stopped being pretentious they still wouldn't be this good.
@harukoakagi
Deep in my heart like nobody else.
@sedricG
CANNOT WAIT! they are in sheffield soon and i am so looking forward to seeing this live!