Throwing Muses is known for performing music with shifting tempos, creative chord progressions, unorthodox song structures, and surreal lyrics. The group was set apart from other contemporary acts by Hersh's stark, candid writing style; Donelly's pop stylings and vocal harmonies; and David Narcizo's unusual drumming techniques eschewing use of cymbals. Hallucinatory, febrile songs by Hersh occasionally touched on the subject of mental illness, more often drawing portraits of characters from daily life or addressing relationships.
Donelly left the band in 1991 and was a member of The Breeders and Belly, before starting to perform solo. She also contributed vocals to the Throwing Muses self-titled album in 2003. Hersh has also worked solo, and fronts the power trio 50 Foot Wave (which also includes Muses bassist Bernard Georges). Narcizo works in graphic design and has a musical project Lakuna.
In March 2003, Throwing Muses came back with their eighth album, Throwing Muses, which also saw the return of Tanya Donelly who provided backing vocals on the album. A greatest hits compilation titled Anthology was released in 2011. The band's ninth album, Purgatory / Paradise was released on October 29, 2013 in the UK and November 11 in the US. In early 2014, the band toured a few U.S. cities, with Donelly opening for the East Coast dates.
Marriage Tree
Throwing Muses Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Treat me like a 12 year old man
No more hearts
Don't know what 20 is
Don't know where the tree stands
Only follow these hands
At midnight I reach for the blind
I'll wish I had but when I'm dead
At midnight I hit your song
It sings again
Don't know what age is
Don't know where the tree stands
I only follow these hands
I couldn't make you crazy if I tried
We've been swinging 'round the tree
For how long now?
Maybe she wants to be cared for
Stay home a month here
A month there
Maybe take to the open roads
Maybe take to the open roads
Maybe take to the open roads
At the marriage tree
The lyrics to Throwing Muses's song "Marriage Tree" are cryptic and open to interpretation, but seem to portray a relationship between two individuals who are stuck in a cyclical, stagnant pattern. This is reflected in the repetition of several lines throughout the song, such as "Don't know what age is" and "Don't know where the tree stands", which suggest a sense of confusion or disorientation. The line "Like an old man in a dress / Treat me like a 12 year old man" could be interpreted as a critique of societal expectations around gender and age, which the persona feels trapped by.
The chorus of the song, which repeats the lines "I only follow these hands" and "We've been swinging 'round the tree / For how long now?", creates a feeling of circularity or trappedness. The use of the image of a marriage tree seems to symbolize the stagnation and lack of growth in the relationship. The persona reaches for their partner at midnight, but doesn't touch them, which could suggest a desire for connection that is unrealized.
Overall, "Marriage Tree" portrays a dysfunctional relationship that is stuck in a cycle of repetition and stagnation. The cryptic lyrics leave room for interpretation, but suggest a feeling of confusion and disorientation, as well as a desire for deeper connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Like an old man in a dress
Treat me with gentle care, like a fragile old man but do not underestimate me
Treat me like a 12 year old man
Be kind to me, but do not treat me like a child as I am still a grown man
No more hearts
I am done with love and all its associated emotions
Don't know what 20 is
I am beyond the age of 20 and the associated youthful naivety
Don't know where the tree stands
I am lost and uncertain of where I stand in life
Only follow these hands
I am blindly following my own instincts and intuition
At midnight I reach for the blind
During times of darkness and uncertainty, I reach out hoping to find guidance
Toward your head, but don't touch it
I seek your guidance but do not want to interfere with your own path
I'll wish I had but when I'm dead
I will regret not taking actions towards my desires when I am no longer alive
At midnight I hit your song
During times of darkness, I turn to music to find solace and connection
It sings again
The music brings back memories and emotions from the past
I couldn't make you crazy if I tried
I have no control over your emotions or actions and cannot force you to feel anything
We've been swinging 'round the tree
We have been stuck in a repetitive cycle, going around in circles
For how long now?
I am unsure of how long we have been caught in this cycle
Maybe she wants to be cared for
Perhaps the other person involved wants to be nurtured and taken care of
Stay home a month here
Take time to rest and recharge in one place for an extended period of time
A month there
Move around every month to keep things fresh and spontaneous
Maybe take to the open roads
Consider traveling and going on a journey of self-discovery
At the marriage tree
Making a decision or taking action at a symbolic place of union and commitment
Lyrics © HEYDAY MEDIA GROUP LLC
Written by: Kristin Hersh
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind