The Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter waits until anything—an idea, an emotion, a memory—gnaws at her, tearing at her fingers and throat until she releases it in song. Scott escaped the confines of her churning mind in order to find herself by recording Sprinter in the market town of Bridport in Dorset, England; and then at the Bristol studio of Portishead's Adrian Utley. With his guitar riffs and synthesizers lingering in the background like a lowland mist and PJ Harvey's Robert Ellis and Ian Olliver on rhythm—the two fortuitously reuniting 23 years after the release of Dry, and in Scott's 23rd year of living—she crafted a "space cowboy" record. "That's as simply as I can say it," says Scott, who cites inspirations as diverse as Funkadelic and Nirvana, Ray Bradbury and Joan Didion.
"I wanted something that very clearly stemmed from my Southern conservative roots but that sounded futuristic and space-y at the same time." It seems like an odd thing to look for in the picturesque seaside green, rolling hills in the south of England, but Scott had never been there before, and as a stranger in a strange land she found what she was looking for: a lost childhood. Sprinter was recorded in a room that had formerly been used as a children's nursery, which combined with the alien landscape fuels the self-searching that roils TORRES' music.
Following her self-titled debut in 2013, TORRES pushes herself to even noisier extremes on Sprinter, a punishing self-examination of epic spiritual and musical proportions.
Three Futures
Torres Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the parking lot of the Masonic lodge
We lined the Hudson with our tangents
You trusted me to love your parents
Sunk into my tunnel vision
Sunk into my tunnel vision
Not how I left but how I entered
Who didn't know I saw three futures
One alone and one with you
And one with the love I knew I'd choose
You got me loaded on bergamot perfume
Downstairs in the TV room
You, you laid the plans and I was quiet
My eyes are trinity divided
My eyes are trinity divided
I hope what you will remember
Is not how I left but how I entered
And not the hope that I abused
If remembering's something you do
You didn't know I saw three futures
You didn't know I saw three futures
One alone and one with you
And one with the love I knew I'd choose
Torres's song "Three Futures" is a complex and layered exploration of sexual desire, vulnerability, and the fleeting nature of human connections. The opening verse, "I got hard in your car / In the parking lot of the Masonic lodge," sets the erotic and provocative tone for the rest of the song. The use of the first-person point of view adds an element of intimacy and personal reflection, drawing the listener into the singer's perspective.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on their relationship with their lover and the three possible futures they saw for themselves. The line "We lined the Hudson with our tangents / You trusted me to love your parents" speaks to the level of trust and intimacy that existed between the two characters, but ultimately, the singer must confront the reality that they cannot be with this person forever. The line "My eyes are trinity divided" represents the singer's divided loyalties between their present, past, and future selves.
One of the most striking elements of the song is the repetition of the line "I hope that's what you'll remember / Not how I left but how I entered." This line speaks to the ephemeral nature of relationships and the importance of cherishing the moments and connections we have with other human beings. Ultimately, the singer acknowledges that their time with their lover was finite and that they must move on to a new future, even as they hold on to the memories of their past.
Overall, "Three Futures" is a powerful and evocative song that explores themes of sexuality, desire, and the human condition. With its haunting melodies and poetic lyrics, it is a testament to the power of music to convey complex emotions and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I got hard in your car
I became aroused while we were in your car
In the parking lot of the Masonic lodge
The location of the car where I became aroused was in the parking lot of the Masonic lodge
We lined the Hudson with our tangents
We had deep, meaningful conversations along the Hudson river
You trusted me to love your parents
You had faith in me to be able to love and accept your parents
Sunk into my tunnel vision
I became completely focused on a specific goal or idea
I hope that's what you'll remember
I hope that the memories you have of me are positive
Not how I left but how I entered
I hope that you remember how I impacted your life in a positive way before I left
Who didn't know I saw three futures
No one was aware that I had envisioned three possible outcomes for my future
One alone and one with you
One future I envisioned was being alone, while the other involved being with you
And one with the love I knew I'd choose
The third future involved being with someone else whom I knew I would love
You got me loaded on bergamot perfume
You intoxicated me with the scent of bergamot perfume
Downstairs in the TV room
We were in the TV room on the lower level of a building
You, you laid the plans and I was quiet
You were the one who made plans while I remained silent and passive
My eyes are trinity divided
My eyes are divided into three parts or perspectives
I hope what you will remember
I hope that the memories you have of me are positive
Is not how I left but how I entered
I hope that you remember how I impacted your life in a positive way before I left
And not the hope that I abused
I hope that you don't remember me as someone who took advantage of hope
If remembering's something you do
If remembering is something that you do and value
You didn't know I saw three futures
You were not aware that I had envisioned three possible outcomes for my future
One alone and one with you
One future I envisioned was being alone, while the other involved being with you
And one with the love I knew I'd choose
The third future involved being with someone else whom I knew I would love
Lyrics © Mute Song Limited
Written by: Mackenzie Scott
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lemon Marie
I don’t think that I’ll ever get over how perfect this song is, I just love it
Neil
Three Futures is an underappreciated album.
LUVr
Criminally undervalued
Ana Oliveira
@LUVr agree completely
Irascibul
God no, it sucks
Lisbon
@Irascibul Wow I'm actually shocked. How many listens did you even give it?
in time
"You didn't know I saw three futures: one alone, and one with you and one with the love I knew I'd choose"❤️💔❤️
That ache to live many lives for the ones you love in order to dedicate yourself fully to a different one each time. Instead, the pressure of social norms, unrequited love, religion, our own fears, the steady marching on of time and a million other reasons force us to choose... for better or worse😖 Damn, Torres!💘 This is amazing..
Rose
You captured exactly how I feel when I listen to this song.
Tender Love And Cannabis
"The value in insisting upon a relentless hope for a future, even given past and present disappointments and sorrow." - Mackenzie Scott
Pacafeliz
WHAT A SONG! WHAT A VIDEO! WHAT A WOMAN! Psyched to see her here in Cologne later this year!