Unwoman (aka Erica Mulkey) is a San Francisco-based cellist-singer-songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Unwoman (aka Erica Mulkey) is a San Francisco-based cellist-singer-songwriter. Layered with skillful cello, rich vocals, and electronically arranged beats, her solo music is a futuristic homage to her classical training. Unwoman performs often in the Bay Area and has been featured at major steampunk, goth, and sci-fi-related events all over North America. She has collaborated with Abney Park, Stripmall Architecture, Voltaire, Rasputina, Jill Tracy, Vernian Process, Caustic, and Attrition. Other influences include Amanda Palmer, Florence and the Machine, IAMX, Imogen Heap, Siouxsie Sioux, and Beats Antique. Extremely versatile, able to perform with no amplification, just cello and voice ("acacella") or with full backing tracks, she also plays the piano, cello banjo, and theremin.

In Spring of 2010 Unwoman released her fourth full-length self-produced album, Casualties. Its pressing was funded by fans on kickstarter, and its release coincided with a huge bump in her popularity due to several enthusiastic tweets from Amanda Palmer. In September 2011 she released Uncovered Volume 1, an album of dramatic reinterpretations of popular songs written betwen 1980 and 1995, also funded by fans via kickstarter.

Unwoman performs solo, with drummer Felix Macnee as Heavy Sugar Duo, and as a guest in other bands, throughout the US. Unwoman has performed solo at WorldCon (Reno, NV 2011), Steamcon I, II, and III (Seattle), Victoria Steam Exposition (Victoria, BC), Bats Day in the Fun Park (Anaheim, CA), Can't Stop the Serenity (Phoenix, AZ), Nova Albion (SF Bay Area), Fanime (San Jose, CA), and Teslacon (Madison, WI).

His Yours or Mine?
Unwoman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I think a lot about all the things that I have broken
I look around at what remains, hoping
If I turn away will I be submerged in regretting
Or will I succeed in forgetting
For too long I've wanted a forbidden kiss to force me to decision
Chaos of lust is unstoppable and I am made of pure destruction
All epiphanies are false and my sweet words might never mean a thing
But I vacillate between two choices and a third could break the swing

I will win either way I choose
But either way I also lose
I am adrift, I can't decide
Whose desire to satisfy: his, yours or mine
Those who don't fear me want me
In this city full of men

Can I say no to them for you?
Can I say no to you for them?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Unwoman's song "His Yours or Mine?" appear to be about a person who is struggling with decision-making and regret as they navigate feelings of desire and the potential consequences of acting on those desires. The opening lines suggest that the person is reflecting on past actions and their effects, potentially indicating that they are hesitant to make decisions in the present for fear of repeating past mistakes. The lines "For too long I've wanted a forbidden kiss to force me to decision / Chaos of lust is unstoppable and I am made of pure destruction" seem to indicate that the person is torn between conflicting desires - the desire for self-control and a fear of causing harm versus the desire for passion and the excitement of the potentially dangerous.

The repeated refrain "Whose desire to satisfy: his, yours or mine" emphasizes the central theme of the song - the conflict between one's own desires, the desires of another person, and the desires of society at large. The line "Those who don't fear me want me / In this city full of men / Can I say no to them for you? / Can I say no to you for them?" suggests that the person is also struggling with outside pressures and expectations, particularly around gender roles and power dynamics.

Overall, the lyrics to "His Yours or Mine?" seem to be a reflective and introspective exploration of the complexities of desire and decision-making, particularly in the context of interpersonal relationships and societal expectations.

Line by Line Meaning

I think a lot about all the things that I have broken
I reflect upon all the things that I have damaged or ruined in the past

I look around at what remains, hoping
I observe what is left with optimism or expectation

If I turn away will I be submerged in regretting
If I abandon my current mindset, will I be overwhelmed with remorse?

Or will I succeed in forgetting
Can I achieve the ability to disregard or ignore this issue?

For too long I've wanted a forbidden kiss to force me to decision
I've yearned for a taboo kiss to motivate me to make a choice

Chaos of lust is unstoppable and I am made of pure destruction
I am unable to control my lust and have a tendency to cause turmoil

All epiphanies are false and my sweet words might never mean a thing
I believe that all sudden revelations are untrue and my charming words may not amount to anything

But I vacillate between two choices and a third could break the swing
I am indecisive between two options and a third possibility could complicate things further

I will win either way I choose
Regardless of my decision, I will emerge victorious

But either way I also lose
Despite winning, there are negative consequences to both choices

I am adrift, I can't decide
I am lost and unsure of what to do

Whose desire to satisfy: his, yours or mine
Which person's wants should I fulfill? His desires, yours, or mine?

Those who don't fear me want me
People who aren't afraid of me are attracted to me

In this city full of men
Located in an urban area with many males

Can I say no to them for you?
Am I capable of rejecting their advances for your sake?

Can I say no to you for them?
Will I turn down your requests to give in to the desires of other men?

Contributed by Adrian G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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