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).
In Bluebeard's Castle
Unwoman Lyrics
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His history is a private matter
You wouldn't like what you find
Just pray to never ask for
The violence he keeps confined
Oh all the women before you
He didn't deserve us, we were cruel
He watches you like a hawk
And your body given to him, he owns it
In daily life he is solicitous
Wants to know your desires so he can fill them
You tell him omitting only one thing:
Your curiosity
But with your subtle charms you have seduced the guard
Now he walks beside you with a ring of keys
You do not see the sadistic gleam in his eyes
As he opens the forbidden chamber
He will enjoy murder vicariously
Your false step unleashes the fury
Belied by your prince's calm demeanor
What is behind that door?
In Bluebeard's castle
What is behind that door?
The lyrics to Unwoman's song In Bluebeard's Castle delve into the dark and twisted tale of Bluebeard, a character from a French folktale. The first lines convey a warning not to ask about the singer's history, as it is a private matter and revealing it may not be pleasant. The second stanza describes the women who came before the current one, depicting them as cruel to Bluebeard. However, the singer is different, pure and innocent in contrast.
The third stanza further emphasizes Bluebeard's manipulative nature as he is solicitous, wanting to know every desire of the singer except her curiosity. Despite her efforts to keep her curiosity at bay, her charm seduces the guard who eventually opens the forbidden chamber, unleashing the fury and cruelty of Bluebeard. The song ends with the question of what lies behind the door of Bluebeard's castle, where the unimaginable horror and violence occur.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't ask what happened
The history of Bluebeard is a personal matter that one shouldn't inquire about.
His history is a private matter
Bluebeard's past is something he keeps hidden and private.
You wouldn't like what you find
If you were to uncover Bluebeard's dark history, it would be unpleasant.
Just pray to never ask for
It's best to avoid delving into topics related to Bluebeard's past.
The violence he keeps confined
Bluebeard has a history of violence that he keeps suppressed and hidden away.
Oh all the women before you
Bluebeard has a history of multiple women before the listener.
He didn't deserve us, we were cruel
The women in Bluebeard's past were not treated well by him and were cruelly mistreated.
You dear you are different, you are so innocent
The listener is seen as different from Bluebeard's previous partners and is viewed as more innocent than the rest.
He watches you like a hawk
Bluebeard is constantly monitoring the listener's actions and behavior.
And your body given to him, he owns it
Bluebeard sees the listener's body as belonging to him completely.
In daily life he is solicitous
In everyday life, Bluebeard is attentive and considerate towards the listener.
Wants to know your desires so he can fill them
Bluebeard is interested in fulfilling the listener's desires and wants to know what they are.
You tell him omitting only one thing:
The listener has disclosed almost everything to Bluebeard, except for one thing.
Your curiosity
The listener has not disclosed their curiosity to Bluebeard.
But with your subtle charms you have seduced the guard
The listener has used their charms to manipulate one of Bluebeard's guards.
Now he walks beside you with a ring of keys
The guard is now accompanying the listener and has the keys to the castle.
You do not see the sadistic gleam in his eyes
The listener is unaware of the guard's sadistic intentions.
As he opens the forbidden chamber
The guard is leading the listener towards the secret and off-limits room in Bluebeard's castle.
He will enjoy murder vicariously
The guard will take pleasure in witnessing someone else's murder.
Your false step unleashes the fury
The listener's mistake will unleash Bluebeard's rage and anger.
Belied by your prince's calm demeanor
Despite Bluebeard's outwardly calm appearance, there's a hidden vein of anger within him.
What is behind that door?
The listener is wondering about the contents of the secret chamber that they are being led towards.
In Bluebeard's castle
The events described are all happening within the confines of Bluebeard's castle.
What is behind that door?
The listener is still wondering what's behind the door in Bluebeard's castle.
Contributed by Cameron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.