Currently known as Ethel Cain.
Singer/songwriter White Silas, hailing fr… Read Full Bio ↴Currently known as Ethel Cain.
Singer/songwriter White Silas, hailing from the rural southern landscape of the Florida panhandle, found her beginnings as a choir girl. After her official start as a musician in 2017, she quickly began building her image as a lonely figure tangled in a sonic web of religion, violence, illness, and sexuality through multiple self-recorded and self-produced releases. After the release of her 2018 EP "Sad Music for Sad People", she teamed up with artist Little Triste for a collaborative EP "Nightmares", which found her chamber-folk style blending with hip-hop and electronic elements.

Strangers
White Silas Lyrics

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In your basement, i grow cold
Thinking back to what i was always told
Don't talk to strangers or you might fall in love
Freezer bride, your sweet divine
You devour like smoked bovine hide
How funny, i never considered myself tough

You're so handsome, walking over to me now

I tried to be good
Am i no good
Am i no good
Am i no good
With my memory restricted to a polaroid in evidence
I just wanted to be yours
Can i be yours
Can i be yours
Can i be yours
If i'm turning in your stomach and i'm making you feel sick

When my mother sees me on the side
Of a milk carton in winn-dixie's dairy aisle
She'll cry
And wait up for me
We'll make love in your attic all night
Euphoric in some strange delight
I'm happier here cause he told me i should
Be

You're so handsome when i'm all over your mouth

I tried to be good
Am i no good
Am i no good
Am i no good
With my memory restricted to a polaroid in evidence
I just wanted to be yours
Can i be yours
Can i be yours
Can i be yours
If i'm turning in your stomach and i'm making you feel sick

I tried to be good
But i'm too good
Am i too good

Was i so good
When you chewed me up and shit me out like every bitch you're done with

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to White Silas’s song Strangers tell a story about a person who is conflicted between their desire for love and their fear of strangers. The beginning of the song sets the scene as the singer talks about being in a basement and feeling cold. They reminisce about being taught not to talk to strangers in their childhood but now wonder if falling in love with a stranger is really so bad. The subject of their affection is described as a “freezer bride” who devours them like smoked bovine hide, highlighting a sense of danger and vulnerability.

The second verse introduces the subject of the song, who is described as “so handsome”. The singer is asking themselves if they are no good, trying to reconcile their desire with their fear of strangers. The imagery of “memory restricted to a polaroid in evidence” reinforces the idea of fleeting moments and a lack of permanence. The chorus serves as a plea to be accepted, “I just wanted to be yours, can I be yours?”

The third verse takes a darker turn, as the singer’s mother is mentioned, and they imagine themselves as a missing person on a milk carton. Despite this, there is still a sense of euphoria in being with the person they desire, even if it’s in an attic. The final section of the song is more assertive, as the singer declares that they tried to be good, but they were “too good”. The act of being chewed up and spit out like every other person the subject has been with reinforces the sense of danger and vulnerability that is present throughout the song.

In conclusion, Strangers is a poignant song that deals with themes of love, fear, danger, and vulnerability. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is unsure about their desires and the possible consequences of pursuing those desires. White Silas delivers the lyrics with a haunting vocal performance that perfectly matches the mood of the song.

Line by Line Meaning

In your basement, i grow cold
I feel isolated and uncomfortable in your hidden and unknown territory.

Thinking back to what i was always told
I can't help but reflect on the warnings I've received throughout life.

Don't talk to strangers or you might fall in love
I was warned not to engage with people I don't know because I may become infatuated with them.

Freezer bride, your sweet divine
You're so captivating, I'm frozen in awe.

You devour like smoked bovine hide
You consume me fully and relentlessly.

How funny, i never considered myself tough
It's ironic that I never thought I was strong enough to withstand the grip you have on me.

You're so handsome, walking over to me now
My heart races as you approach me.

I tried to be good
I attempted to behave in a respectable, positive manner.

Am i no good
Am I not good enough for you?

With my memory restricted to a polaroid in evidence
I only have photographic evidence of us together to sustain my memories.

I just wanted to be yours
All I wanted was to be yours completely.

Can i be yours
May I be yours entirely?

If i'm turning in your stomach and i'm making you feel sick
If my presence is causing you discomfort and distress.

When my mother sees me on the side
If my own mother sees me listed as a missing person.

Of a milk carton in winn-dixie's dairy aisle
On a printed advertisement for missing persons, conveniently next to the milk in a supermarket.

She'll cry
My mother will be terribly upset.

And wait up for me
She'll stay awake, hoping for my return.

We'll make love in your attic all night
We'll have passionate sex hidden away out of sight.

Euphoric in some strange delight
I'll be blissful in some unexplainable way.

I'm happier here cause he told me i should
I'm content being with you, as you convinced me to feel this way.

But i'm too good
Maybe my kindness is my downfall.

Was i so good
Did my upstanding nature lead to my mistreatment?

When you chewed me up and shit me out like every bitch you're done with
When you discarded me after using me, like every other woman you're finished with.

Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Hayden Anhedönia

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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