The band began in 2010, initially as a solo project of Ellie Rowsell, with the name taken from a short story by Angela Carter. She was joined by guitarist Joff Oddie and later by Joel Amey and Theo Ellis. They released a self-titled EP, Wolf Alice in 2012 as well as a single called "Leaving You" which gained airplay from BBC Radio 1 and featured in NME's 'Radar' section.
They then toured with Peace, recorded a session for Huw Stephens' Radio 1 show in January, and released their first physical single "Fluffy" in February 2013 on the Chess Club label. Their second single "Bros", released in May, is about friendship and is one of the first songs Rowsell wrote and the band usually played it during their early stages.
2017–2020: Visions of a Life, Mercury Prize Win
In June 2017, Wolf Alice released the lead single "Yuk Foo" off their second studio album, Visions of a Life. They released three more singles, "Don't Delete the Kisses", "Beautifully Unconventional", and "Heavenward", before the release of their album on 28 September. In 2018, they also released "Formidable Cool", "Sadboy" and "Space & Time" as singles from the album.
In September 2018, the band won the Mercury Prize for their album Visions of a Life
2021–present: Blue Weekend
On 15 February 2021, the band's website was updated to show a looping video of an eye, with the heading "The Last Man on Earth". On 22 February 2021, the band announced that their single "The Last Man on Earth" would be released on 24 February 2021, and would debut on Annie Mac's show on BBC Radio 1. The release of the single was backed by the announcement of their third studio album, Blue Weekend, which was released on 4 June 2021. The second single from the album, "Smile", was released on 20 April 2021.
Blue Weekend received widespread critical acclaim, and was nominated for the 2021 Mercury Prize. On release, music publication The Forty-Five called Blue Weekend "a ballsy idyll of feeling: the sound of a band satisfying themselves rather than proving themselves, and completely filling the space they’ve carved out over the years."
Wolf Alice won the 2022 Brit Award for Group of the Year.
On October 29th 2021, the band released Blue Weekend: Tour Deluxe which includes four live versions of tracks from the album ('Smile', 'How Can I Make it OK', 'Safe From Heartbreak', and 'The Last Man on Earth') as well as a live cover of 'Bobby' by Alex G.
On 5 May 2022, the band released a lullaby version of "The Last Man on Earth" as a single and announced Blue Lullaby, an EP featuring reworked lullaby versions of five tracks from Blue Weekend, which was subsequently released on 24 June 2022. During the summer of 2022, the band played 17 shows supporting Harry Styles' Love On Tour, the first date in Hamburg on the 26th of June and the last show in Lisbon on the 31st of July.
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Soapy Water
Wolf Alice Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Disguise the tears 'cause you're somebody's daughter
And they don't ever wanna see you cry
Anxiety's grip is always waiting to take me
It sits in my stomach, I fear it's starting to shape me
It's hard to live when you're scared to die
Ask for the hand of the Devil himself
I thought I heard her laugh but it was hard to tell
So look into my eyes and see how close I am to crack
But they just say hello and never look back
I thought I heard them talk but it was hard to catch
Superstition has me out of control
Touch my head and bless my soul
I pray it ain't a feeling, but my soul is just old
'Cause nothing heals misery's fist
No witch's pill, no lover's kiss
If life is easy then what is this?
If I'm gonna sit and wait then I might as well
Ask for the hand of the Devil himself
I thought I heard her laugh but it was hard to tell
So look into my eyes and see how close I am to crack
But they just say hello and never look back
I thought I heard them talk but it was hard to catch
Light a smoke, put it out
Search for rooms, out of town
Start again, cut your hair
You've wondered love, but it's hard to care
(I'll care, I'll try to care)
Choose a religion, choose a goddamn sport
Go find something to eradicate these thoughts
You might not waste time, and keep good health
But that's not it, there's something else
If I'm gonna sit and wait then I might as well
Ask for the hand of the Devil himself
I thought I heard her laugh but it was hard to tell
So look into my eyes and see how close I am to crack
But they just say hello and never look back
I thought I heard them talk but it was hard to catch
"Soapy Water" by Wolf Alice is a song about dealing with anxiety and the difficulties of trying to communicate one's feelings to others. The opening lines, "I wash my face with soapy water / This guy is in tears cause she is somebody's daughter / They don't ever wanna see me cry," suggest that the singer is struggling with overwhelming emotions, but doesn't feel like they have a safe outlet to express them. The fear of being perceived as weak or vulnerable--"they don't ever wanna see me cry"--makes it even harder to reach out for help.
The lyrics continue by describing the physical symptoms of anxiety: "Anxiety grips are always waiting to take me / Senses pass out, I feel it starting to shake me." The person with anxiety may feel like they're losing control of their thoughts and their body, which can be scary and disorienting. They might also feel like they're stuck in a holding pattern, waiting for something to change but feeling powerless to make it happen: "If I'm gonna sit and wait then I might as well / Ask for the hand of the devil limbs off / Waiting to talk what is hard to tell."
The bridge of the song offers a glimmer of hope, though it's a tenuous one: "Superstition gets me out of control / Touch my head and bless my soul / And play in a theater but my soul is just old." The singer is grasping for some kind of ritual or symbol that might help them feel better, but it's not clear if these things actually work. In the end, the refrain emphasizes the feeling of being trapped and powerless: "Waiting to talk but is hard to catch."
Line by Line Meaning
I wash my face with soapy water
I attempt to cleanse myself on a surface level, but it doesn't erase the pain.
This guy is in tears cause she is somebody's daughter
Someone is crying because they realize the person in question is someone's child.
They don't ever wanna see me cry
People don't want to witness one's emotional vulnerability.
Anxiety grips are always waiting to take me
I am constantly consumed and overwhelmed by my anxiety.
Senses pass out, I feel it starting to shake me
I am losing control of myself, physically and mentally, due to my anxiety.
Is hard to live when is good to die
It's hard to exist in a world where death seems like a desirable option.
If I'm gonna sit and wait then I might as well
If I have no other choice but to wait, I might as well be proactive and make a deal with the devil.
Ask for the hand of the devil limbs off
I am willing to sacrifice my own well-being and morality to make a deal with the devil.
Waiting to talk what is hard to tell
I am hesitant to disclose what I am truly feeling to others, even when they reach out.
So look into my eyes and see the bull's eye and the crack
If you really look at me, you can see where I am vulnerable and how I have been hurt before.
But they just say hello and never look back
People may try to connect with me, but they don't have the capacity or willingness to understand my pain.
Superstition gets me out of control
I turn to superstition in order to feel a sense of control in my life.
Touch my head and bless my soul
I am seeking some form of divine intervention to heal me.
And play in a theater but my soul is just old
I try to put on a façade of happiness and youth, but deep down I feel old and broken.
Cause nothing heals, misery is bliss
There seems to be no way to heal from pain and maybe it's easier to stay in it.
No witches spell, no lovers kiss
There is no magic solution to my pain, not even love.
If life is easy then what is this?
I cannot understand why life is so difficult and painful if it's supposed to be easy.
Have a Smoke, put it out
I use smoking as a coping mechanism but it's ultimately unhelpful.
Such are wounds, and is out
I have suffered wounds and they may never go away.
Start again, cut your hair
I am attempting to start over and change my appearance to mark a new beginning.
If you want to love then is hard to care
It is harder to care when loving someone comes with so much pain and risk.
(I'll care, I'll try to care)
Despite the difficulty, I know I need to try to care.
Dreams of relationships that come down spoiled
I dream of relationships that ultimately end in heartbreak and disappointment.
Go find something to wreck in this thoughts
I am searching for something to distract myself from painful thoughts.
You may not always hide, and keep good health
Hiding from pain is not conducive to good mental health.
But that's not me, is something else
I feel trapped by my pain, but I know deep down it's not truly who I am as a person.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ellen Ciara Rowsell, Joel Donald Scott Amey, Jonathan David Oddie, Theodore Joseph Ellis
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind