They made special clothes, often big haute-couture-like dresses and used effects like fake blood, make-up, confetti, and various stage designs. Among their special shows was the one at the Swedish Arvikafestivalen 2007, where they made a dystopian performance in three acts with short novel films, produced only for this show, in between the acts. They made extraordinary photo shoots, like the studio photo with Princess surrounded in feathers and Pearl with paint dripping on his chest, all set up for one second moment with the premise of not using Photoshop.
They had several hits, the best known “Tar Heart ” has been named as one of the smartest marketing ideas during the Myspace era, when it was tagged on an early leak of the knife's “Silent Shout” (2006) under the name “F as in knife”, and became a big mystery until it was explained that it actually was a Zeigeist song named “Tar Heart”. Pitchfork Media listed the leaked demo of “Tar Heart” as one of the best songs 2006 on their yearly “Top 100 tracks of..."
In the same time as they declared their all-of-a-sudden split up, they released their last single, a cover of Roxette’s first single “Neverending Love”, with their own "Chasing your shadow all around the world" as a B-side. The split up was explained, as so many other fictive and dramatic things by Zeigeist, with a “termination” on their website that they had their personal reasons to “kill her".
Tar Heart
Zeigeist Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A drop of freezing sweat
His naked skin will bury
Your secret left unsaid
A boy like you is precious
He knows it like the rest
The camera lens is ice cold
Lick Eric's hairy breast
Legs-torso-bleeding soul
Tight, let his fear evolve
You crack him out of love
You're running through the wild
Hunter on the fumes
Tar heart man
It's buried with his soul
Running through the woods
And leave it like it is
Your finger by his lining
The dirty motel sleeps
Bites down on leather, wining
Knows what your dark eyes keeps
The look of love is lethal
And Eric starts to cry
Looks like a trembling beetle
Make him prepared to die
Legs-torso-bleeding soul
Tight, let his fear evolve
You crack him out of love
You're running through the wild
Hunter on the fumes
Tar heart man
It's buried with his soul
Running through the woods
And leave it like it is
His picture on the screen
Give Eric blue bashed skin
Green eyes turn into pitch black
As he devotes to sin
Your fist will bury itself
Like knife in stomach, deep
And Eric's eyes will fade out
Run faster, leave him, leap
Legs-torso-bleeding soul
Tight, let his fear evolve
You crack him out of love
You're running through the wild
Hunter on the fumes
Tar heart man
It's buried with his soul
You're running through the woods
And leave it like it is
(Easy to carve out lonely hearts,
Bodies freeze faster in the night)
Tar heart man
It's pounding in your chest
You're running through the woods
And leave it like it is
The song Tar Heart by Zeigeist is a haunting piece that portrays a dark and troubling story. The lyrics speak of a male protagonist named Eric who appears to be in a troubled and abusive relationship with his male partner, referred to as "hunter on the fumes" and "tar heart man". Eric's fear of his partner causes him to submit to his partner's control and give into his abuse. The lyrics refer to the hunter's sexual and emotional control over Eric, and his willingness to go to extremes to keep him under his thumb. The lines "legs-torso-bleeding soul, Tight, let his fear evolve" indicate that the hunter inflicts physical pain on Eric, causing him to be wounded both physically and emotionally.
Despite the difficult themes presented in the song, the way in which it is presented is captivating, with a juxtaposition of delicate and sinister musical elements. The minimalist synth-pop style of the band, combined with singer Mai Nestor's ethereal vocals, creates a beautifully haunting atmosphere that makes for a powerful and memorable listening experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Your eyes make Eric swallow
Eric is extremely nervous around you, and the intensity of your gaze only makes him more so.
A drop of freezing sweat
Eric is so afraid that he's sweating, and the cold of the sweat is an outward manifestation of his internal terror.
His naked skin will bury
You hold the power over Eric's very being, and his helplessness only makes him more vulnerable to you.
Your secret left unsaid
There's something mysterious and alluring about you that Eric can't quite put his finger on, and it's driving him crazy.
A boy like you is precious
Eric sees you as someone special, someone he's willing to give himself to completely.
He knows it like the rest
Eric feels a sense of competition with others who might be vying for your attention, but he thinks he has something special to offer you.
The camera lens is ice cold
The apparatus of the camera freezes Eric in a way that he can't fully comprehend, and it makes him feel even more helpless and exposed.
Lick Eric's hairy breast
You're exerting your dominance over Eric by making him vulnerable and forcing him to submit to your every whim.
Legs-torso-bleeding soul
Eric's body and mind are in a state of disarray, and he's struggling to hold himself together in the face of your overpowering presence.
Tight, let his fear evolve
By keeping Eric confined in a tight space, you're allowing his terror to grow and intensify until it reaches a breaking point.
You crack him out of love
Your love is like a drug to Eric, and he's completely hooked on the feelings of intensity and passion that you bring to his life.
You're running through the wild
Your love is unpredictable and difficult to contain, like a wild animal that can't be tamed.
Hunter on the fumes
You're like a hunter who's high on the adrenaline of the chase, and you'll stop at nothing to get what you want.
Tar heart man
You're willing to get your hands dirty, and your heart is as black and sticky as tar.
It's buried with his soul
Eric's soul is being consumed and buried beneath the weight of your love, and he's struggling to keep it intact.
Running through the woods
Your love is like a plague that's spreading through Eric's life, and he's running out of time to escape its grasp.
And leave it like it is
You have no intention of changing your ways or easing up on Eric, and you'll continue to take everything you can from him without looking back.
Your finger by his lining
Your touch is cold and ominous, and it leaves Eric feeling even more unsettled and uncertain about his future with you.
The dirty motel sleeps
Eric is trapped in a squalid and seedy environment, and it's a constant reminder of his powerlessness in the face of your love.
Bites down on leather, wining
Eric is engaging in unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with the pain and fear that your love is causing him.
Knows what your dark eyes keeps
Eric is trying to decipher the mysteries of your inner world, but it's a futile effort because your eyes reveal nothing about your true intentions.
The look of love is lethal
Your love is like a weapon that can kill, and Eric is constantly exposed to its deadly power.
And Eric starts to cry
The weight of your love is bearing down on Eric, and he's unable to contain his emotions any longer.
Looks like a trembling beetle
Eric is so paralyzed by fear that he can't move or function like a normal human being.
Make him prepared to die
Your love is like a death sentence for Eric, and he's slowly resigning himself to his fate.
His picture on the screen
Eric is being objectified and turned into a commodity, stripped of his humanity and reduced to a mere image on a screen.
Give Eric blue bashed skin
Your love is causing Eric physical harm, and his skin is turning blue from the repeated abuse.
Green eyes turn into pitch black
Eric is losing his sense of self and becoming consumed by the darkness of your love.
As he devotes to sin
Eric is slipping further and further into a life of darkness and sin, and there's no turning back for him now.
Your fist will bury itself
You're using violence and force to keep Eric in line, and he's powerless to resist your tightening grip.
Like knife in stomach, deep
Your actions are cutting Eric to the core, and he's slowly bleeding out from the wounds that you're inflicting upon him.
And Eric's eyes will fade out
Eric is slowly losing his grip on reality, and his eyes are starting to glaze over as he resigns himself to his fate.
Run faster, leave him, leap
You have no sympathy or concern for Eric, and you're more than willing to leave him behind as you continue running through the wild.
(Easy to carve out lonely hearts,
It's easy for you to take advantage of vulnerable people and manipulate them into falling in love with you.
Bodies freeze faster in the night)
Your love is like a cold winter's night, and it's causing people to freeze up and lose themselves in your icy embrace.
Tar heart man
Your heart is encased in a thick layer of black tar, and it's nearly impossible for anyone to penetrate through to the real you.
It's pounding in your chest
Your heart is full of passion and intensity, and it's beating faster and faster as you continue pursuing your love interests.
You're running through the woods
Your love is unpredictable and spontaneous, and you're constantly pushing the limits of what you're capable of.
And leave it like it is
You have no intention of changing your ways or settling down, and you'll continue to live your life on your own terms.
Contributed by Josiah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@Mia-de8xf
Found this on Spotify. Love it. :)
@DracoVolantus
I always felt like this song is direct lover to 'running up that hill'
@akmadsen
Totally! I was watching Stranger Things 4 where the Kate Bush tune is featured heavily and I spent the better part of two evenings trying to remember which song in my collection had the same chorus.
@zeberka88
wow kocham ten kawałek
@JukeJonathan
Sounds like the sister of Robyn's "Who that's Girl". Loving The Knife influence.
@Fyushal
Fab tune, from a great album.
@xeofreestyler
just saw these guys live amazing
@octagramt
wow... so this is where all the good music is hiding...
@ahcers
your fist will bury itself like knife in stomach, deep and erics eyes will fade out, run faster, leave him, leap legs, torso, bleeding soul tight, let his fear evolve you crack him out of love, you're runnin' through the wild hunter on the fumes (tar heart man) it's buried with his soul, runnin' through the woods and leave it like it is easy to carve out lonely hearts bodies freeze faster in the night, out in the dark
@FAXEKONDI9
TOTAL DEEP CUTS/RUNNING UP THAT HILL