Pegasus

Album: My Soft Machine (2023)
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Songfacts®:

  • "Pegasus" is an enchanting, tender ballad where Arlo Parks captures the blissful embrace of newfound love. It subtly expresses the complex emotions of joy and anxiety that arise when genuine connection follows a period of chaos and separation. "This song is about the purity and rarity of true love," said Parks, "that feeling of solidity, of finding a real home in another human being, of wanting to be better with/for someone but being held as you are."
  • In the first verse, Parks exudes contentment but craves reassurance that the love is mutual. Wrapped in Persian blue sheets, holding a puppy, she's never felt luckier. Yearning for confirmation, she pleads, "Tell me you love me, let me have it."

    The second verse paints her memories through rose-colored filters, casting love's glow on both good and bad times. Phoebe Bridgers joins on the hook, reciprocating the love felt. They exclaim, "I feel elated when you hold me," and with bashful beams, affirm, "It's special that you told me."

    In the third verse, Parks takes a daring leap, flying overnight to be closer to her beloved. It's a significant step, as revealed in the fourth verse, where she acknowledges that nobody has cared for her in the same way. Yet, the absence of chaos and the presence of genuine connection evoke a tinge of fear, a touch of the unknown, after a long time of not having it.
  • The song's title does not appear in the lyrics. Parks titled it "Pegasus" because it's a symbol of freedom, hope, and fresh starts. In Greek mythology, Pegasus, the winged horse born from Medusa's blood, possessed the ability to soar to the heavens and convey divine messages. In the song, Parks finds liberation and optimism within a new relationship. "'Pegasus' is about experiencing the warmth and lightness of good love for the first time," said Parks.
  • This isn't the first time Parks and Bridgers have teamed up on a song. In 2022, Bridgers invited Parks to join her on stage at Glastonbury and Coachella, where they performed the American singer's tunes "Graceland Too" and "I Know The End." They also united to deliver renditions of Radiohead's "Fake Plastic Trees" and Bridgers' own "Kyoto" on BBC Radio 1's Chillest Show.
  • Parks wrote "Pegasus" with the English producer Paul Epworth, who's also worked with Adele, Florence + the Machine and Rihanna. Epworth produced the track with Brockhampton's Romil Hemnani and Baird.

    "The inspirations for the sparseness melting into the light, dance-y beat were 'White Ferrari' by Frank Ocean, 'Talk Down' by Dijon and 'Grieve Not the Spirit' by Air," Parks told Apple Music. "This is the first [time I've been] so candid about how tricky it can be to accept someone being unbelievably kind."
  • The music video, directed by Bedroom at Compulsory Film, captures the frenzied exuberance and vibrant energy of the song. Set against the stark desert landscape, it portrays the long-awaited relief and rediscovery after a long time being alone.

    "The desert landscape has always had a special place in my heart, the scorched land, the dust, the sense of absence," said Parks. "Films like Gerry, My Own Private Idaho, and Paris, Texas all use the desert as its own character representing isolation, nostalgia and the journey to a place outside of yourself. Bedroom did an incredible job of meshing surreal dreamscapes with real intimacy to make one of my favorite music videos I've ever made."

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