Undertow

Album: At Swim (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is a track from Lisa Hannigan's third album, At Swim. She recorded the record with The National's Aaron Dessner in a New York church.
  • This was the song that took the longest to get right. Dessner explained to HMV.com: "It existed as a first verse curse for a long time. I had a verse or two but nothing felt right as a chorus so it was in danger of never seeing the light of day. I really liked the verses though so always hoped I could work out a way of finishing it. Then, long after the rest of the songs were recorded I went around to my friend Iain Archer's house and we finally figured it out! I went over to Aaron and put it down just in time to have it on the record."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"

Allen Toussaint - "Southern Nights"They're Playing My Song

A song he wrote and recorded from "sheer spiritual inspiration," Allen's didn't think "Southern Nights" had hit potential until Glen Campbell took it to #1 two years later.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Commercials

CommercialsFact or Fiction

Was "Ring Of Fire" really used to sell hemorrhoid cream?

John Doe of X

John Doe of XSongwriter Interviews

With his X-wife Exene, John fronts the band X and writes their songs.

Yoko Ono

Yoko OnoSongwriter Interviews

At 80 years old, Yoko has 10 #1 Dance hits. She discusses some of her songs and explains what inspired John Lennon's return to music in 1980.

Loreena McKennitt

Loreena McKennittSongwriter Interviews

The Celtic music maker Loreena McKennitt on finding musical inspiration, the "New Age" label, and working on the movie Tinker Bell.