Song of I

Album: To The Bone (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On the face of it, this seems to be a love song, but it goes deeper than that. Steven Wilson explained to The Daily Telegraph the lyrics are about sexual and emotional obsession, as well as the "refusal to let go of something that clearly isn't bringing any happiness."
  • Wilson brought in Sophie Hunger to duet on the track. He told The Daily Telegraph he recruited the Swiss jazz-pop singer as there is a "sexy-sinister" quality to her vocals.

    "I think most people can relate to the feeling of love spilling over into obsession," said the ex-Porcupine Tree frontman. "I also wanted a glacial coldness in the vocals and music to hint at the destructive side of love."
  • UK based composer, vocalist and performance artist Maya Petrovna features in the video. "I happened across some amazing images and film of the performance artist Maya Petrovna and asked her if she would be interested in working on it," said Wilson. "I thought it could work well to illustrate the song as some form of highly stylized drama, maybe somewhere between choreography and soap opera."
  • A couple of lines are sung in French:

    T'es sous le sable
    T'es dans l'eau
    I gave it up
    Gave it up
    J'abandonne


    They roughly translate to:

    You're under the sand
    You're in the water
    I gave it up
    Gave it up
    I give up

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?

Which Restaurants Are Most Mentioned In Song Lyrics?Song Writing

Katy Perry mentions McDonald's, Beyoncé calls out Red Lobster, and Supertramp shouts out Taco Bell - we found the 10 restaurants most often mentioned in songs.

Francesca Battistelli

Francesca BattistelliSongwriter Interviews

The 2011 Artist of the Year at the Dove Awards isn't your typical gospel diva, and she thinks that's a good thing.

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.

N.W.A vs. the World

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Chris Fehn of Slipknot

Chris Fehn of SlipknotSongwriter Interviews

A drummer for one of the most successful metal bands of the last decade, Chris talks about what it's like writing and performing with Slipknot. Metal-neck is a factor.