Damien Rice: The Blower's Daughter Meaning
Song Released: 2001
Covered By: Taylor Henderson (2013), Matt McAndrew (2014)
The Blower's Daughter Lyrics
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
I can't take my eyes off of you [x6]
And so it is
Just like you said it...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:From Yahoo Answers: "The thing with the clarinet teacher is a common misconception about this song. It's been said so often that it's almost become a self-fulfilling truth. Can't remember where it was first mentioned but it's been picked up and gained momentum. Anyway, it's not true.
Back when I first saw Damien play years ago he explained the meaning of the song, and it took me a while to understand the relevance. I didn't get it at the time, but luckily someone taped the show and I was able to listen back to it.
The Blower in question wasn't a clarinet teacher, but the cockney rhyming slang for the telephone (Stick with me, I know it sounds ambiguous!). Before he was in Juniper Damien worked at a call centre selling mortgages and loans, and spent all day on the telephone. He grew sick of speaking to people for 8 hours a day without seeing anyone's face, and he began to fantasize about the people behind the many voices he heard. One summer day he phoned a house and a girl with a melodic soft, sweet voice answered the phone. He was calling for her father, but he wasn't in. Protocol said he should have ended the call and phoned back another time, but he was mesmerized and enchanted by her voice and ended up chatting to her for over an hour. Damien began a secret relationship of sorts with the girl, always calling when he knew her father wouldn't be home just so they could talk, despite knowing that it could get him sacked. He dreamed of her at night, daydreamed about her all day long.
This continued for over a month, but one day he called and there was no answer. For the next week he called again numerous times a day, but still nobody picked up the phone. Confused by this abrupt end to the relationship, Damien became angry and obsessive (you were right about the obsessive bit) and found out the address of the girl. He took a day off work and got the bus out to the address.
Hidden in a hedge he watched the front door fervently for any signs of life, but he didn't expect what he finally saw. The voice was unmistakably the same, and as she shouted 'bye mum', closing the front door behind her Damien was amazed to see that this dreamgirl of his was wearing a school uniform. He couldn't believe his eyes and could not stop staring at her in shock. All the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place - she was at home during the school holidays, led him on and played games, then when school started back she just stopped. Damien was angry but obviously couldn't tell anybody about it for fear of being branded a perv. He left the company and formed Juniper shortly after.
Apparently, although this hasn't been confirmed, this girl was part of the inspiration for volcano as well. (She's still too young)"
Source(s):
http://board.damienrice.com/index.php?sh… -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:The term blower's daughter is an old term that refers to a girl who is free spirited and goes with the breeze, unbound, unowned. All this clarinet and glass stuff is ridiculous.
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3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:This song is about a young Damien who thinks he's in love with his clarinet teacher's daughter. She doesn't return his feelings and turns down his advances. He attempts to go on with his life and it goes fine, except he still thinks of her sometimes. The shorter story refers to the fact that she didn't return his feelings (no love, no glory) so their story ends sooner than he had hoped. When he says we'll both forget the breeze, it makes me think of a summer breeze, or a summer fling, so possibly they had a physical encounter. Colder water is like being splashed in the face with cold water or being hit with reality. The blower's daughter is obviously his clarinet teacher's daughter, a pupil in denial is Damien not wanting to admit that there is no future for them. I think as Damien gets older he realizes that he didn't actually love her, and that she treated him poorly. This is the loathing and the leaving it all behind. He realized it wasn't really love, and he'll get over it when he meets someone new.
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The singer can't take his eyes off the girl and his mind off the girl, but when he finds somebody new, his eyes and mind will transfer to another girl.
Melody good, most lyrics good, but end lyrics, bad. -
the clarinet teacher's daughter is correct. How do I know? well, I knew the Blower's Daughter. They stayed friends and he and Lisa did the music at her wedding.
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Having watched many British films,
I know that Captains of ships could talk to the engine room by blowing down a tube , and it would whistle. The telephone became known as the blower. Does this have anything to do with the film, since I read it began with a telephone answering service? -
It is about a guy who meets a girl whom he can't approach. She wants him as much as he wants her but she must wait until he gets the nerve to speak to her. She stays there until he feels her words not to leave: that is why she is there-- she is waiting for hum to approach her.
The song is about the feelings two persons feel when they meet the one they love. In fact most songs are about an "INSTANCE" that we relate in song.
Note: if the woman did not want him she would not be there for him looking so beautiful and waiting. -
The pupil in denial could refer to his eyes still being mesmerized with her even though it is over.
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http://youtu.be/pB3R-RK1ldw
Hi. Here's Pöili's interpretation. Have fun.
> And so it is
> Just like you said it would be
> Life goes easy on me
> Most of the time
He reflects she predicted, when they had their affair, it would come to this because of his softy character.
> And so it is
> The shorter story
> No love, no glory
> No hero in her skies
He realizes in hindsight that his affair with her was brief because she couldn't really love him, because she was still waiting for her superman, who he was not.
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes...
Although he senses this truth, he's still very much in love with her.
> And so it is
> Just like you said it should be
> We'll both forget the breeze
> Most of the time
He repeats her devise to both go on with their lives as if their affair never happened, but the memory pops up occasionally (and he believes also with her).
> And so it is
> The colder water
> The blower's daughter
> The pupil in denial
(I admit it find this part difficult to interpret; maybe this is a personal, autobiographical part)
He becomes aware that he is denying that fact that she, with whom he is so much in love, won't return that love to him.
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes off you
> I can't take my eyes...
And although he realizes the truth by now, he can help but still feeling in love with her.
> Did I say that I loathe you?
> Did I say that I want to
> Leave it all behind?
(In distant time or place they meet, or maybe he receives a last letter before she leaves to some distant place)
She explains in her typical female way - which no man can really comprehend - that her rejection didn't mean she loathed him for being a softy and that she hadn't really expected that he gave up on their relation. She would have been content if he behaved more like her superman ideal or alternatively proved to her she didn't need all of that superman stuff and instead had made her fall in love with him just the way he was by a bit more persuation. More likely, however, it was simply the case that she didn't find here superhero after all and she realized too late that he was, in retrospect, the man she had loved the most in her entire life, and she turned him away...
> I can't take my mind off you
> I can't take my mind off you...
> I can't take my mind off you
> I can't take my mind off you
> I can't take my mind off you
> I can't take my mind...
> My mind...my mind...
> 'Til I find somebody new
Now that she's gone forever, he must live with the memory of her. But he also realizes it's a problem in his mind and he may find somebody new to love. -
No hero in her sky= No faith
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In my opinion the song is about the final journey from when a relationship begins to turn sour to its finally ending. The recognition and shock of that fact.
Life goes easy on me most of the time (ups and downs in everyone's life).
The shorter story (no enduring love story which everyone strives for).
No love, no glory (love and glory = a successful relationship).
No hero in the sky (he feels he's failed - perhaps again - he is not her hero as he wanted to be, and once was).
Here it is as you said it should be (being in a relationship as we believe we should/behaving in a certain way).
When you first fall in love you can't take your eyes off your partner - you are deeply infatuated.
We'll both forget the breeze most of time (ignore the things that are going wrong for as long as possible).
The colder water (the sudden shock that it is actually not going to work out). The blower's daughter (it rhymes). The pupil in denial.
The denial that the relationship is ending and trying to ignore it for as long as possible as happens in relationships.
Did I say that I loathe you (the part where you end up hating someone because you have ignored the bad things going on) and did I say that I want to leave it all behind (when you finally can't stand it anymore and have to leave).
Can't take my mind off of you (still thinking about the person you have left although it is over)...until you heal, find someone new and the whole cycle starts all over again! -
I always felt that the Blower's Daughter had something to do with glassblowing, the colder water being the water into which the hot glass is dipped to cool it down quickly so it doesn't lose it shape.
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And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
A Girl rejected him or broke up with him
she said that he will meet someone new someday and be over her, or something like that.
Life keeps going but he hasn't met anyone new and although his life goes on "most of the time" he still dwells on her and it gets hard to picture life without her.
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
The story is shorter because he pictured growing old with her he thought of her as the one. but she didn't
they didn't fall in love, he thinks he did she didn't
he didn't end up with her.
although he is the hero in what he thought would be their story he isn't because the story doesn't end the way he wanted it to. in his story he is the hero and every other guy is the villain thus whoever she ends up isn't the hero because Damian is the hero in his story. ( remember the song is about him not her) "i can't take my eyes off of you" i is the subject you is the direct OBJECT
I can't take my eyes off of you [x6]
And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
Life goes on someday everything will be a memory he'll forget about her and she will forget about him
although he says most of the time wich tells us that he hasn't it doesn't say wether she has or hasn't
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial
Cold water sucks it doesn't feel good but it wakes you up. this is where he starts to believe that he will indeed someday move on he is in denial because although he tells himself he is over her he knows he isn't but it is a start to knowing that one day he will be.
I can't take my eyes off of you [x5]
I can't take my eyes...
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
HE never felt this because he isn't like that.
he never hated her so it was harder to move on.
he understands her viewpoint thus he doesn't hate her
he doesn't want to move on though.
I can't take my mind off of you [x 5]
I can't take my mind...
My mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new
This is the beggining of a new chapter he takes his eyes off her so he accepts that she's gone but she is still in his mind. this tells me that if he can finally take his eyes off of her he will one day take his mind off of her.
"Till i find somebody new" isn't anyone it's someone he can begin to fall in love with which will be a new story and he will have the chance to be the hero or not.
Eguerra24 -
The song is about infatuation. After a break-up life goes on but he is always reminded of her. He's accepted that things won't end up the way he wanted them to but he still thinks of her, admires her. She moves on so does he but she reappears time and again he tries to forget to move on but he can't she's deeply in him, he doesn't hate her he doesn't want to forget about her but he wants to move on and he can't because he truly believes he loves her but he will find love that will be reciprocated someday.--Eguerra24
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@ anameliai (Completely wrong) you have changed the whole concept behind this beautiful song...........you will love it more when you change your interpretation.
@ Lacrimosa (You are also not there)
@ LaurenSchell (Very close to the actual concept of the song)
Ok folks, below is my interpretation of the song....you can think otherwise I would love to have your opinion
BACKGROUND:
I am not sure about the background but yes she was the blower's daughter - BLOWER used to teach the hero clarinet and there were other many students as well.....
The hero falls in love with this girl and she also loves him but she could never endorse it strongly may be waited for the right moment or HERO to take the lead or some strange forces of the nature didn't support.
Interpretation of the song:
And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky
Very interesting start to the song - Our Hero GIVES UP here and says So it is...He is not happy about it though.(Exactly its going the way like you (the girl) said that it won't work out for us........and he thinks that his girl is there without any hero - as her biggest lover was me............there is no love, no glory in HER life......since her original hero isn't there.....(this is a strong hint that she was also in love with him but she had to surrender in front of some strange forces.
I can't take my eyes off of you
And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial
But the reality is whatever it is - the hero can't take his eyes off her....she still exits within him.....he loves her a lot and cannot forget her ever.........he goes on saying but SO IT IS..........as you mentioned once (those strange forces will make us stay apart and we will have to forget the good days....the breeze of ours - which belonged to us our world - our fantasies.
The colder water - the blowers daughter - the pupil in denial............(he shouts yes that her - clarinet teacher's daughter - pupil (all students) are in denial....
He refers to PUPIL (all of them of course he is one of them) but indirectly he is referring to himself.........to establish the story of the blower's daughter and students (as one of the students - the hero was in love his daughter)
Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?
This is the best part........its more painful for our hero.....and after years - he realizes that SHE NEVER SAID She loathe him......as SHE WAS also in love with him....and she never said she wanted to leave it all behind....why would you blame the girl...she has something for our hero in her heart. But strange forces were responsible for this. So its her singing to him..........My hero - I didn't say I never loved you....I didn't say to quit......HER WAY OF TELLING yes she LOVED him as well......
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind...
My mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new
Its not only about eyes but she is living in him all over. He can't even take his my mind off her.....
I hate the last line though (till I find somebody new) - This kills the whole concept of a brilliant song but we can always delete the last line and relate to the song.
Hope you liked my interpretation. Please comment....... -
Dipping a piece while hot into a bucket of cold water will shatter the outside of the glass while leaving the inside intact, thus give the appearance of cracked glass
i love the metaphor about a blower's daughter
my interpretation is about a glass blower
someone that creates fragile delicate trinkets and ornaments with great care
then about his daughter
someone who is the opposite of her father
she is neither careful or delicate with her affections
a breif fling was nothing more then a fling...
"Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze"
something to be forgotten
not as something that could have been molded, forged by fire if only they/she only breathed life into it
he still thinks back
in fact can't stop thinking about her,
the fling in his eyes was once hot, molten
was broken, shattered by the
"The colder water"
he's hurt over how it ended, but still
longs for her, pines for her
"The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial"
because she made a shattered glasswork of his heart -
I think this song is about a girl who he loves, but can't have. He wants her very badly, and she won't let him have her. She tells him the way it will be between them, and he finds that it really is that way, hense the line "and so it is just like you said it would be."
When he says, "Life goes easy on me most of the time" He means that she told him he'd be ok without her and she was right except for that feeling he still holds of longing for her inside of him. But I think he is so consumed with longing for this girl that he can't think of anything else, hense the lines "I can't take my eyes off of you." or "I can't take my mind off of you." And he is feeling low about it because he wants her and she won't give him her love so he says, "And so it is the shorter story, No love no glory." because that puts an end to the story of their relationship.
When he says "we'll both forget the breeze, most of the time." I think he means that the breeze is changing in their relaitonship and even when he tries to forget about it, it stays in the back of his mind. Then he says, "And so it is the colder water, the blower's daughter, the pupil in denial." He means that the water runs cold, or it leaves him bitter in other words, that he can't have her. And the pupil referrs to her and how she is in denial that she really loves him back.
When it says, "Did I say I loathe you, Did I say I want to leave it all behind?" I think that is her talking to him saying she is regretting her decision because she really doesn't loathe him and she really does want him, and she is regretting giving all that up. And then he says, "I can't take my mind off of you... until I find somebody new." He means that he will always be consumed by this obsession with her until somebody else comes along that he can consume his mind with instead of her, or helps him move on from her, in other words.
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