PJ Harvey ~ We Float
(written: 8 March 2004)
This one was tough to think of. I dunno. Busy brain. Or such an empty brain. So I went and sat next to my stereo and this CD was the first one I pulled out and put on. And then this song... and I was floored by the feeling of 3 years ago. I could have been taken back 3 years and dumped back in 3rd year and I wouldn't have thought it was strange.
Snort.
From the little tinkley drum beat at the start to the banging piano, there I was gearing up to go to Auckland. There I was sitting in an Auckland apartment watching the Wiggles on TV, talking on the phone to the boys at the hotel. There I was coming home from Auckland sad and lonely. There I was driving down Dawn's old street to her parents' house. There we were singing it like dying cats. And there's a photo taken on one of those days right after I came back of Dawn and I standing by my car. It's leaning against one of my stereo speakers and I know it's from that time because my hair is a funny colour and because whenever I look at that photo I hear...
"We'll float. Take life as it comes."
It was a tumultuous time in my life for a variety of reasons. I'd lost some things/people, but eventually I'd found some others who more than made up for that loss. My lust for life was at an all time low. My faith in people was lower. And after I came back from those few days with those few people I was just... so disappointed to be here. But ya know, you've gotta just take life as it comes.
More than anything, We Float reminds me of Dawn. And even though I'd happily have traded in this Wellington "scene" for the Aussies (at the time anyway), I wouldn't have been able to have done it without kidnapping her too. She and I fell in love with PJ at the exact same time. Sometimes she'd call me up during the uni break that all this happened in and we'd be listening to the same song just seconds apart.
"Wait! Ok. Start it again... NOW!"
Screeching voices sound so much worse singing down phone lines.
Oh. I dunno. What is it about this particular PJ Harvey song that kills me in a good way every time I hear it? It's beautiful. No denying that. She goes from her bored, sorta spoken verses to this incredible soaring chorus. And the lyrics are great.
"I was in need of help. Heading to blackout. Till someone told me 'run on in honey, before somebody blows your goddamn brains out'"
In conclusion... We float, though it has some fierce competition, is my favourite PJ Harvey song because of all these things and more. Whoo. Fur Patrol reference! It doesn't particularly represent anything. It hasn't moved me live (I've yet to see her play it). I don't even really know too much about her or what this song means. But it has always spoken to me in it's own little way and it's endured 3 years now of always taking me back to a time in my head where I was...
You know.
"This is kind of about you. This is kind of about me. We just kinda lost our way. We were looking to be free, but one day..."