My first name Angelene
Prettiest mess you've ever seen
Love for money is my sin
Any man calls I'll let him in
Rose is my colour and white
Pretty mouth, and green my eyes
I see men come and go
But there'll be one who will collect my soul
And come to me
Two thousand miles away
He walks upon the coast
Two thousand miles away
It lays open like a road
Dear God, life ain't kind
People gettin born then dying
But I've heard there's joy untold
Lays open like a road in front of me
Two thousand miles away
He walks upon the coast
Two thousand miles away
Lays open like a road
It seems so far away
I see men come and go
Two thousand miles until I reach that open road
My first name's angelene
PJ Harvey - Is This Desire? Album Lyrics
PJ Harvey - Is This Desire? Lyrics
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The Sky Lit Up
I'm walking in the city tonight
I'm walking in the city at dark
Remembering, remember light
Thinking of nothing, and the shooting stars
And this world tonight is mine
A world to be remembered in
Think on a faded photograph
My hair longer than it's ever been
The sky lit up
The sky
My friend
The sky lit up
The sky my friend
And I'm lighter than I've ever been
I saw the trees crossing the moon
I saw the stars and heaven above
Shine on my own beautiful prayer
Shining on my own beautiful love
The sky lit up
The sky my friend
The sky lit up
I'm lighter than I've ever been
And I'm dancing with him
In this city and in this town
I don't care what he's thinking of
Just take the car, just take my hand
The sky lit up
The sky lit up
The sky lit up
The sky lit up
I'm walking in the city at dark
Remembering, remember light
Thinking of nothing, and the shooting stars
And this world tonight is mine
A world to be remembered in
Think on a faded photograph
My hair longer than it's ever been
The sky lit up
The sky
My friend
The sky lit up
The sky my friend
And I'm lighter than I've ever been
I saw the trees crossing the moon
I saw the stars and heaven above
Shine on my own beautiful prayer
Shining on my own beautiful love
The sky lit up
The sky my friend
The sky lit up
I'm lighter than I've ever been
And I'm dancing with him
In this city and in this town
I don't care what he's thinking of
Just take the car, just take my hand
The sky lit up
The sky lit up
The sky lit up
The sky lit up
Writer: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The Wind
Catherine liked high places
High up, high up on the hills
A place for making noises
Like whales
Noises like the whales
Here she built a chapel
With her image
Her image on the wall
A place where she could rest and rest
And a place where she could wash
And listen to the wind blowing
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind
And listen to the wind blow
She dreamt of children's voices
And torture on the wheel
Patron Saint of nothing
A woman of the hills
She once was a lady
Of pleasure and high born
A lady of the city
But now she sits and moans
And listens to the wind blow
Listen to the wind blow
I see her in a chapel
High up on the hill
She must be so lonely
Oh Mother can't we give
A husband to our catherine
A handsom one, a deal
A rich one for the lady
Someone to listen with
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind blow
High up, high up on the hills
A place for making noises
Like whales
Noises like the whales
Here she built a chapel
With her image
Her image on the wall
A place where she could rest and rest
And a place where she could wash
And listen to the wind blowing
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind
And listen to the wind blow
She dreamt of children's voices
And torture on the wheel
Patron Saint of nothing
A woman of the hills
She once was a lady
Of pleasure and high born
A lady of the city
But now she sits and moans
And listens to the wind blow
Listen to the wind blow
I see her in a chapel
High up on the hill
She must be so lonely
Oh Mother can't we give
A husband to our catherine
A handsom one, a deal
A rich one for the lady
Someone to listen with
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind blow
And listen to the wind blow
Copyright: Lyrics © Original Writer and Publisher
My Beautiful Leah
Did you see her walking ?
Did she come around here, sir ?
Black hair, brown eyes
My beautiful leah
She was always so needing
Said "I have no-one"
Even as I held her
She went out looking for someone
Looking for someone
She only had nightmares
And her sadness never lifted
And slowly over the years
Her lovely face twisted
Did she come around here, Sir?
I swear you would remember
Black hair, brown eyes
Late september
October, November, December
It never leaves my mind
The last words she said
If I don't find it this time
Then I'm better off dead
Did she come around here, sir ?
Black hair, brown eyes
My beautiful leah
She was always so needing
Said "I have no-one"
Even as I held her
She went out looking for someone
Looking for someone
She only had nightmares
And her sadness never lifted
And slowly over the years
Her lovely face twisted
Did she come around here, Sir?
I swear you would remember
Black hair, brown eyes
Late september
October, November, December
It never leaves my mind
The last words she said
If I don't find it this time
Then I'm better off dead
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
A Perfect Day Elise
He got lucky, got lucky one time
Hitting with the girl in room five none nine
She turned her back on him facing the frame
Said, "Listen Joe don't you come here again"
White sun scattered all over the sea
He could think of nothing but her name Elise
God is the sweat running down his back
The water soaked her blonde hair black
It's a perfect day
A perfect day, Elise
He got burned by the sun
He's a lucky man
His face so pale and his hands so worn
And the sky
Let himself in room five none nine
As she turned away
Said a prayer, pulled the trigger and cried
Tell me why
It's a perfect day
A perfect day, Elise
Ah oh, It's a perfect day
A perfect day, Elise
Hitting with the girl in room five none nine
She turned her back on him facing the frame
Said, "Listen Joe don't you come here again"
White sun scattered all over the sea
He could think of nothing but her name Elise
God is the sweat running down his back
The water soaked her blonde hair black
It's a perfect day
A perfect day, Elise
He got burned by the sun
He's a lucky man
His face so pale and his hands so worn
And the sky
Let himself in room five none nine
As she turned away
Said a prayer, pulled the trigger and cried
Tell me why
It's a perfect day
A perfect day, Elise
Ah oh, It's a perfect day
A perfect day, Elise
Writer: Polly Jean Harvey
Copyright: Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Copyright: Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Catherine
Catherine De Barra
You've murdered my thinking
Gave you my heart
You left the thing stinking
I'd shake from your spell
If it weren't for my drinking
The wind bites more bitter
With each light of morning
I envy the road
The ground you tread under
I envy the wind
Your hair riding over
I envy the pillow
Your head rests and slumbers
I envy to murderous
Envy your lover
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
I envy the road
The ground you tread under
I envy the wind
Your hair riding over
I envy the pillow
Your head rests and slumbers
I envy to murderous
Envy your lover
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
Oh my Catherine
For your eyes smiling
For your mouth singing
With time I'd have won you
With wile I'd have won you
For your eyes smiling
For your mouth singing
With time I'd have won you
Oh my Catherine
With time I'd have won you
With wile I'd have won you
You've murdered my thinking
Gave you my heart
You left the thing stinking
I'd shake from your spell
If it weren't for my drinking
The wind bites more bitter
With each light of morning
I envy the road
The ground you tread under
I envy the wind
Your hair riding over
I envy the pillow
Your head rests and slumbers
I envy to murderous
Envy your lover
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
I envy the road
The ground you tread under
I envy the wind
Your hair riding over
I envy the pillow
Your head rests and slumbers
I envy to murderous
Envy your lover
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
I damn to hell every second you breath
'Til the light shines on me
Oh my Catherine
For your eyes smiling
For your mouth singing
With time I'd have won you
With wile I'd have won you
For your eyes smiling
For your mouth singing
With time I'd have won you
Oh my Catherine
With time I'd have won you
With wile I'd have won you
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Electric Light
The beauty of her, under electric light
The beauty of her, under electric light
Tears my heart out every time
Dawn There waiting, right outside
Dawn There waiting, right outside
She tears my heart out every time
Siren rising across the sky
Sirens rising across the sky
Tears my heart out every time
The beauty of her, under electric light
Tears my heart out every time
Dawn There waiting, right outside
Dawn There waiting, right outside
She tears my heart out every time
Siren rising across the sky
Sirens rising across the sky
Tears my heart out every time
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The Garden
And he was walking in the garden
And he was walking in the night
And he was singing a sad love song
And he was praying for his life
And the stars came out around him
He was thinking of his sins
And he's looking at his song-bird
And he's looking at his wings
There, inside the garden
Came another with his lips
Said "won't you come and be my lover ?"
"Let me give you a little kiss"
And he came knelt down before him
And fell upon his knees
"I will give you gold and mountains
If you stay a while with me"
And there was trouble
Taking place
Trouble
Taking place
There, inside the garden
They kissed and the sun rose
And he walked a little further
And he found he was alone
And the wind it gathered round him
He was thinking of his sins
And he's looking for his song-bird
He was looking for his wings
And there was trouble
Taking place
Trouble
Taking place
There was trouble
Taking place
Trouble
Taking place
And he was walking in the night
And he was singing a sad love song
And he was praying for his life
And the stars came out around him
He was thinking of his sins
And he's looking at his song-bird
And he's looking at his wings
There, inside the garden
Came another with his lips
Said "won't you come and be my lover ?"
"Let me give you a little kiss"
And he came knelt down before him
And fell upon his knees
"I will give you gold and mountains
If you stay a while with me"
And there was trouble
Taking place
Trouble
Taking place
There, inside the garden
They kissed and the sun rose
And he walked a little further
And he found he was alone
And the wind it gathered round him
He was thinking of his sins
And he's looking for his song-bird
He was looking for his wings
And there was trouble
Taking place
Trouble
Taking place
There was trouble
Taking place
Trouble
Taking place
Writer: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Joy
Joy was her name
A life un-wed
Thirty years old,
Never danced a step
She would have left these red hills
Far behind if not for her condition
Would have left these red hills
Long ago if not for my condition
Pitiful joy
She looked away
Into a hollow sky
Came face to face
With her own innocence surrounding her
Until it never was a question
Innocence so suffocating
Now she cannot move, no question
No hope for joy
No hope or faith
She wanted to go blind
Wanted hope to stay
"I've been believing in nothing since I was born
It never was a question"
No !
A life un-wed
Thirty years old,
Never danced a step
She would have left these red hills
Far behind if not for her condition
Would have left these red hills
Long ago if not for my condition
Pitiful joy
She looked away
Into a hollow sky
Came face to face
With her own innocence surrounding her
Until it never was a question
Innocence so suffocating
Now she cannot move, no question
No hope for joy
No hope or faith
She wanted to go blind
Wanted hope to stay
"I've been believing in nothing since I was born
It never was a question"
No !
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
The River
And they came to the river
And they came from the road
And he wanted the sun
Just to call his own
And they walked on the dirt
And they walked from the road
'Til they came to the river
'Til they came up close
Throw your pain in the river
Throw your pain in the river
Leave your pain in the river
To be washed away slow
And we walked without words
And we walked with our lives
Two silent birds circled by
Like a pain in the river
And the pain in the river
And the white sun scattered
Washed away this slow
And we followed the river
And we followed the road
And we walked through this land
And we called it a home
But he wanted the sun
And I wanted the whole
And the white light scatters
And the sun sets low
Like a pain in the river
Like a pain in the river
Like a white light scatters
To be washed away slow
Like a pain in the river
Like a pain in the river
Like the way life scattered
To be washed away slow
And they came from the road
And he wanted the sun
Just to call his own
And they walked on the dirt
And they walked from the road
'Til they came to the river
'Til they came up close
Throw your pain in the river
Throw your pain in the river
Leave your pain in the river
To be washed away slow
And we walked without words
And we walked with our lives
Two silent birds circled by
Like a pain in the river
And the pain in the river
And the white sun scattered
Washed away this slow
And we followed the river
And we followed the road
And we walked through this land
And we called it a home
But he wanted the sun
And I wanted the whole
And the white light scatters
And the sun sets low
Like a pain in the river
Like a pain in the river
Like a white light scatters
To be washed away slow
Like a pain in the river
Like a pain in the river
Like the way life scattered
To be washed away slow
Writer: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
No Girl So Sweet
In came the girl with the saddened eyes
And asked him over again and again
"Was I too weak ? Was I a child ?
And can't we leave here and start again ?"
And I love you
Said "I don't mind if you take me down"
And "I don't mind if you break it all"
But "how much more can you take from me"
"How much more can you take from me"
"I'd like to take you inside my head"
"I'd like to take you inside of me"
"You came from heaven is all he said"
"You came from heaven and came here to me
And I love you"
He drove it fast to make the night
And looked at his angel where she lay
Resting her head and closed her eyes
And outside the heat and the summer fades
Deep in the sky a storm he'd seen
Deep in the sky a storm he'd seen
"There ain't nothing no girl so sweet"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
And asked him over again and again
"Was I too weak ? Was I a child ?
And can't we leave here and start again ?"
And I love you
Said "I don't mind if you take me down"
And "I don't mind if you break it all"
But "how much more can you take from me"
"How much more can you take from me"
"I'd like to take you inside my head"
"I'd like to take you inside of me"
"You came from heaven is all he said"
"You came from heaven and came here to me
And I love you"
He drove it fast to make the night
And looked at his angel where she lay
Resting her head and closed her eyes
And outside the heat and the summer fades
Deep in the sky a storm he'd seen
Deep in the sky a storm he'd seen
"There ain't nothing no girl so sweet"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
"Took her from heaven and gave her to me"
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Is This Desire?
Joseph walked on and on the sunset
Went down and down coldness
Cooled their desire and Dawn said
"Let's build a fire"
The sun dressed the trees in green
And Joe said
"Dawn I feel like a king"
And Dawn's neck and her feet were bare
Sweetness in her golden hair
Said "I'm not scared"
Turned to her and smiled
Secrets in his eyes
Sweetness of desire
Is this desire, enough enough
To lift us higher, to lift above ?
Hour long
By hour, may we two stand
When we're dead, between these lands
The sun set behind his eyes
And Joe said : "Is this desire"
Is this desire, enough enough
To lift us higher, to lift above ?
Is this desire, enough enough
Enough inside, is this desire ?
Went down and down coldness
Cooled their desire and Dawn said
"Let's build a fire"
The sun dressed the trees in green
And Joe said
"Dawn I feel like a king"
And Dawn's neck and her feet were bare
Sweetness in her golden hair
Said "I'm not scared"
Turned to her and smiled
Secrets in his eyes
Sweetness of desire
Is this desire, enough enough
To lift us higher, to lift above ?
Hour long
By hour, may we two stand
When we're dead, between these lands
The sun set behind his eyes
And Joe said : "Is this desire"
Is this desire, enough enough
To lift us higher, to lift above ?
Is this desire, enough enough
Enough inside, is this desire ?
Writer: POLLY HARVEY
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Copyright: Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Is This Desire? is the fourth studio album by the English musician PJ Harvey, released on 28 September 1998 on Island Records. It was re-released on vinyl LP in late January 2021. A separate demo compilation of tracks from the album titled Is This Desire? - Demos was also released on vinyl LP and CD.
Harvey spoke about the making of the album in an interview with Filter magazine in 2004, indicating it was the project of which, to date, she was proudest:
"Again working with Flood, again trying to find new ground, but a particularly difficult time in my life. So, it was a very, very difficult, difficult record to make and still one I find very difficult to listen to, but probably my favorite record that I've made because it had a lot of guts. I mean, I was making extremely difficult music, experimenting with techniques I hadn't used before and not really caring what other people thought about it. I'm quite proud of that one."
She also told The Telegraph, "I do think Is This Desire? is the best record I ever made—maybe ever will make—and I feel that that was probably the highlight of my career. I gave 100 per cent of myself to that record. Maybe that was detrimental to my health at the same time."
Performed By:
PJ HarveyHarvey spoke about the making of the album in an interview with Filter magazine in 2004, indicating it was the project of which, to date, she was proudest:
"Again working with Flood, again trying to find new ground, but a particularly difficult time in my life. So, it was a very, very difficult, difficult record to make and still one I find very difficult to listen to, but probably my favorite record that I've made because it had a lot of guts. I mean, I was making extremely difficult music, experimenting with techniques I hadn't used before and not really caring what other people thought about it. I'm quite proud of that one."
She also told The Telegraph, "I do think Is This Desire? is the best record I ever made—maybe ever will make—and I feel that that was probably the highlight of my career. I gave 100 per cent of myself to that record. Maybe that was detrimental to my health at the same time."
Genre(s): Alternative rock, trip hop, electronic rock, electronica
Producer(s): Flood, Marius de Vries, Head, PJ Harvey
Length: 40:24
Released: September 28th, 1998
Year: 1998