Matilda

Album: An Awesome Wave (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Alt-J frontman Joe Newman has been heavily influenced by cinema all his life. For instance, the An Awesome Wave album title comes from a line in American Psycho, while the lyrics for this gentle acoustic folk ode are an ode to Natalie Portman's 12-year-old character in Luc Besson's thriller, Léon. "I originally wanted to write all my songs about film and have that novelty," he told Loud and Quiet magazine, "but as I've developed I've got more self-involved and started writing about break-ups and being beaten up. So it's gone down the more traditional path, but I haven't retired the idea of doing more film-based music."
  • Why did Newman choose to base the lyrics on Natalie Portman's character? He explained to NME: "When I was about 12, the film Léon had a major effect on me. Matilda is this amazing character. All her family are killed and she forces Léon the hitman to be friends with her so she can get revenge. I was sucked in by her. I had a boy crush on Léon and a girl crush on Matilda."
  • The studio where An Awesome Wave was recorded wasn't soundproofed and at one point if you listen carefully to this track, you can hear the sound of a bus braking.
  • The line "Just like Johnny Flynn said, 'the breath I've taken and the one I must' to go on" is a reference to a lyric from alternative-folk singer-songwriter Johnny Flynn's song "The Wrote And The Writ." The tune is a track from his 2008 debut album, A Larum.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Producer Ron Nevison

Producer Ron NevisonSong Writing

Ron Nevison explains in very clear terms the Quadrophenia concept and how Heart staged their resurgence after being dropped by their record company.

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Alice Cooper

Alice CooperFact or Fiction

How well do you know this shock-rock harbinger who's been publicly executed hundreds of times?

Bill Withers

Bill WithersSongwriter Interviews

Soul music legend Bill Withers on how life experience and the company you keep leads to classic songs like "Lean On Me."

Tanita Tikaram

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.

Tommy James

Tommy JamesSongwriter Interviews

"Mony Mony," "Crimson and Clover," "Draggin' The Line"... the hits kept coming for Tommy James, and in a plot line fit for a movie, his record company was controlled by the mafia.