Album: Orthodox (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In our interview with Beware of Darkness lead singer Kyle Nicolaides, he explained that this song was inspired by a poem called The Flea by John Donne. The poem examines the relationship between a flea and the person it bites - how they become intermingled by blood. There's a lot of dark imagery The Flea that translates to Nicolaides lyric, especially the line: "Draw some blood, I'm not going hungry tonight."

    Nicolaides studied the poem in English class before he wrote the song.
  • Howl is the title of a famous poem by Allen Ginsberg, but it has nothing to do with this song. "I really liked the title 'Howl,' Nicolaides told us. "It's just a powerful word, it's strong."
  • Originally released on an EP called Howl in 2012, this was Beware of Darkness' first single. The following year, the song was included on their first album, Orthodox.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Jello Biafra

Jello BiafraSongwriter Interviews

The former Dead Kennedys frontman on the past, present and future of the band, what music makes us "pliant and stupid," and what he learned from Alice Cooper.

Keith Reid of Procol Harum

Keith Reid of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

As Procol Harum's lyricist, Keith wrote the words to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale." We delve into that song and find out how you can form a band when you don't sing or play an instrument.

Millie Jackson

Millie JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney Princesses

Part of Their World: The Stories and Songs of 13 Disney PrincessesSong Writing

From "Some Day My Prince Will Come" to "Let It Go" - how Disney princess songs (and the women who sing them) have evolved.

Band Names

Band NamesFact or Fiction

Was "Pearl" Eddie Vedder's grandmother, and did she really make a hallucinogenic jam? Did Journey have a contest to name the group? And what does KISS stand for anyway?