Graves

Album: Love Is Dead (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • On September 2, 2015, the tiny body of three-year-old Alan Kurdi was found washed up on a Turkish tourist beach. He and his family were Syrian refugees trying to reach Europe amid the European refugee crisis. Photographs of his drowned body were taken by Turkish journalist Nilüfer Demir and quickly spread around the world, making global headlines. Chvrches singer Lauren Mayberry references the tragedy during this song in which she criticizes the general populace's apathy to such issues that don't directly affect them.

    They're leaving bodies in stairwells
    Washing up on the shore
    Do you really expect us to care what you're waiting for?
    When you're high in your castle, keeping an eye on the door


    The song's verses came very quickly to Mayberry. She told Pitchfork: "The main stimulus was seeing people with power choose to not reference things and never be held accountable because it's not relevant to them. The only reason you can say those things is because you're so f---ing privileged that you don't need to worry about it."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Shawn Mullins

Shawn MullinsSongwriter Interviews

"Lullaby" singer Shawn Mullins on "Beautiful Wreck," beating the Devil, and his writing credit on the Zac Brown Band song "Toes."

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"

Lou Gramm - "Waiting For A Girl Like You"They're Playing My Song

Gramm co-wrote this gorgeous ballad and delivered an inspired vocal, but the song was the beginning of the end of his time with Foreigner.

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots

Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple PilotsSongwriter Interviews

Stone Temple Pilots bass player Robert DeLeo names the songs that have most connected with fans and tells the stories behind tracks from their Tiny Music album.

Famous Singers' First Films

Famous Singers' First FilmsSong Writing

A look at the good (Diana Ross, Eminem), the bad (Madonna, Bob Dylan) and the peculiar (David Bowie, Michael Jackson) film debuts of superstar singers.