The Princess and the Clock by Kero Kero Bonito Lyrics Meaning – Unlocking the Fairy Tale of Modern Existence
Lyrics
High up in a chamber
She painted pictures of the man that made her
Oh, ooh, oh
Shadowed by a clock face
The hands were rusted at the time she came in
When she played outside
She saw the birds, so high
But she made a wish
To grow, one day, her own pair of wings
She sailed long from the fall
To find herself in the world
When in the wind, she heard a burning call
And so she followed it and came ashore
On a beach with a crowd, waiting here for you
Then a voice said, “It was true
We all prayed for a princess
You’re the one, heaven sent”
Oh, ooh, oh
High up in the chamber
She painted pictures of the man that made her
Oh, ooh, oh
Just to remember
Before the memory got lost in the dark
Oh, ooh, oh
Shadowed by a clock face
The hands were rusted at the time she came in
Though she shrugged the passing of the days
Eternally a child she would remain
But while she flies like the wind
The air escaped into silence
She woke up laying on a gilded bed
With half a dozen maids around her
“We’re keeping you safe in a tall place
Where you can see all imagining for miles
By God’s decree
Hail to the girl, our Queen”
As the nights ran
Together blurring into years
Her brush strokes never disappeared
Oh, ooh, oh
High up in the chamber
She painted pictures of the man that made her
Oh, ooh, oh
Just to remember
Before the memory got lost in the dark
Oh, ooh, oh
Shadowed by a clock face
The hands were rusted at the time she came in
Though she shrugged the passing of the days
Eternally a child she would remain
Until one day when the clatter rang through the hills
They found my garland that smashed open window sill
A feather high in the air
And the once stopped clock was ticking on
Kero Kero Bonito, known for their esoteric pop melodies and whimsical lyrics, have woven another tapestry of sound in ‘The Princess and the Clock’. This engrossing track is a melodic parable mingling innocence with a haunting narrative, which seems to evolve with every listen.
The song unfolds like an allegorical fairy tale, but beneath its shiny surface, there’s an undercurrent of existential pondering that Kero Kero Bonito expertly embeds into their work. The London-based band’s clever songwriting doesn’t merely entertain—it invites the listeners to decode layers of meaning.
Escaping the Tower: A Flight to Freedom or Folly?
The initial verses paint the image of a young princess, confined and isolated, ‘high up in a chamber’, with the strong visual metaphors of a clock face and rusted hands. It’s a scene-setting that reeks of stagnation and a yearning for movement, prophesied in her wish to ‘grow, one day, her own pair of wings’.
Kero Kero Bonito’s narrative may seem like a nod to classic fairy tales but is ingeniously twisted to reflect on modern dreams of escapism. It’s a story of seeking freedom and finding oneself, but as we delve deeper, it becomes apparent that liberation comes with its own gilded cage.
A Clockwork Princess: The Trappings of Time and Innocence
The recurring motif of the clock is fascinating, suggesting not only the passage of time but also its apparent irrelevance to the princess’s life. ‘Though she shrugged the passing of the days, Eternally a child she would remain’, the lyrics hint at a Peter Pan-like desire to reject the very notion of growing up, while simultaneously being constricted by time.
This allusion to time – rusted, stopped, and then mysteriously ticking again – serves as a powerful symbol for the often illusionary nature of control we believe we have over our lives, and Kero Kero Bonito masterfully plays with this concept.
The Hidden Meaning: Liberation’s Double-Edged Sword
At the song’s core lies the paradox of freedom. The princess, once she’s ‘flown’ and recognized by strangers as their monarch, is ensconced in safety, a ‘tall place’, which is but another, grander tower. Kero Kero Bonito seems to question the price of fame and the illusion of choice—themes relatable to a generation grappling with the pressures of visibility and expectations.
It’s a cautionary tale that resonates with the band’s own journey in the music industry. The narrative forces listeners to question whether liberation is genuine if it leads to further confinement and scrutiny. It’s a riddle set to a pop tune—very much KKB’s signature style.
Artistry as the Sovereign’s Solace
The ‘brush strokes never disappeared’ line stands out as a testament to the princess’s artistic spirit, her only consistent means of expression throughout the years. The princess’s art serves as a link to her past and a form of self-identity, untainted by the imposed role of nobility, hinting at the band’s own reliance on creative output as both an anchor and a lifeline.
‘She painted pictures of the man that made her,’ could imply both a literal father figure, or perhaps, the mythical creator of us all—a nod toward seeking validation through our roots and history, while simultaneously crafting our own narratives.
Memorable Lines: Portents of Rebellion and the Persistence of Hope
The imagery of ‘the once stopped clock was ticking on’ alongside the discovery of ‘a feather high in the air’ suggests a sudden departure or change. It’s a pivotal moment where the imagined princess takes control, possibly signifying a break from the cycle of visibility and expectation.
These final moments of the song dwell on the nature of hope and rebellion. Through the allegory, Kero Kero Bonito implores the listener to consider the significance of self-determination and the power one possesses to restart their life’s clock, to redefine what it means to be free, even within a fairytale of their own making.
