Belispeak by Purity Ring Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling The Lyrical Depth of Haunting Familial Bonds
Lyrics
Bid you bring me some strong drink
Strain out the pulps and set them close outside
For when my belly, for when my little belly speaks
Grandma, there’s air beneath my bed
And it whispers
And it whispers when I rest
Bid hem the skirts in salt and vinegar, vinegar
And hover closely, oh hover closely under head
Grandma, the water is rising
My boundless hair has gotten green
I’ll be your swimming forest island
Bid you walk safely, safely over me
Grandma, my hands have wandered
And my legs, my little legs are getting weak
Bid lend me your wispy frame
And guard my powers, guard my precious powers in its cage
Grandma, I’ve been unruly
In my dreams and with my speech
Drill little holes into my eyelids
That I might see you, that I might see you when I sleep
Grandma, the water is rising
My boundless hair has gotten green
I’ll be your swimming forest island
Bid you walk safely, safely over me
I’ll be your swimming forest island
Purity Ring’s ‘Belispeak’ is a track that delves deeply into the complexities of familial relations, set against a backdrop of ethereal electronica. At first listen, the song resonates with the listener through its melodically haunting soundscape, but a deeper exploration of the lyrics reveals layers of emotional and possibly ancestral connections that demand attention.
Through the guise of a conversation with a grandmother, the songwriters Megan James and Corin Roddick craft an otherworldly narrative that intertwines care, dependency, and transformation. What at a glance may seem like a mere dark fairy tale, upon closer inspection, carries the weight of generational legacy and personal growth.
The Intimacy of Dependency and Care in ‘Belispeak’
The repeated appeals to ‘Grandma’ in the song evoke a sense of childlike dependency, seeking comfort and protection from the wise elder in times of vulnerability. This innate desire for care, for that ‘strong drink’ to alleviate discomfort, is symbolic of the human quandary where we reach out for ancestral wisdom to navigate the complexities of life.
However, there’s an unsettling element as well; the request to ‘strain out the pulps’ and to ‘hover closely’ speaks to a level of control and preservation that could be suffocating. The grandchild accounts for both solace and protection, mirroring the duality of our search for independence whilst yearning for the nurturing safety nets of our youth.
A Narrative Cloaked in Dreamlike Symbolism
Purity Ring is renowned for their use of vivid, surreal imagery, and ‘Belispeak’ serves as a testament to this strength. From the ‘air beneath my bed’ to the ‘swimming forest island,’ the lyrics paint a dreamscape that is both bewitching and eerie, suggesting a deep dive into the subconscious.
These images bring to life an uncanny realm where the physical and metaphysical converge — the ‘boundless hair’ turning green implies a metamorphosis that transcends the corporeal, possibly signifying a spiritual rebirth or the intertwining of human and nature in a cycle that defies death.
Deciphering the Hidden Meaning of Generational Echoes
The subtlety in ‘Belispeak’ lies in its ability to encapsulate the echoes of generational connections. The song manifests the idea of inheriting not just biological traits but emotional and spiritual legacies from our predecessors. It’s about the imprint left behind and carried within us, often surfacing in our dreams and speech.
The felt need to ‘guard my precious powers in its cage’ reinforces this notion of inherited potential that must be protected and controlled. The protagonist is aware of the immense power within — the legacy bequeathed by ancestral lineage — and is both in awe and apprehension of its magnitude.
The Emotive Power of Purity Ring’s Signature Lines
With ‘Drill little holes into my eyelids / That I might see you when I sleep,’ ‘Belispeak’ delivers one of the most hauntingly beautiful yet deeply unsettling lines. It’s a moment that captures the essence of the song’s yearning — to maintain a connection that’s slipping away, to continue to perceive even in the darkness of sleep.
This plea for vision beyond the physical world speaks to a desire for continued guidance, perhaps even after the grandmother’s influence has waned or ceased. It’s a wish for ancestral wisdom to persist, reminding listeners of the boundless desire to retain the essence of those who shape us.
The Enigma of ‘Belispeak’: Conclusion and Interpretation
In conclusion, ‘Belispeak’ wades through the waters of folklore, familial bonds, and the cycles of life and death. As listeners, we’re called to find our reflection in its lyrics, to consider the transformative experiences we’ve inherited, and the ancestral voices that continue to whisper beneath our beds.
It’s not a song to be taken at face value; rather, it’s an invitation to explore the depths of our hereditary narratives and acknowledge the murky waters and the fertile soil they offer to our growth. In ‘I’ll be your swimming forest island,’ we are reminded that we, too, are part of a continuum, perhaps becoming the very ‘swimming forest island’ for future generations to find solace in, to navigate and explore.
