Meaning of “Wasteland, Baby!” by Hozier

“Wasteland, Baby!” is the title of a song by Irish musician Hozier. The track’s lyrics center (in their entirety) on the topic of falling in love with someone.

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Hozier's Wasteland, Baby! at Lyrics.org.

As the title implies, “Wasteland, Baby!” is a song cast is an apocalyptic setting. At some points, the “end of the world” is used as a metaphor applied to certain aspects of romantic love. For instance, in the first verse, Hozier compares such to the sensation of “fear” that is experienced when individuals fall in love.  At others times, Armageddon is more literal, as in Hozier and his shorty actually bearing witness to it.  For example, the third verse features them apparently living in a ‘ruined’ city yet still locked in each other’s embrace. Meanwhile in terms of content, the second verse, which is more symbolic and encoded than the other two, falls somewhere in the middle of the first and third.

Despite its bleak setting, “Wasteland, Baby!” ends on a positive note if you will. Yes, Hozier and his boo find themselves in a situation where they are surrounded by death and decay. However, he asserts that such is “not an end” but rather the beginning of the fresh future that lies ahead. Whether the forthcoming days will prove to be more favorable than the past is unstated, though the general suggestion, with the world now being devoid of life, is that they will not. That being said, what is clear is that Hozier has every intention of confronting these challenges while maintaining his connection with the woman he loves.

Wasteland, Baby lyrics

Facts about “Wasteland, Baby!”

  • Hozier wrote “Wasteland, Baby!” all by himself. He later proceeded to produce it along with the noted British record producer and songwriter Markus Dravs.
  • “Wasteland, Baby!” is the 14th and final track on Hozier’s second studio album (which shares the same title as the song).  
  • 1 March, 2019 was the day Hozier’s management officially released this song. It wasn’t released as a single from the album it appears on. The album, Wasteland, Baby! (which this track appears on) was preceded by just three singles. These singles are as follows: “Movement“, “Dinner & Diatribes” and “Almost (Sweet Music)“.

3 Responses

  1. Pratiksha khanal says:

    Hozier you are my everything . I love you hun

  2. Anonymous says:

    I was listening to this song and reading the lyrics when I felt so melancholy and scared. I was so sad. I then reached the last verse which is so brilliantly written and it made me feel positive and unafraid. Hozier has such a way with words.

  3. C me says:

    Can’t get enough of this

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