In the midst of pop culture’s vast soundscape, there are few songs that strike a chord deep within the soul. One such song, “Gilded Lily” by Cults, resonates with an ethereal beauty that transcends the typical cadences blaring in the airwaves. From its haunting opening notes to its dreamy yet melancholy lyrics, “Gilded Lily” weaves a narrative that speaks to listeners in the language of the heart.
Cults’ music, particularly “Gilded Lily,” engulfs the audience in a tale of yearning and lost innocence. Behind the luster of its melody and the sweetness of its vocals lies a story shaded in wistfulness. This blog post is a tribute to the multilayered depth that “Gilded Lily” offers to its listeners, breaking down the song’s lyrics, themes, and the emotional canvas it paints.
Who is Cults?
Cults is an American indie pop band formed in New York City in 2010. The band consists of vocalist Madeline Follin and multi-instrumentalist Brian Oblivion. Their distinct sound combines elements of vintage pop with lo-fi production, creating dreamlike sonic landscapes that transport the listener to a simpler time. From their catchy debut single “Go Outside” to their most recent album, “Host,” Cults continues to captivate audiences with their unique blend of nostalgia and modern flourishes. With a dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim, it’s clear that Cults is here to stay.
The Meanings of “Gilded Lily” by Cults
Reflecting the subtle complexities of personal growth and the bittersweet sentimentality of changing relationships, “Gilded Lily” by Cults captures the essence of transitioning into maturity. The song, cherished by the band as well as its listeners, harbors a melody rich with nostalgia and introspection. It probes the inevitability of life’s flux—friends and loves departing from our immediate world yet remaining woven into the fabric of our being indefinitely. This is not just a ballad, but an ode to the permanence of emotional bonds amid the physical and temporal shifts. The phrase “gilded lily,” historically connoting unnecessary embellishment, here, is repurposed and filled with a resonance that speaks to the golden hues of everlasting connections, untarnished by distance or time. Through the lifelines of its musicality, “Gilded Lily” converses with the listener about this universal dance of life—reminding us that though we all age and paths diverge, the impressions left on our soul are indelible and precious.
Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Now it’s been long enough to talk about it
I’ve started not to doubt it, just wrap my head around it
I remember when you told me it’s an everyday decision
But with my double vision, how was I supposed to see the way?
[Pre-Chorus]
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
[Chorus]
Always the fool with the slowest heart
But I know you’ll take me with you
We’ll live in spaces between walls
[Verse 2]
Every city’s got a graveyard
A service bought and paid for
Now I’m sleeping in the backyard
Passing out as night turns into day
[Pre-Chorus]
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
[Chorus]
Always the fool with the slowest heart
But I know you’ll take me with you
We’ll live in spaces between walls
[Bridge]
Go and stretch out my arms long as they need to be
Turn off all alarms and lie to me
Go and stretch out my arms long as they need to be
Turn off all alarms and lie to me
[Pre-Chorus]
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
Haven’t I given enough, given enough?
[Chorus]
Always the fool with the slowest heart
But I know you’ll take me with you
I know I’ll take you with me
Always the fool with the slowest heart
But I know you’ll take me with you
We’ll live in spaces between walls
Verse 1 Analysis
Grappling with Reality
“Now it’s been long enough to talk about it / I’ve started not to doubt it, just wrap my head around it”
The opening lines suggest a period of reflection. The narrator has spent enough time contemplating a significant event or realization to finally discuss it openly. There’s a sense of coming to terms with something that was previously difficult to accept.
The Everyday Decision
“I remember when you told me it’s an everyday decision / But with my double vision, how was I supposed to see the way?”
Here, the lyrics touch on the complexity of daily choices. The phrase “double vision” implies confusion or conflicting perspectives, making it challenging for the narrator to make clear decisions. This could represent emotional turmoil or a situation where the right path isn’t easily discernible.
Pre-Chorus Analysis
The Repetition of Sacrifice
“Haven’t I given enough, given enough? / Haven’t I given enough, given enough?”
The pre-chorus is a poignant repetition of a question that many can relate to—how much more can one give before it’s enough? This line speaks to feelings of exhaustion and emotional depletion, a common theme in relationships where one party feels they’ve sacrificed more than their share.
Chorus Analysis
The Fool with a Slow Heart
“Always the fool with the slowest heart / But I know you’ll take me with you / We’ll live in spaces between walls”
The chorus introduces the idea of being a “fool with the slowest heart,” suggesting a person who perhaps loves too deeply or is slow to move on. Despite this, there’s a glimmer of hope and trust in the line “I know you’ll take me with you.” The phrase “spaces between walls” paints a picture of hidden or secretive places where love and connection can exist away from the world’s pressures.
Verse 2 Analysis
The Universal Graveyard
“Every city’s got a graveyard / A service bought and paid for / Now I’m sleeping in the backyard / Passing out as night turns into day”
In the second verse, the lyrics take a darker turn. The “graveyard” could symbolize the end of relationships or the loss of dreams. The act of “sleeping in the backyard” may indicate a sense of abandonment or being left out, while “passing out as night turns into day” suggests a cycle of despair and recovery.
Bridge Analysis
Stretching Boundaries
“Go and stretch out my arms long as they need to be / Turn off all alarms and lie to me”
The bridge offers a moment of vulnerability. The narrator is willing to go to great lengths (“stretch out my arms”) to maintain the relationship. The request to “turn off all alarms and lie to me” indicates a desire to escape the harsh truths, even if just temporarily.
The Soundscape of Solace
Cults’ signature sound is an amalgamation of indie-pop, shoegaze, and lo-fi aesthetics. “Gilded Lily” encapsulates these influences, creating a sonic tapestry that is at once celestial and intimate. From its reverb-laden guitar lines to its ethereal vocal harmonies, the track’s production paints a backdrop that swells with emotion and intimacy.
The instrumentation mirrors the emotional trajectory of the lyrics, starting softly and building to a crescendo that mirrors the narrator’s anguish, before resolving into a subdued coda. The careful layering of synths and guitars creates an ethereal texture that carries the song’s weight, while the rhythm section provides a grounding force that keeps the listener connected to the song’s core.
Music Video : Deconstructing the Visuals
In the music video for “Gilded Lily,” we are treated to a visual narrative that complements the song’s themes. The dreamlike quality of the visuals, overlaid with a stark palette and subtle grain, encapsulates the track’s aura. The ethereal and often enigmatic scenes depict a threadbare world where the gilded lily navigates the desolate landscape, both fragile and resilient against the elements.
The video’s directorial choices add to the ambiguities presented in the song, offering a canvas for viewers to bring their interpretations to life. Interwoven with images of decay and desolation are moments of respite, fleeting but vivid reminders of a hopeful past. The gilded lily stumbles and twirls through this tapestry, the personification of beauty in an imperfect realm.
A Siren Call in this Song
More than a song, “Gilded Lily” is a siren call for introspection. It beckons the listener to reflect on moments of warmth in a world that can be cold. Through its melodies and poetry, the song weaves a tale that is universal in its specificity, speaking to experiences of loss and the longing for connection.
The track does not seek to provide answers to the fraught dynamics it softly confronts; rather, it offers a shared space for the emotions it evokes. “Gilded Lily” is a sanctuary for these feelings, an acknowledgment of their existence, and a gentle encouragement to hold on, just a little bit tighter, to those ephemeral moments that give life its profound subtlety.
The Literal ‘Gilded Lily’
The term’s most straightforward interpretation seems at first to offer a quaint ode to floral magnificence. In the simplest sense, to gild is to cover with or as if with a thin layer of gold, and a lily is a symbol of purity and beauty. Together, the phrase may suggest an object made ostensibly more beautiful with the addition of gold. However, the word ‘gilding’ is an action that is superficial– a mere varnish over the surface of an existing beauty.
In botanical terms, there are real lilies that have been “gilded” for various ornamental or artistic purposes, underscoring efforts to enhance or alter natural beauty for human fascination. Think of gilded trophies, artifacts, or even cakes adorned with gold leaf. They signify an elevation or transformation, often for ceremonial or artistic effect.
Historically, the literal gilded lily represented wealth and exuberance, a tangible display of opulence. The lily, a flower often associated with purity and renewal, when gilded, became a symbol of extravagant beauty that captivated the senses.
A Historical Exploration of Gilding
In Renaissance Europe, gilding became synonymous with the culture of opulence, where the ability to cover objects in gold leaf or powder denoted not only prosperity but also an adoration of the aesthetic. Its application in art and architecture transformed simple tools and structures into objects of desire, igniting the imagination with the brilliance and permanence of gold.
A Modern Application of an Age-Old Metaphor
In modern parlance, the “gilded lily” is a metaphor for the act of embellishing something already beautiful, good, or perfect. It serves as a gentle reminder that some things are, in and of themselves, complete, and trying to enhance them further may detract from their innate charm. We find this adage threaded in literature, art, and the contemporary lexicon, where it has become a succinct expression of excess and needless adornment.
The Gilded Lily in Literature and Beyond
Literature is replete with instances where the “gilded lily” metaphor appears, always invoking a sense of irony and the absurd. From novels by Charles Dickens to George Eliot, authors have employed this metaphor to critique societal fixations with appearance and the empty pursuit of refinement. It is a silent protagonist in countless narratives where characters learn, often at great personal cost, that true value is found within the unadorned and the authentic.
Beyond the pages of books, we encounter the “gilded lily” in the world of politics, art, and even within ourselves. When a nation veers towards embellished bureaucracy or a piece of art is overworked, we hear the whisper of the gilded lily, reminding us to be vigilant against the encroachment of superficial enhancements that threaten to veil genuine substance.
Gilding the Ethereal
Beyond the literal, the phrase ‘gilded lily’ resonates on a metaphysical level. Often used in literature and discourse, it reflects situations and notions where the enhancement of something of intrinsic beauty actually diminishes its essence.
Consider an individual blessed with natural charm and grace but who succumbs to societal pressures to transform, accentuating their features with excessive makeup or cosmetic surgery. Their pursuit of enhancement could be seen as the gilding of a natural lily, raising questions about the value of authenticity and the line between improvement and detriment.
In spiritual writings, the idea of ‘gilding the lily’ can take on broader significance, cautioning against the pursuit of material wealth or superficial beauty at the expense of inner growth and contentment. It speaks to the futility of adding layers of luxury to a life that lacks a solid foundation of virtue and purpose.
Final Thoughts
Upon the crossroads where music and poetry meet, “Gilded Lily” stands as a testament to the power of art to sound the depths of our collective subconscious. It is a song that lingers, an intangible memory etched in the mind’s eye long after the last chord has faded.
Whether you’ve listened to “Gilded Lily” countless times or are discovering it for the first, it undeniably tugs at the invisible threads that bind us to our most primal emotions. In our fast-paced world, there is a certain sanctity in such moments when art, in all its intangibility, reminds us of our shared humanity.
Cults’ “Gilded Lily” is not just a song to passively consume; it is an invitation to partake in a deeper dialogue with one’s self and others, a medium through which we can explore our yearnings and sorrows within the confines of three and a half minutes. It stands as an enigmatic beacon in a sea of modern sound, a testament to the fact that sometimes, the most profound messages come in the quietest of whispers.
Not every piece of music has the capacity to touch the soul, yet when it does, it creates a ripple that can be felt across vast expanses. “Gilded Lily” is one such song that, much like the flower it embodies, radiates a fragile, yet enduring, beauty—one that is to be cherished in its transient grace.