Natalie Merchant - Narcissus (Lyric Video)

NARCISSUS
(music & words by Natalie Merchant)

Made me love you, made me love you,
you made me feel the way I do without you now,
bewitched my mind, took possession of my very soul, enchanted me.

I was drawn to you like those ships of fools that had come before,
drawn by your haunting voice but never, never reached the shore.

Made love you, made me love you,
you made me feel the way I do without you now.
Convinced that I was your reflection,
poor Narcissus aching for perfect love.

I went blindly through the fire for you, I burned it all,
made ashes of everything that I’d ever seen and ever known.

I'm nothing but living, breathing flesh and blood,
alive, can you feel me?

I'm nothing but clear and empty sky above,
I'm light, can you see me?

Look how I’m fading away.
Look, how you've wasted away.
Let me take you home.

I was drawn to you like those ships of fools that had come before,
drawn by your haunting voice but never, never reached the shore.

I'm nothing but living, breathing flesh and blood,
alive, can you feel me?

I'm nothing but the clear and empty sky above,
I'm light, can you see me?

I'm cursed repeating words have no sense or meaning,
lies, can you hear me?

Look, how you’re wasting away.
Look how I’m fading away!
Look how I’m fading away!

Let me take you home.
Will you let me take you home?
Will you let me take you?

#nataliemerchant #keepyourcourage #narcissus

[motivationstation]

I thought I lost the love of my life, but then i looked into a pond and fell in love all over again <3

[allycoll]

Oh, Natalie what a journey it’s been with you! From Trouble Me to 2014 and everything in between. Brilliant lyricist and vocals.

[keithbate]

At last new music from Natalie. Got the new album today (14/4/23) .
How the years pass . Been a fan of Natalie's Music since the first 10, 000 Maniacs Peel session in the early 1980's.

[DWadeIndigo]

I don't think this song is about being in love with a narcissist, despite how presently fashionable that label is.

In the lyric, "Poor Narcissus" is a reference to the speaker themselves. The speaker is comparing their own experience of being convinced that they were their lover's reflection to the Greek myth of Narcissus.

In the Greek myth of Narcissus, Narcissus is a beautiful youth who becomes infatuated with his own reflection in a pool of water and falls in love with it. He is unable to tear himself away from his own image and eventually wastes away and dies by the pool.

So, in the lyric, the speaker is likening their own experience of being deeply infatuated and obsessed with their lover to the story of Narcissus, who was consumed by his own self-love and reflection.

It's incredibly poignant and powerful when set in the correct context.

[Gruffyruff]

Soooo amazingly beautiful Natalie ❤️‍🔥 🎵 ❤️‍🔥

[charliespoiledcat]

The most beautiful piece of music and lyric perhaps in my lifetime

[outtathyme]

Natalie makes me proud to be a human being

[verity-dxes]

"Myself, I long for Love and Light but must it come so Cruel, and oh so Bright..."
L. Cohen.

[frauzettikowski]

I'm happy, you release a new album. Hope to see you sooe live on stage

[andrealopez]

Amo tu voz Natalie. Tú música es parte de la banda sonora de mi vida ♥️ Cariños desde Uruguay 🇺🇾

[allencall]

The line, “Poor Narcissus aching for the perfect love, ” made me cry. Encapsulated how many of us feel and maybe even deeply representative of myself.

[veramarialadicha]

Blows me away, so incredibly beautiful Natalie !❤

[ruthscott]

I can relate to this song. If you've ever been in a relationship with a narcissist, you understand these lyrics, and how you can lose yourself in loving that person. I did finally get out...🙏🏻

[annkennedy]

My mother Jane was so elegant!
What to do?
Right!
🎥🎥🎥❤

[Calidaho]

10, 000 Maniacs
Natalie Merchant
♥️💯♥️♥️

[deathbyligers]

Beautiful melody and poignant lyrics.
Loving this one off the new album!

[johnalden]

For 40 years, this is the voice that has captured my thoughts and feelings, inspired me, impressed me. I can remember walking my baby daughter to sleep in my arms, listening to Natalie's songs. It's such a blessing to hear that voice singing new songs again.

[wildflowerzme]

Thank you for your LOVE of Music. I love how it feeds my soul like only music can....

[danfrazier]

I'm excited to see Natalie live for the first time in September!

[TheNOISENOISEZETLAND]

Seeing you in Glasgow this year was a dream come true. I have never cried so much at true beauty at a gig and I have been to hundreds of gigs but you were my pinacle that I had never seen and it truly as the pinacle of gigs for me. My husband had only ever heard me listening to you in the background and he was so blown away and moved and said it was likely the most beautiful emotional gig he had ever been too. You could hear a pin drop while you sang people would applaud and then just silence waiting for you this living angelic voice dancing on stage like you might take off with wings.
I was the one who had the ladybird land on my cassette of yours before we came to the gig and shared it on your fb page. And you sang ladybird that night it was so magical. Bless you Natalie. At 10 years old I sang in public for the first time at my schools talent show singing "These are days" I was terrified but so empowered by your words and the admiration I had for you. I wanted to be you but I found me eventually. Still singing your songs loudly but in my tiny Scottish house from NJ to Scotland you have been with me through my lifetime. Thank you for your words, voice, and music.