Purge The Poison is a single by Marina Diamandis, released under her current stage name 'MARINA'. Appearing on her fifth studio album, Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land, it is the 4th track on the album, and 2nd single off the album.
The song was written by Marina alone, and produced by Jennifer Decilveo.
Background[]
The song was written in April 2020, and first teased about a month later on May 14, with Marina posting a photo of herself to her social media with the caption "Purge the Poison".[1] This was followed by a video in which she played a short snippet of the song's demo, previewing the second verse.[2]
On April 12, 2021, Marina tweeted "#PURGETHEPOISON" along with a link to "allmyfriendsarewitches" which would sign you up to her mailing list.[3] Later the same day, due to a mistake by her team, the official music video was posted to her YouTube before the intended release date, then promptly removed. Marina went on to reveal the single cover and release date, likely as a result of the early leak.[4] After the song's release on the 15th, Marina tweeted the official lyrics.[5]
On May 3, a remix featuring Russian punk-rock group, Pussy Riot, was announced by Marina, and then released on the 5th.[6] The cover was designed by Speir Graphics.
On June 12, during the afterparty of Ancient Dreams: Live from the Desert, Marina shared a snippet of the song's songwriting demo.[7]
Meaning[]
In a Billboard interview, Marina commented on the song:[8] I mean, when I look back on "Purge the Poison," it's such a frenetic song -- and it makes sense, because we were all just trying to catch up with these really extreme life events and social events.
Additionally during the interview she also comments on the Britney line, and whether it was inspired by the 2021 Free Britney movement:
❝ No. Weirdly, that was written last April, and completed then. I think it's really interesting how we are able to look back on that. And I just think it's a really brave thing for journalists who reported on her at the time to be able to look back and say, "You know what? We didn't treat her in the right way." And that was linked to a wider problem: At the time, we didn't understand mental health in the same way. We saw someone who was evidently having a nervous breakdown, and who had led a really high-stress life, and basically made fun of her for it. I mean, that's not what “Purge” is about, but it was worth mentioning her in this commentary about femininity. ❞
In an interview with People magazine:[9]
❝ Purge the Poison, a reflection of the times we're living, sung from the perspective of Mother Nature.* [..] [It's] a much more chaotic song, [compared to Man's World] The world we live in really lacks femininity. We need more feminine so we can connect with Earth and nature. So that we care again. ❞
*After the release of the song Marina tweeted: "The chorus is sung from the perspective of Mother Nature/ the Earth."[10]
Controversy[]
Marina has shared insensitive comments regarding Britney's mental breakdown in the past, including a 2009 blog post entitled "it's Shitney Bitch", and 2011 tweets that landed her in trouble with Britney followers at the time:[11][12]
❝ I felt so annoyed when britney shaved her head. I had planned to do it the week before to make people gossip about my fragility and feel sad for my depression and she just went and totally. stole. my thunder. i mean, everyone was like 'you're copying britneys breakdown' after that ❞
Additionally, Marina admitted to noticing pushback online to some of her positions on current issues:[13]
❝ I like seeing comments like, 'She used capitalism to get where she is,' because it does make me think about my own place. But we're all allowed to challenge the system that we're in. ❞
Trivia[]
- The line "all my friends are witches" refers to anyone that is "unconventional and aren't afraid to go against the grain."[14]
Connections[]
- Marina has described this song and Man's World as "sister songs" due to their thematic similarities.[16] Both of these songs also rhyme "witch" with "bitch".
Artwork[]
 Credits
Photographer
COUGHS
Designer
SPIER GRAPHICS (remixes)
|
Photoshoot _2-001.jpg "COUGHS (31 Mar 2021) 2-001.jpg (4.9 MB)") Uncropped _2-002.jpg "COUGHS (31 Mar 2021) 2-002.jpg (5.77 MB)") Media  Single artwork  Pussy Riot Remix |
Videos[]
| Video | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Title | Purge The Poison | |
| Premiere | 14 Apr 2021 | |
| Length | 3:16 | |
| Director | Weird Life Films | |
| Producer | Erin Boyle & Anthony Pedone | |
| Production company | Weird Life Films | |
| Executive producer | Laura Gordon, Ryan Ohm & Jackson James | |
| Editor | Ryan Ohm | |
Behind the Scenes
| Video | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Title | Purge The Poison (Demo Snippet) | |
| Premiere | 14 May 2020 | |
| Length | 0:35 | |
| Filmed by | Marina | |
Official Versions[]
| Version | Released on | Date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ | Single/Album | Purge The Poison • Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land | 14 Apr 2021 | 3:16 |
| Remixes | ||||
| Pussy Riot Remix | Purge The Poison (feat. Pussy Riot) | 05 May 2021 | 3:15 | |
| Demos | ||||
| Songwriting Demo (Snippet) | N/A - Live from the Desert Afterparty | 12 Jun 2021 | 1:14 | |
| [17] | Demo (Discord Recording) | N/A - Demo | Leaked: 03 Jun 2021 | 2:58 |
Lyrics[]
Lyrical Differences[]
In the demo snippet shared by Marina, the lyric in the second verse - "Me Too went on to unveil" - is instead sung as "Me Too helped us to unveil".
[Verse 1]
All my friends are witches and we live in Hollywood
Mystical bitches makin' our own sisterhood
Whilst society is fallin', we are quietly reformin'
Protectin' the planet, healin' our own damage
Quarantined, all alone, Mother Nature's on the phone
"What have you been doin'? Don't forget, I am your home
Virus come, fires burn, until human beings learn
From every disaster, you are not my master"
[Pre-Chorus]
Need to purge the poison, show us our humanity
All the bad and good, racism and misogyny
Nothing's hidden anymore, capitalism made us poor
God forgive America for every single war
[Chorus]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
[Post-Chorus]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
[Verse 2]
2007, when size zero was the rage
Britney shaved her head and all we did was call her crazed
Harvey Weinstein gone to jail, Me Too went on to unveil
Truth and all its glory, the ending of a story
[Pre-Chorus]
It's a New World Order, everything just falls away
Our life as we knew it now belongs to yesterday
Inside all the love and hate, we can now regenerate
Stop how we'd been livin' every single day
[Chorus]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
[Post-Chorus]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
[Bridge]
I just want a world where I can see the feminine
We only make up one quarter of the government
Like an angel gone to Hell, cast the moon under our spell
Ownin' female power, takin' back what's ours
[Pre-Chorus]
Earth is like a white rose, quiet cloud of petals cold
A place so corrupt where angel flesh and blood is sold
The feminine is born as new, studded with a diamond dew
Saw the dawn was comin', everybody knew
[Chorus]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
[Verse 1: MARINA]
All my friends are witches and we live in Hollywood
Mystical bitches makin' our own sisterhood
Whilst society is fallin', we are quietly reformin'
Protectin' the planet, healin' our own damage
Quarantined, all alone, Mother Nature's on the phone
"What have you been doin'? Don't forget, I am your home
Virus come, fires burn, until human beings learn
From every disaster, you are not my master"
[Pre-Chorus 1: MARINA]
Need to purge the poison, show us our humanity
All the bad and good, racism and misogyny
Nothing's hidden anymore, capitalism made us poor
God forgive America for every single war
[Chorus: MARINA & Pussy Riot]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
[Post-Chorus: MARINA & Pussy Riot]
Need to purge the poison from my system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who’d you think you are?
[Verse 2: Pussy Riot]
See me in your bad trip
All you want is to trap me
Eeny, meeny drip drip
Stupid boys they need me
All my sisters queer queer
Feeding off your fear fear
Patriarchy rip rip
You are made from my rib
I cum on your face like pow, pow
You know your place wow wow
Taking what's mine now now
No i'm taking it back wow, wow
Matriarchy runs the state
We are here to dominate
Matriarchy runs the state
We are here to dominate
[Chorus: MARINA & Pussy Riot]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
[Post-Chorus: MARINA]
Need to purge the poison from my system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who’d you think you are?
[Bridge: MARINA]
I just want a world where I can see the feminine
We only make up one quarter of the government
Like an angel gone to Hell, cast the moon under our spell
Ownin' female power, takin' back what's ours
[Pre-Chorus 3: MARINA]
Earth is like a white rose, quiet cloud of petals cold
A place so corrupt where angel flesh and blood is sold
The feminine is born as new, studded with a diamond dew
Saw the dawn was comin', everybody knew
[Chorus: MARINA & Pussy Riot]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
[Outro: MARINA & Pussy Riot]
Need to purge the poison from our system
Until human beings listen
Tell me, who'd you think you are?
It's your own decision
But your home is now your prison
You forgot that without me you won't go far
Credits[]
Personnel[]
- Marina Diamandis - Vocals
- Jennifer Decilveo - Drum programmer, synthesiser, keyboard
- Sam Kauffman-Skloff - Drums
- Patrick Kelly - Bass
- David Levita - Guitar
Technical[]
- Written by Marina Diamandis
- Produced by Jennifer Decilveo
- Mastered and engineered by Greg Calbi
- Recording engineered by Andrew Lapin and Jennifer Decilveo
- Voice edited by Matt Harris
- Vocal production by James Flannigan
References[]
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1261013249937608704
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1261019807287316481
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1381669428639592449
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1381766166218072073
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1382763209405304832
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/COa16npjK2T/
- ↑ https://dbree.org/v/c57541
- ↑ https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/pop/9585629/marina-interview-ancient-dreams-in-a-modern-land-album/
- ↑ https://people.com/music/marina-drops-ancient-dreams-in-a-modern-land-talks-heartbreak-freedom/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/1382784757952499712
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/48168475151171585
- ↑ https://twitter.com/MarinaDiamandis/status/48168613848420352
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/01/arts/music/marina-ancient-dreams-in-a-modern-land.html
- ↑ https://youtu.be/aFDC3HEdEUo?si=vnF6OkPiEBuvHUXB&t=1295
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 https://youtu.be/aFDC3HEdEUo?si=tZvrfkq4RkXtbAUN&t=1762
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Ni6BoQNejE8?t=120
- ↑ https://dbree.org/v/86376f
 | |
|---|---|
| Tour • Merch • Photography • Collaborators | |
| Discography | |
| Releases | Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land |
| Tracklist | Ancient Dreams In A Modern Land • Venus Fly Trap • Man's World • Purge The Poison • Highly Emotional People • New America • Pandora's Box • I Love You But I Love Me More • Flowers • Goodbye • Happy Loner • Pink Convertible • Free Woman |
| Non-Album | |
| Unleaked | Cause I'm A Woman • Not Over You • The Painter |
| Misc | Stay All Night • Sway With Me |
| Other Eras | |
| Mermaid vs. Sailor • The Family Jewels • Electra Heart • FROOT • LOVE + FEAR • Ancient Dreams • Sixth Studio Album (Upcoming) | |