Rootless is a song by Marina Diamandis, released under her previous stage name 'Marina and the Diamonds'. Appearing on her first studio album, The Family Jewels, it is the 11th track on the standard album.
It was written by Marina, Liam Howe, Pascal Gabriel, and produced by Howe and Gabriel.
Background[]
An alternate version, with an intro and a different synth after the bridge was played on tour, and live on radio.[1]
Meaning[]
Diamandis talked about the meaning of Rootless in her track-by-track interview for the album, stating:
❝ It's a song inspired by me moving around a lot throughout my life, because I've lived in London and Greece and Wales. I suppose it deals with feeling quite detached from everything, especially when you haven't got family nearby. I don't feel like that anymore, but I think two years ago I really did, because I wasn't signed and I wasn't really taken seriously. I felt, like, very lost at times and I never thought that I wouldn't do it but or that I would give up, but I think I was very concerned with what people thought. ❞
Trivia[]
Official Versions[]
| Version | Released on | Date | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ▶ | Album [Inst.]
|
The Family Jewels | 15 Feb 2010 | 3:28 |
| Acoustic/Live | ||||
| [3] | Tour Version/Extended Intro (Intro only) | The Family Jewels Tour | 2009-2010 | 0:17 |
| Demos | ||||
| [4] | Demo | N/A - Unreleased | ~May 2009 | |
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1]
I'm a cloud driftin' by
Drippin' tears from the sky
I'm a snail without a shell
Leper with a golden bell
I've got nowhere to go
I'm a stray cat on the roam
Chokin' on a chicken bone
For a home sweet, no sweet home
[Pre-Chorus]
For a root, for a leaf
For a branch, for a tree
For something, somebody
That reminded them of me
[Chorus]
Running with my roots pulled up
Caught me cold so they could cut
What there was left of love
I'm rootless, I'm rootless
[Verse 2]
Work your fingers to the bone
Building castles out of snow
I'm a nomad walkin' on
Humming to the same old song
Lower case society
Tied to no community
A kingdom without a king
With no sense of belonging
[Pre-Chorus]
For a root, for a leaf
For a branch, for a tree
For something, somebody
That reminded them of me
[Chorus]
Running with my roots pulled up
Caught me cold so they could cut
What there was left of love
I'm rootless, I'm rootless
[Bridge]
Running with my roots pulled up
So they could cut me free of love
[Alternative Chorus]
Running with my roots pulled up
Caught me cold so they could cut
What there was left of love
I'm rootless, I'm rootless
Dragging my roots through the snow
No home sweet and no sweet home
I've got nowhere to go
I'm rootless, I'm rootless
Credits[]
Personnel[]
- Marina Diamandis — All vocals
- Pascal Gabriel — All instruments
- Liam Howe — All instruments
Technical[]
- Produced by Pascal Gabriel and Liam Howe for This Much Talent
- Mixed by Pascal Gabriel and Marina Diamandis
- Recorded at Studio Eleven, London
- Mixed at Studio "La Ruine", Avignon, France
- Written by Marina Diamandis, Liam Howe and Pascal Gabriel
- Published by Warner Chappell Music Publishing Ltd / Sony ATV
- Mastered by Guy Davie at Electric Mastering, London
Registration[]
On ASCAP/BMI the song was registered once,[5] and twice on GEMA,[6] the reregistration on GEMA lists Marina's own publishing company Primadonna Girl Limited, and was likely done to have legal ownership over her songs.
References[]
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoibxSKaH-M
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20130520075657/http://www.propellerheads.se/substance/artist-stories/index.cfm?fuseaction=get_article&article=pascal-gabriel
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoibxSKaH-M
- ↑ https://www.last.fm/user/NickolaiJ/library/tracks?from=2009-05-01&page=2&to=2009-05-30
- ↑ https://www.ascap.com/repertory#
ISWC: T9054662123 Work ID: 482249476 - ↑ https://online.gema.de/werke/search.faces?lang=en
GEMA work no.: 10581373-001 GEMA work no.: 10581373-006
