The Wind
PJ Harvey · Is This Desire? [1998]
Catherine liked high places
High up on the hills
A place for making noises
Noises like the whales
Here she built a chapel with
Her image on the wall
A place where she could rest and
A place where she could wash and listen to the wind blow
She dreamt of children's voices
And torture on the wheel
Patron-Saint of nothing
A woman of the hills
She once was a lady
Of pleasure and high-born
A lady of the city
But now she sits and moans and listens to the wind blow
I see her in her chapel
High up on the hill
She must be so lonely
Oh Mother, can't we give
A husband to our Catherine?
A handsome one, a dear
A rich one for the lady
Someone to listen with
High up on the hills
A place for making noises
Noises like the whales
Here she built a chapel with
Her image on the wall
A place where she could rest and
A place where she could wash and listen to the wind blow
She dreamt of children's voices
And torture on the wheel
Patron-Saint of nothing
A woman of the hills
She once was a lady
Of pleasure and high-born
A lady of the city
But now she sits and moans and listens to the wind blow
I see her in her chapel
High up on the hill
She must be so lonely
Oh Mother, can't we give
A husband to our Catherine?
A handsome one, a dear
A rich one for the lady
Someone to listen with
The Wind
PJ Harvey's "The Wind" appears on the 1998 album Is This Desire?, showcasing her signature blend of atmospheric textures and raw vocal delivery. The track exemplifies her ability to weave melancholic melodies with a haunting sense of isolation, characteristic of her work during the late 1990s. As a key component of her discography, the song reflects her ongoing exploration of emotional vulnerability and sonic experimentation, distinguishing her within the indie and art rock landscape. The recording captures a moment in her career where she balanced poetic lyricism with a darker, more introspective mood, influencing subsequent artists who sought to merge personal narrative with atmospheric soundscapes.