My Wife And My Dead Wife
Robyn Hitchcock · Luminous Groove [2008]
And peels a pear
I know she's there
I'm making coffee for two
Just me and you
But I come back in with coffee for three
Coffee for three?
My dead wife sits in a chair
Combing her hair
I know she's there
She wanders off to the bed
Shaking her head
"Robyn," she said
"You know I don't take sugar!"
My wife and my dead wife
Am I the only one that sees her?
My wife and my dead wife
Doesn't anybody see her at all?
No, no no, no, no no no no
My wife sits down on the stairs
And stares into air
There's no one there
I'm drilling holes in the wall
Holes in the wall
I turn round and my dead wife's upstairs
She's still wearing flares
She talks out loud but no one hears
And I can't decide which one I love the most
The flesh and blood or the pale, smiling ghost
My wife lies down on the beach
She's sucking a peach
She's out of reach
Of the waves that crash on the sand
Where my dead wife stands
Holding my hand
Now my wife can't swim
but neither could she
And deep in the sea
She's waiting for me
Oh, I'm such a lucky guy
'Cause I've got you baby and I'll never be lonely
My Wife And My Dead Wife
Robyn Hitchcock's 'My Wife And My Dead Wife' stands as a haunting centerpiece on the 2008 album 'Luminous Groove.' Rooted in the post-punk and art-rock traditions he helped define, the track explores themes of grief, memory, and the complexities of relationships through a distinctive, melancholic lens. Hitchcock's vocal delivery is intimate and textured, characteristic of his work in the late 1980s and beyond, while the instrumentation blends atmospheric guitars with rhythmic precision. The song reflects a period where Hitchcock continued to deconstruct narrative structures and emotional landscapes, offering a nuanced take on loss that resonates within the broader context of his discography. It remains a notable example of his ability to fuse personal storytelling with a sophisticated, moody sonic palette.