Bows & Arrows
PJ Harvey · Other Songs - PJ Harvey
Whiter than purity
Then I saw savages
Standing before me
(Poison, poison, poison)
Bows and arrows
(Poison, poison, poison)
Tipped with poison
(Poison, poison, poison)
Make tenderness please
(Poison, poison, poison)
Stand by my pillow
I see evil
Every time I dream
I see earth's poison
(Poison, poison, poison)
I hear violence sing
(Singing, singing, singing)
Even your touch
(Singing, singing, singing)
Once so pure
(Pure and pure and pure and)
Comes fates cold hand
(Cold hand, cold hand, cold hand)
On my locked door
Won't you send those angels
To watch over me?
I can't catch the bow
(Can't catch, can't catch, can't catch)
That this planet has thrown
(Can't catch, can't catch, can't catch)
I can't catch this bow
(Can't catch this bow, can't catch)
On my own
(On my own, on my own)
In come the arrows
(Arrows, arrows, arrows)
Like a needle
You pierce my heart
And I taste poison
(Poison, poison, poison)
You pierce my soul
With bows and arrows
Won't you send those angels
To watch over me?
Bows & Arrows
PJ Harvey's "Bows & Arrows" stands as a defining track from her 1995 album To Bring You My Love, capturing the raw, atmospheric intensity of her mid-career evolution. The song exemplifies her signature blend of gothic rock and folk, characterized by her distinctive vocal delivery and the haunting interplay between her voice and the band's instrumentation. Released during a period where Harvey was redefining her artistic identity, the recording reflects her deep engagement with themes of isolation and emotional vulnerability. Its enduring presence in her discography highlights her ability to craft songs that resonate through decades, influencing subsequent generations of alternative and indie artists with its moody, textured sound.