There’s something utterly spellbinding about the way Hozier wields words. The Irish songwriter has an uncanny ability to construct lyrical worlds so vividly realised that they engulf listeners’ senses and transport them to richly textured landscapes. His evocative narratives and poetic ruminations have cemented him as a literary craftsman in modern music. On March 22nd, Hozier’s artistic mastery blossomed in an inspired new direction with the release of Wildflower and Barley, a profoundly moving duet alongside acclaimed singer-songwriter Allison Russell.
A Deeply Resonant Musical Offering Emerges
This poignant collaborative gem between Hozier and Russell is track 2 from Hozier’s new EP, Unheard. Deftly helmed by the seasoned Jeff “Gitty” Gitelman alongside Hozier himself, “Wildflower and Barley” is a co-written labor of love that seamlessly intertwines the unique creative perspectives of all three artists. And its emotional resonance has already struck a chord—the song debuts at No. 88 on the Hot 100 with an impressive 6 million U.S. streams earned in its very first week, per Luminate data.
A Profound Ode to Nature’s Resilience
Wildflower and Barley is an exquisitely rendered ode to nature’s resilience, the cyclical rhythms of life, and the beautifully bittersweet ephemera of change. The opening verse ushers listeners into an idyllic pastoral springtime scene painted through Hozier’s rich, emotive baritone: “riverboat, wheelbarrow, wildflower, and barley.” This bucolic tapestry serves as an earthy metaphor for the renewal that blooms forth after periods of dormancy.
Life’s Delicate Dance of Rebirth and Decay
As the track unfolds, the lyrics poetically juxtapose the countryside’s revitalization against the haunting emptiness of deserted city streets during the pandemic era. With the line “I feel as useful as dirt; put my body to work,” Hozier contemplates purpose through the dualities of life: growth and decay, presence and absence, creation and destruction. It’s a delicate existential dance rendered with profound elegance.
Russell’s Ethereal Grace Enhances the Journey
Allison Russell’s ethereal vocals blend seamlessly with Hozier’s, lending the narrative a hauntingly beautiful dimension that elevates the listener’s immersion. Her presence is at once grounding and transcendent, mirroring the song’s overarching exploration of the profound within the seemingly ordinary. As Hozier insightfully reflected on the track’s genesis amidst the pandemic’s unease, “I kind of wrote a playful song around that.”
An Aural Masterclass in Restrained Intimacy
The instrumentation of Wildflower and Barley is a masterclass in understated intimacy. Delicate acoustic guitar, gentle percussion, and subtle orchestration coalesce into an achingly organic soundscape that complements the lyrics’ poignant resonance. The intricate arrangement ebbs and flows with the natural cadences of existence itself, delicately ushering listeners into a contemplative reverie.
In Hozier’s own poetic words, the song recognises “the usefulness of dirt, the usefulness of soil, in that which facilitates the growth of something that cannot die, of something perpetual, will always come back, will always grow.”
A Celebration of the Human Experience
Wildflower and Barley stands tall as a profound, unabashedly humane celebration of the natural world’s cycles and our innate place within that constant cosmic choreography. Hozier and Allison Russell’s collaborative tour de force reminds us to embrace change, seek beauty in uncertainty, and cherish the fleeting yet indelible moments that colour our lived experiences. It’s an outstanding, deeply resonant addition to both artists’ indelible bodies of work—a shining testament to the transcendent power of poetry rendered in song.
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Hozier & Allison Russell Wildflower and Barley Lyrics
Verse 1: Hozier, Hozier & Allison Russell
Springtime in the country
Each time I’m shocked by the light
The world lyin’ fallow and you are apart from me
Everythin’ in my vision is movement and life
Riverboat, wheelbarrow, wildflower and barley
Springtime in the country
I can smell summer on its breath
Low and harrowed lie the fields and the heart of me
Everythin’ in my vision, departure, and death
Riverboat, wheelbarrow, wildflower, and barley
Chorus: Hozier, Allison Russell, Hozier & Allison Russell
(The healers) This year, I swear it will be buried in actions (Are healin’)
This year, I swear it will be buried in words (The diggers are diggin’ the earth)
Some close to the surface, some close to the casket
I feel as useful as dirt, put my body to work
Mm (Oh-oh-oh)
Mm (Oh-oh-oh)
Verse 2: Hozier & Allison Russell
Springtime in the city
The canal banks are empty again
The grass cryin’ out to be heated by bodies
The streets for the laughter of young women and men
Canal boat and trolley, wildflower and barley
Chorus: Hozier, Allisson Russell, Hozier & Allison Russell
(The healers) This year, I swear it will be buried in actions (Are healin’)
This year, I swear it will be buried in words (The diggers are diggin’ the earth)
Some close to the surface, some close to the casket
I feel as useful as dirt, unreal unearth
(The healers) This year, I swear it will be buried in actions (Are healin’)
This year, I swear it will be buried in words (The diggers are diggin’ the earth)
Some close to the surface, some close to the casket
I feel as useful as dirt, put my body to work
Mm (Oh-oh-oh)
Mm (Oh-oh-oh)
Outro: Hozier & Allison Russell
Springtime from my window
Another month has not much longer now
The sun hesitates more on each evening’s darkenin’
Would all things God allows remain above ground
Like grief and sweet memory, wildflower and barley
