PJ Harvey – Horses In My Dreams

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  Song Meaning:Horse is slang for Heroin

  Flag Blaxteron August 04, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I think with the city and the sea concepts that they can be analyzed as two forms of escape when needed at different times. The city representing the need for stimulation and distraction from the sort of emptiness or hole that you may feel when sinking into that numbness that everyday life gives you. The sea is the quiet and isolation escape that may be needed to hear your own thoughts and truly become in tune with the real you again. Either way both forms are ways to hide within business or calmness as a means to escape. Sometimes it is the only way to be at peace and not on stage and subject to others, in essence. In this song i do think it is meant to be powerful and somewhat uplifting in the sense that you are reminded of that peace that you can have when escaping and being free to roam the world by yourself. When you are alone you aren't subject to others having an emotional influence on you and you can control your own thoughts and behaviors better. The quiet of not being reminded of the emotion is what makes you feel strong. I do think the horse symbolizes the tamed wild nature, and that through riding the horse you can be free in the sense of being in control of your emotions, and by way of that confident feeling and at peace. It is an uplifting song, but like true pj style obviously the indication is that this is something she needs to remember she is capable of versus something she may feel at the present time, and it may be something she frequently comes back to as a thought of peace when she feels that depression starting to come back. Horses in my dreams are the reminders that somewhere that place of being free of emotional heaviness does exist.

  Flag Jenettamoonon May 24, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:Returning to her home in Dorset *by the sea* after being in the "city" (possibly on a tour...)
  
  

  Flag fishbellyfaceon April 20, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:I think the simplicity of this song fools people too easily. In Uh Huh Her there is a picture of Polly riding a horse in the CD booklet and it really resonates the wonderful feeling of this song. I think this song serves as a reminder that there is always something beautiful to pull you away from your problems. It also celebrates the charm of riding a horse.

  Flag solar_poweredon November 06, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:I think this is about her song writing. The horses are her songs which come to her in dreams and bolt out of her. It is a stressful process, like giving birth, and after the song has been born, she is free for a while. She rides the "horse"/song around the world and acheives success, fame, and fortune and she struggles to pull herself free from the stampede of her songs and the pressures of her fame.

  Flag musicatokcon July 06, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:There's another way the line "I have pulled myself clear" can be read. She mentions that some of the horses in her dreams are "pulling", in the sense of being yoked and dragging something along (being burdened, in other words). In the same sense that one can drink themselves stupid, or yell themselves hoarse, she has pulled herself clear. In other words, she has pulled around her burden so long that she has achieved a new sense of clarity.

  Flag Myrmidonon November 09, 2006   Link

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  General Comment:to me 'Stories from the city, Stories from th Sea' is an analogy for PJ's emotional life. With the city being the complexity of her relationship with her lover and the Sea represents being free from it. I believe that this song, with its obvious refernce to the sea shows her freedom from this man that she talks about prior to this song. we float is a continuation of this feeling where she feels a sense of completion and resolution to the situation but instead of relying on the man to do so, she has achieved this by herself. In Horses PJ has pulled herself clear of the complexity of her relationship and is in some God like state.
  However it can also be looked at from the angle that she is not actually feeling this supposed liberty as it is in her 'dream' and not her reality. it is not a piece of present tense but something from the past or future or maybe time does not come into the picture at all. the feeling is eternal in another place.

  Flag from the cityon December 08, 2005   Link

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  General Comment:fairly simple really, from the lyrics anyway. The song does not sound as hopeful as you might expect from the lyrics though. Hmmm?

  Flag samthehatteron June 24, 2003   Link

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