A very unique artist -HOZIER - SHRIKE Reaction - First time hearing

HOZIER - SHRIKE Reaction - First time hearing
#hozier
#musicreactions
#rockreaction

[@cinnakul]

i noticed in your video that you asked why hozier named the song Shrike. A shrike is a bird whose beak is too small to kill prey, so they use thorn bushes to impale mice or small animals. The song is a metaphor for a relationship between two people, the "shrike" and the "thorn". While from an outsider's perspective the act of impaling small prey on a thorn seems needlessly cruel, the shrike views the thorn as being a saviour of sorts, the only thing that helps them sustain life because they have virtually no other option to hunt their food. So essentially the song is about being in a toxic relationship where everybody tells you to leave, but being too codependent on your partner to actually do that.

[@Josef_R]

I don't get the toxic codependency. I hear a guy who, from the first two lines, failed to act when he needed to and now regrets it, hoping to regain such a symbiotic relationship.

[@ali.x_ce]

It's really sad that he is pretty much known just as the "take me to church guy" when he did such masterpieces. I started listening to his albums half a year ago and I fell in love with him, he is an amazing artist and an incredible guitar composer/player. His voice is wonderful and it really "haunts you" (it's like you don't forget it easily), it really makes you feel things. your reaction was genuinely the first one that I had, I literally had to sit and stop everything I was doing because I was just speechless. I love his more rock and indie songs, but my gosh, I was in awe when I first heard his folk/folk rock songs like Shrike, Sunlight, Wasteland, Baby!, Like Real People Do, Work Song and the list goes on and on. His songs all have a really deep meaning and they are literally poetry. I'm sorry if this comment is kinda long but he really deserve appreciation since he changed my life and my music perception. His music got me in place where I have never been before and listening to it it's an experience every time. I really recommend him as an artist and I can't wait for when he is gonna release a new album.

[@tomruth9487]

alice, This song made me stop and search it out on youtube. I've listened to a few live versions and they are all a bit different. He draws from a very deep place, so powerful.

[@booksgurrsandpurrs]

I love Hozier's song In The Woods Somewhere. It's so hauntingly beautiful and I never get tired of it.

[@dishields7808]

Me too. A bit like arsonist lullaby

[@ravenofroses]

also, hozier tends to be. really intense. about everything. especially about relationships. he is a capital R Romantic poet, really.

[@knew3355]

I love Hozier but have not dived into this one before. His voice sounds ‘lighter’ in this one than the others I know, and I hear his accent more. My favs are Arsonist’s Lullaby and Nina Cried Power (which he is joined on by the marvelous Mavis Staples). Take Me to Church is his most well known - the video is heartbreaking. He is truly a lyrical genius (at least in my eyes). Please do check out more of him.

[@dishields7808]

I was torn between requesting this or arsonist Lullaby

[@jayc7040]

youre right with the genius comment

[@emilyporter1186]

I love how you quietly appreciate the song. A lot of ppl pause a lot in the middle of the song they're reacting to but sometimes I think it breaks up the full experience of listening to it for the first time

[@SlodWick]

This is probably my favorite Hozier song - he's a true gem of an artist.

[@mrchristopherfern]

"A Shrike to you sharp and glorious thorn" - I don't know the backgorund to the song, but I know that in my beautiful relating experience with a woman, a shrike impales its prey on thorns. There's a certain dynamic I sense in this song (D/s) wherein, if played to its beautiful darkness properly, He gives his provision of all he can in however he can, and the pain of it isn't pain because she receives it openly and feels it fully. "Sharp and Glorious Thorn" = the receiver of provision.

[@pugle1]

The shrike is a small bird of prey that hunts insects. It's famous for impaling its prey on the thorns of hawthorn shrubs. "Like a Shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn"... two aren't one without the other. To me, he's not complete without her, and though he was quiet about it in the past, he's yelling to everyone how important she is in his life. My take on it, but I may be wrong. Music is subject to interpretation and is subjective. I do love this song so very much. However you interpret it, I really hope you get the joy and happiness out of it as I get. I always have this song ready to play when I feel I need it.

[@rebeccastarovich6079]

Great reaction to a live version. Hozier is an incredible talent. His voice, his lyrics, his ambient choral sounds...😘👌 *Perfection* Try listening to his songs Jackboot Jump, Arsonist's Lullaby, Work Song, or his most famous, Take Me To Church. He's brilliant.

[@Timoeltejano]

I was not a fan until this song. Heard him interviewed on Sirius radio when this came out like 2019. He wanted to write a traditional style Irish folk song. He didn't unveil his personal meaning but described a Shrike and how they impale their prey upon thorns or barbed wire. Then he sang this song and I was blown away.

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

It seems more of a chant than a song. Just beautiful.❤️ the shrike uses a thorn to kill and impale it’s prey.🐝🤗❤️

[@ravenofroses]

this is an interesting hozier song to start with! most people start with "take me to church," since it was so popular. i think this song really shows off his upper range and his mastery of the english language. hope you check out more of his stuff!

[@daddygerkin]

shrikes makes there nest out of thorns or in a thorn bush. basically saying he want to fly home, which is her...she's the thorn

[@logandh2]

All of Hozier’s music just cuts into my soul, it can bring me back to so many painful times but also give me so much hope as well. He’s a beautiful artist.

[@michaelsheehan5559]

Lovely reaction and critique!

[@ashtingreene8725]

Personally, i took it to be about someone who never expressed the depths of their feelings and then it was too late. The Shrike is a bird that impales its prey on thorns and that is used as a metaphor for a few things through the song. This is one of my favorites and im so glad you enjoyed it!

[@zelbernil3790]

A shrike, also called a butcher bird, is a tiny bird of prey with a tiny but sharp beak, to consume their prey they hang them on thorny branches, barbed wires etc. like hanging meat to dry/ tenderise/better hack at it with their smaller build and beak.

[@dishields7808]

Most of the songs I love are a little haunted. Old soul music. My take on this song is that he was a bit afraid of this woman because of her shrike nature. Shrinkes are one of the most intelligent birds. They have have keen eyes. Killer beaks but delicate feet. They have to feed on their prey immediately because they can't grip them like most birds But of course it's not that littoral. Hozier is unique. He grew up in a neighborhood where bodies of criminals were left. One of his songs is called in a week. I played it while I was busy a few times before I realized he was singing about being a victim and left there to be discovered I'm glad you like the songs I request. I realize they aren't for everyone

[@dariajustdaria2292]

Hozier is a blessing truly😌

[@kimmaedke2763]

Harri, I love how you react to music.

[@sarahhadgu7927]

Quite a few of his songs have that haunting feel. I'm guessing it's his signature sound. Very beautiful and unique. Instantly captures attention and interest.

[@dishields7808]

It's my understanding that he grew up with 2 heavy influences. Strong religious influence in an incredibly violent environment. Not his home life,, but his city.. he lived right by a body dumping ground.. I can hear both of them in his songs.

[@jameslapham4326]

Intriguing song. Interesting sound. I get the feeling he uses the shrike as a title and lyric is because the shrike (also known as a butcherbird) kills its prey and then impales it on a thorn or some kind of spike to eat it. I think his love interest is being referred to as a brutal predator....

[@korih393]

Probably my favorite Hozier song, and I love absolutely EVERYTHING he’s done. Such an honest lament here. Side note: this video you chose has some very wrong lyrics listed, haha. Definitely look up the official ones, it flows much better with the metaphors all intact.

[@maryboylan3093]

Check out Jack Boot by him. 🤗👍

[@lanapeterzon9055]

A shrike is a bird who catches large insects and skewers them on the branch of the thorn bushes that he lives in. (To me, the sight is like the rows on rows of crucified men along the roman roads; a reason why many think the sight of the shrikes 'pantry' is gruesome.) Then later, he takes his time, h selects and eats his 'food cache'. Though I have not sat down and deciphered 'Hose-E-ers' (Irish) work, it seems he is either the insect or the bird. (Just my take on it, your mileage may vary.) I like your intelligent style and will go now to see what else you have to offer. I hope you can do more of Hoziers work, but please, not the overplayed, 'Take me to Church' unless you can decipher the dark and twisted undertones of the Catholic church that it's written about. Soul.

[@kenetabansi5016]

A shrike is a song bird that kills its prey by impaling it on a sharp object like a thorn this is the only way they can kill prey and so they need sharp objects like thorns to survive. So he’s saying that like a shrike and it’s thorn he needs his love to survive

[@marykatedoyle9574]

Shrikes are known as “butcher birds” because they inoale their prey on thorns and eat them still living. So he’s saying he’ll be reborn as the thing that feeds her and sustains her because he didn’t do enough in his first life

[@Keeshette]

A shrike is a type of bird. It’s a small bird of prey that makes tiny homes in hedges with spikes and thorns. They decorate the thorns with various small prey

[@dishields7808]

I think the true meaning is that any relationship with this woman is all consuming. The purest form. He wasn't mature enough to handle it and he left. He realizes he wants to be all in The meaning of shrike S a description of a human means keen, intelligent, judging, discerning

[@DaltonPowelled]

The shrike is a bird that impales it’s prey onto the thorns of a bush or other sharp object as a way to kill their food. In the song he is comparing himself to the prey, I believe.

[@wtfamisupposedtodowiththis7123]

I recommend Dinner and Diatribes or Arsonists Lullaby by hozier

[@wtfamisupposedtodowiththis7123]

But personally I think As It Was by hozier might be my favorite

[@freyagreaves1460]

A shrike is a bird that pierces its pray onto the thorns. Might help clear the lyrics up?

[@valerieofgondor6872]

My favourite Hozier song is As It Was . No one ever listens to that one I swear.

[@ruthjohnson4380]

I do! Love that song.

[@mogolosh]

After hearing his live versions, I really think the studio versions sound hollow and empty.

[@EarlyRains]

It´s hilarious with that lyrics running in the background, 50% of the lyrics are misheard and totally wrong, no wonder you get confused =)

[@khoohockleong7585]

Let me tell you how to analyse a natal chart using Tropical (Western) Astroligy NOT Vedic (Hindu Astroligy). You look at the overall chart and see the planetary aspects cast on each other. Usually the software would use different colours for different aspects. Soft aspects like sextiles (60 degrees) and trines (120 degrees) they us one colour. Hard aspects like oppositions (180 degrees) and squares (90 degrees) they use another coliur. The minor hard aspects like quincuxes (150 degrees) and seisquadrates (135 degrees) they use another. And so on. To give an overall perzpsonality of a person through the pattern of colours that are being formed. There is no karma involved in a western chart. We are just analysing how clean the personality of a person, how talented he is, how his overall proceeds etc. Get the picture? Hozier's chart aspects form a pattern of triangles (indicating talents) interconnected at the base through some parallel lines which do not criss-cross one another. This shows a person who is able to organise his talents (one of his talents here is singing) or talent attributes of a particular talent, in a very refreshing and tidymanner that is very pleasing to the ears - if you are talking about singing.

[@khoohockleong7585]

Note that in a Western chart sometimes you get a tuning fork pattern where the long middle bottom branch shows the "Finger of God'. This is not karma. This just shows a personality kink which the person has to concentrate on to iron out his problems.