Hozier - First Time (Official Audio)

[@wizkida981015]

I love how Hozier drops some of the deepest lyrics you've ever heard in your life and then goes "anyway, back to the chorus"

[@XyzUvw-m1q]

He's like "shit. this was supposed to be a love song" lol

[@tabathaarria9558]

he was like "is this too real? ok move on" 💀

[@Susuwrld]

That just proves how great his pen game is! all the lyrics around the chorus being complicated and not so easy to digest contrasted by the easily digestible lyrics in the chorus makes the song even more beautiful than it already is. (Sorry for any mistakes, English isn’t my first language)

[@shrekisloveshrekislife4312]

That's true af

[@DogFish911]

@@Susuwrld he really is incredible at that

[@maepearl7027]

The way it goes from "the first time that you called me baby" to "each time that you called me baby" to "the last time that you called me baby" HURTS

[@NJRT92]

Exactly, from pure excitement to despair.

[@nicolasphillipson7347]

cherry wine vibes :/

[@jacqrmr]

so perfect ❤‍🔥

[@sofaa8571]

0:37 "In Orphism, a Greek mystical religious movement, it was believed that the newly dead who drank from the River Lethe would lose all memory of their past existence." I MEAN

[@MyBoomStick1]

Damn song plays with my emotions like they’re harp strings

[@marvelbaby100]

Damn that's beautiful and painful😢😊

[@ObnoxiousNinja99]

The verse that starts at "These days I think I owe my life..." and ends with "...anyways..." is easily one of the most stunning lines of poetry I have ever heard, and coupled with his singing?? HOZIER we do NOT deserve you yet you grace us anyways

[@annacobb1140]

Sometimes I catch a line and i just think "how dare you make something so beautiful "

[@GoCartDeath]

his "anyway" at 2:12 is sublime

[@garden.gremlin]

"to share the space with simple things, infinitely suffering but fighting off- like all creation, the absence of itself" holy. shit.

[@NothingsR33L]

Facts ❤

[@derekray5087]

“..but anyway” ❤

[@kwanelenyembe4083]

I know. I know. I know Sigh

[@f.megawati]

How am i supposed to get over him giving us just. Beautiful fuckin poetry and then just going ANYWAY

[@j128v897]

Remember once I told you about How before I heard it from your mouth My name would always hit my ears As such an awful sound And the soul, if that's what you'd call it Uneasy ally of the body It felt nameless as a river undiscovered underground And the first time that you kissed me I drank dry the river Lethe The Liffey would have been softer on my stomach all the same But you spoke some quick new music That went so far to soothe this soul As it was And ever shall be And ever shall be Unearth without a name Some part of me must have died The first time that you called me 'baby' And some part of me came alive The first time that you called me 'baby' These days I think I owe my life to flowers To flowers that were left here by my mother Ain't that like them... gifting life to you again This life lived mostly underground Unknowing either sight nor sound 'Til reaching up for sunlight Just to be ripped out by the stem Sensing only now it's dying Drying out, then drowning blindly Blooming forth its every colour In the moments it has left To share the space with simple living things Infinitely suffering, but fighting off Like all creation The absence of itself Anyway Some part of me must have died Each time that you called me 'baby' And some part of me stayed alive Each time that you called Each time that you called C'mere Ooh la la. Ooh la la What ever keeps you around, it keeps you around Ooh la la. Ooh la la What ever keeps you around, it keeps you around The last time it was heard out loud The perfect genius of our hands and mouths were shocked To resignation as the arguing declined When I was young I used to guess Are there limits to any emptiness When was the last time? C'mere to me, when was the last time? Some part of me must have died The final time you called me 'baby' And some part of me came alive The final time you called me 'baby'

[@nemviquem]

Thank you

[@kevina3372]

I am in tears, I heard him say “river lethe…” and I had to double to check. I grew up in Lethe, next to the river 😢

[@newsaxonyproductions7871]

Thank you for this! It really helped me understand the song!

[@simps356]

This song absolutely broke me but I thank you, andrew. Also wow... "These days I think I owe my life to flowers that were left here by my mother, ain't it like them giftin' life to you again?"

[@Ayah.Papaya]

😭😭

[@zelbernil3790]

my favorite part the philosophizing on cut flowers 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@drilonkennedy-gorne2049]

Followed immediately by the like about staving off the absence of their own existence 😢❤

[@musiclover-cu5jy]

And it was so pointedly about his own life, his own mom.

[@cascreed6386]

This entire verse thoughhh ❤

[@TihetrisWeathersby]

Listening to Hozier always gives such a Euphoric feeling

[@Ayah.Papaya]

YES

[@justinnutter9008]

Enargia: the feeling when gods reveal themselves, not in disguise, but as themselves

[@zellafae]

Love the symbolism of the flower, chamomile can mean rest, peace, poise, calmness. And sometimes it can mean renewal and rebirth.

[@yvonnesurette]

I just watched an interview where he says his mother brought the flowers when he returned from touring, and it had been so long the house was full of spiders and dead flies. And I thought - there's a poem right there. The old home....

[@chelli6555]

3 songs deep into the album and I'm already tearing up. How beautiful.

[@musiclover-cu5jy]

Same. And I never cry. By the time I Carrion was done, I had tears running down my face

[@zelbernil3790]

the duality of this the teetering between existential concepts, heartbreak and satisfying saccharine sing along 😗👌

[@setsuna_sydney1052]

This song reminds me so much of Jackie and Wilson, and that song is my ultimate favorite 🥺 I’m loving this so much! 💕

[@Orsolya101]

I was just trying to figure out which song from the Hozier album does this song remind me of and you just gave me the answer!

[@millemnl]

Ahhh yes!! That's why it's my favorite in UU. This reminds me of my fave J&W

[@SkylarBrooks19]

Sameeeee

[@mandywhite7452]

I love how this song (and whole album, really) showcases his Irish accent much more than the previous ones. Be you, Hozier!

[@oli_littlearts]

Bittersweet as it is, I'll let this album be a closure of so many things. The songs beautifully and carefully captured many words and feelings that are maybe better left buried and unsaid. Andy, thank you for this song and for everything else! No regrets for the very long wait! Congrats for your work✨

[@TineRichie-ve1hv]

😮😢😅😂😊❤

[@doriangrayaestheticwilde]

This is my favorite so far. ❤ I love the references to greek mythology in a few songs from the album and also the way he writes his lyrics like classical, yet timeless poetry.

[@christinasmith4262]

Agreed!!

[@nationalmaverick]

These days I think I owe my life to flowers That were left here by my mother Ain’t that like them… gifting life to you again This life lived mostly underground Unknowing either sight nor sound ‘Til reaching up for sunlight Just to be ripped out by the stem Sensing only now it’s dying, Drying out, then drowning Blindly blooming forth its every colour In the moments it has left; To share the space with simple living things Infinitely suffering but fighting off, Like all creation, The absence of itself Anyway… Absolute poetry worthy of the greatest penmen of all era's.

[@blitzwinger999wright6]

You know, there will only be a handful of times in my life where I hear a song for the first time and it changes my perception of something for the rest of my days. This song’s lyrics tell such a heart wrenching story of a true love being realized as nothing more than fantasization and the “ah ha” moment of realizing that maybe it wasn’t actually love. I had to take like a full hour to rationalize that’s how I felt about several relationships I’ve been in. This song seriously put things into perspective for me and is going to change how I view relationships going forward on finding the difference between actual love and just temporary attraction.

[@thechicantique4567]

Whoa! Well said. ❤😊

[@wxx1547]

As much as I agree with your interpretation I can't help but think it doesn't necessarily mean the love wasn't real, it just wasn't... right. Or, it was right for a time and it no longer is. I don't think this song seeks to undermine the love by deeming it as not but rather its an ode and a closure to that love and all that it gave and took from the subject.

[@AnjaliN0705]

Him saying "come here to me" is all the love I'll ever need

[@alexanderson7047]

A man for the people, thank you

[@dulleyes4732]

Never heard something more beautiful. The poeticism of his words, so enthralling, so so beautiful! I'm in love❤

[@vaydasmith4839]

This song is so effortlessly Hozier it feels like I'm home again

[@coolcat2956]

i love him so much. i can’t wait to see him later this year. my partner, who thought the epitome of music was drake, the weeknd, etc. has fallen in love with hozier now. telling me “i can’t believe this type of music exists” i’m so proud of his growth. he’s the one who bought the tickets for our anniversary. i love him. this song is painful as much as it is beautiful. i hope i don’t ever have to feel this way (again), as i am so happy with my baby.

[@snrkybrd]

this is, in my opinion, a spiritual sequel to Jackie and Wilson

[@lld112600]

This comment just ruined my life.

[@shay8502]

I was listening to the album for the first time on my drive home from work yesterday and this song shook me to my core, dude. I mean These days I think I owe my life to flowers That were left here by my mother Ain't that like them... gifting life to you again This life lived mostly underground Unknowing either sight nor sound 'Til reaching up for sunlight Just to be ripped up by the stem Sensing only now it's dying, Drying out, then drowning Blindly blooming forth its every colour In the moments it has left; To share the space with simple living things Infinitely suffering but fighting off, Like all creation, The absence of itself Are you kidding me??? 😭 I'm so glad I bought some Simple Living Things merch along with my preorder of the album, cause I already knew I liked the design but now I know that verse+prechorus will forever change the way I look at a vase of flowers. This might be my new favourite song.

[@shridharbiju7370]

Man has an entire philosophical discussion of life and postfaces it with "Anyway".

[@chloesmith7871]

I tell people "all hozier songs are melancholic, even the happy ones". This is what I mean. Idk, part of me feels kind of understood by that.

[@chloesmith7871]

@@aaliveagain so relatable

[@ndombologique]

YES

[@NothingsR33L]

Yea but this one’s not a happy one tho, maybe anything but has a more upbeat but the subject overall is sad. This one you can tell it’s a break up way it goes from first time you called me baby to each time to the last time.

[@cactus3510]

​@@NothingsR33LIt's about a break up but also a rebirth "some part of me came alive the last time you called me baby"

[@emilyharwood89]

This is my favourite song on the album. I've been listening to this for 3 hours on repeat. It's so joyful but so beautifully bittersweet. I can't stop crying. That ending 😭😭😭😭

[@projectanimation7730]

Bless Hozier for giving words to the dissonant emotions too painful and complicated to describe, set to the loveliest melodies, no less. Cheers to him.

[@emilyjones9787]

I stopped breathing

[@Ayah.Papaya]

I love ur profile pic btw!

[@HK-uj9qc]

Oh brother. Really.

[@houseplant8049]

Good

[@Ariana-vr9tg]

I thought it was just me lol

[@TineRichie-ve1hv]

That u SH,I must be losing my mind I'm sure that smile lips yours am I wrong😢

[@vanessakrusell5406]

he’s done it, yet again. fucking musical genius

[@ashleypalmer6545]

The magical mixture of depth, and tongue in cheek. He is seriously masterful. It’s wild. It feels like he knows my soul better than I do. I’m really grateful for that.

[@zelbernil3790]

Why?!? This one is both so radio friendly feelgood bop in the chorus yet verses so devastating and visceral WHY!!!

[@saradapagediocletian9707]

All aspiring poets ought to study this verse! "Sensing only now it's dying Drying out then drowning blindly Blooming forth its every colour In the moments it has left To share the space with simple living things Infinitely suffering But fighting off like all creation The absence of itself"

[@simonrussell9627]

“and the first time that you kissed me, I DRANK DRRRYYYYY THE RIVER LETHE!” What a track.

[@sheilaosullivan2794]

I think he’s saying the River Liffey.

[@seemahasan530]

​@sheilaosullivan2794 nah it's lethe

[@ff-be8wq]

he says Lethe first, then Liffey

[@robertscott5206]

River Liffey, Dublin.

[@ObnoxiousNinja99]

I fricking LOVE this line. Sounds so pretty how he sings it and the symbolism is parallel to the whole rest of the song. The River Lethe is the river in Hades, the Greek Underworld, that is said to remove a mortal soul's memories so they may be reincarnated into the land of the living again. He's saying her kiss made him shed himself and be reborn again! Normally all it takes for the oblivion to come is a single drink, but she inspired him to drink the whole river. There's a kind of grandeur in mythological stories that he captures very well with "man falls in love and drinks a whole river of forgetfulness"

[@sharicola]

His voice just does something to me. Like it scratches an itch I didn't know I had

[@janelleetsitty36]

Remember once I told you about How before I heard it from your mouth My name would always hit my ears as such an awful sound And the soul, if that's what you'd call it Uneasy ally of the body, it felt nameless as a river Undiscovered underground [Pre-Chorus] And the first time that you kissed me I drank dry the River Lethe The Liffey would have been softer on my stomach all the same But you spoke some quick new music That went so far to soothe this soul As it was and ever shall be, unearth without a name [Chorus] Some part of me must have died The first time that you called me, "Baby" And some part of me came alive The first time that you called me, "Baby" [Verse 2] These days I think I owe my life To flowers that were left here by my mother Ain't that like them, giftin' life to you again This life lived mostly underground Unknowin' either sight nor sound 'Til reachin' up for sunlight just to be ripped out by the stem [Pre-Chorus] Sensing only now it's dyin' Drying out, then drowning blindly Bloomin' forth its every colour In the moments it has left To share the space with simple living things Infinitely suffering, but fighting off like all creation The absence of itself, anyway [Chorus] Some part of me must have died Each time that you called me, "Baby" But some part of me stayed alive Each time that you called, each time that you called [Bridge] Come here 💚 Ooh-la-la, ooh-la-la Whatever keeps you around, it keeps you around Ooh-la-la, come here, ooh-la-la Whatever keeps you around, it keeps you around [Verse 3] The last time it was heard out loud The perfect genius of our hands and mouths were shocked To resignation as the arguing declined When I was young I used to guess Are there limits to any emptiness? When was the last time Come here to me 💚when was the last time? [Chorus] Some part of me must have died The final time that you called me, "Baby" But some part of me came alive The final time you called me, "Baby"

[@Counttill5784]

Thank you ❤

[@sophiapmartin]

This song sends chills up and down my spine. I cried the first time I heard this song, and I still tear up whenever I listen to it. Hozier is truly a gift. He makes art.

[@avnisharma948]

Everyone say thank you Hozier

[@ActOutYourLife]

This one is just something else. That second verse is pure poetry.

[@NJRT92]

Which verse are you referring to?

[@ActOutYourLife]

@@NJRT92 the one about the flower blooming and dying

[@NJRT92]

@@ActOutYourLife yeahh, felt the same, that was just beautiful!!

[@NothingsR33L]

Exactly what I said about that verse. pure poetry.

[@kellyradek5716]

OHMYGOD THESE SONGS ARE MASTERPIECES

[@alillamas5680]

Andrew this album already feels like a part of me, it’s destroying me. Thank you so much ❤

[@argentée107.8u]

This breaks my heart in a profoundly heavenly way. 💘✨

[@jazzolinejazz]

"she's gonna save me, call me baby." "some part of me must have died the first time that you called me baby." "blindly blooming forth its every colour" "all these colors fade for you" who hurt you damn

[@Pineapple_hozy]

unknown ✨

[@maryavalon6280]

He seems very sincere; singing, breathing life into us/me, unforgettable.

[@amyelevens]

oh he went crazy. like a third through the album and i had to go back to this one.

[@Kritic_lyr]

no touching grass won't do, i need to chew on a daisy and bury myself underground.

[@Mushroom_FernFox]

Laughed way more than I should have at this

[@jkaustok]

Dude has got that romantic energy down with this one

[@NinaNebulosa88]

This gets me right in the heart! ❤

[@dianaligh]

I had to stop listening for a while because this was so perfect that I had to mentally assimilate it and I literally wanted to cry of happiness

[@AsheQuinn]

I had my first breakup around the time this came out. Thanks to both you, and my grandmother who raised me, i didnt die. I truly owed my life to my mother, and you helped me realize that. Thank you.

[@bellalily822]

Im crying 😭 i didnt expect it until tomorrow! You absolute Darling! Thank you so much

[@sarahkate9060]

Sameeee! I think time zones worked in our favor

[@soundwaves7080]

​@@sarahkate9060Me too! I was shocked when I went on KZbin and I saw all the new songs!

[@bvvaughan1]

I just saw him on CBS this morning, and I was blown away. I love this guy ❤❤❤

[@noellethomas2589]

This has been my favorite Hozier song ever since I heard the opening notes on the night UU released. Just heard it live last night. Absolutely incredible ❤ poetry

[@nordicpink]

2:49 the little “come here”.😵‍💫

[@bookishbrookeish]

These days I think I owe my life to flowers To flowers that were left here by my mother Ain't that like them, giftin' life to you again Nearly made me cry

[@zelbernil3790]

flowers from Ms. Raine would indeed bring me back to life 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@naschy0078]

I'm not sure, if I understand this part to 100%. English is not my mother tongue. Can someone explain? :)

[@bookishbrookeish]

@@naschy0078 Hozier says that these days, now that he’s older, he thinks he owes his life to flowers. Flowers that were left in his life by his mother. He doesn’t mean literal flowers, more of a metaphor for beauty and growth and seeds planted. He’s talking about how mothers often help you to grow and plant seeds for greatness inside of you. And he owes his life to his mother, and how much she loved him. Then he says “ain’t that like them, gifting life to you again”, stating that mothers often help their children through very hard times, and keep them alive, keep them steady, and continue to help them grow, gifting life to us again, because they gave life to us in the first place by birthing us. Hope that helps!

[@naschy0078]

@@bookishbrookeish oh wow, that is soooo beautiful! That makes the song even more special to me. Thank you for the explanation. I think I need to start thinking around the corner 😅👍

[@caseybatts4614]

1:50 is my favorite part how it rises and fallls constantly

[@khalid7233]

I struggle to even consider a favorite but this one is special.

[@sofiakulovina6076]

this is comforting in so many ways i can’t even describe it

[@confusedscreaming24]

My mum called me right after the “these days I think I owe my life to flowers that were left here by my mother” bit, I just think that’s funny

[@aroundjupiter]

MY FAVORITE SONG IN THE ALBUM AHHH

[@tylervandevender4126]

A FRESH BREATH HAS FINALLY COME ONCE MORE

[@aarelia]

this is easily my favorite song on the album 😩

[@ekayaniperforms]

Motown vibes ❣❣

[@finchfry]

I woke up to find that this album was released while I was asleep. What a joyful morning.

[@dummheitlebt6643]

his music does something to my brain everytime its sooooo soothing, literally heavenly🥹🥰

[@Freeman-sb8zz]

To be loved as one of Hozier's song❤️

[@athipr.51]

I'll never move on from this

[@urdelicatepov]

THIS SONG. OMFG ANDREW YA DID IT AGAIN 😭😭

[@adrianxiaomi5367]

I love your poetry . Good to have u here :)

[@sapphicdionysus]

I don’t know how or why so there won’t be any explication but this song feels like getting drunk while heartbroken and as a result going into a drunken philosophical and existential rant about life and how fleeting it is

[@NothingsR33L]

The nihilism that follows a heartbreak, the flower metaphor was so poetic of getting through it and the realization we are all suffering even a flower but it still fights the absence of itself (death) regardless like all creation.

[@m.c.m6279]

All I can say is that I am damn lucky to be alive and still listen to HOZIER 😊❤❤....what more could I ask for

[@arnoldklein573]

Absolute masterpiece

[@jamjar5525]

I love this song so much. Got me smiling and crying.

[@CatherineFlatenJones]

"anyway" ❤

[@SakshiSingh-pe7ep]

I couldn't love this song more than I already do.

[@desivergara3002]

I really like this one little part that I haven’t seen another comment saying, but that little poem part where he says infinitely suffering but fighting off like all creation the absence of itself and then he just goes anYWAY and back into the chorus of the song . like. yes I have all these feelings that I can only speak of with metaphors removed but ANYWAY 😂

[@jacobthebigbadwolf62]

This made my soul weep

[@casperthefriendlyhuman3800]

hozier never misses

[@psyche16yt7]

Can't wait for Honor Luca to listen to this and tell us what she thinksssss❤❤

[@kaylax1171]

this one is so beautiful

[@buttonpochi]

アルバムの中で一番好きな曲。 イントロが歌謡曲っぽくて、聴き初めは少しふふって笑えた。 とてもカントリーでノイジーで、温かい音が心地いい。 目を瞑れば知らないのに懐かしい景色が浮かび上がる。 初春の今朝、開いた窓から心地いい風、揺れるカーテン、コーヒー片手にゆったり過ごす穏やかな休日。 肌寒くなる秋、誰もいない海岸、海に行くわけでもないのに車を出し、柔らかい潮風の中をドライブ、少しの寂しさと特別感を感じる昼下がり。 頭の中でいろいろな風景を想像させるこの曲。 めちゃくちゃ好きです。

[@donnanyegaard3077]

Listening with headphones and it’s like he is whispering in my ear!

[@mosanreveuseon3147]

MY HEART IS POUNDING

[@donutella1]

my personal favourite from the album. This whole album is awesome!!!!

[@titeresimaginado1085]

Wonderful compositions, just feel its beauty!!!

[@justasillybug]

this song is beautiful

[@MrKevmor]

,what a beautiful song Well done son Well done

[@marthaaa7507]

i'm ngl i'm feeling slightly suicidal rn but hozier's voice is soothing me and making me believe there truly is good in the world

[@mivana9097]

❤

[@latianar1832]

The way he samples Prince in this is so beautiful

[@desivergara3002]

I keep singing this little part to myself as I go through my day… 🎵 some part of me must have died… the first time that you called me baby But some part of me came alive, the first time you called me baby 🎶

[@Lost_reality_1]

"Some part of me came to light the final time u called me baby. " Ameen

[@mitsukiorochimaru4291]

Already one of my all time favorite songs

[@aditigurung4713]

"some part of me must have dies the first time that called me baby", ahhhhhhh god this line !!

[@ultimatedeath316]

Oh im grooving so hard

[@haowonh78]

Hozier makes waiting in the burning hot sun MUCH tolerable

[@emilyharwood89]

This song sounds like driving on the highway with the top down in summer when you're young and are forgetting every cruelty in the world.

[@racoon_in_ankhmorpork]

“And the soul, if that’s what you’d call it,/ uneasy ally of the body,/ it felt nameless as a river undiscovered underground”??? Hello?????

[@josephbrocato6693]

Best song on the record bar none

[@EoCEoCEoC]

I wish I could pick my favourite.