Hozierโs โpersonalโ songs on Unreal Unearth
A story in three parts, in his words
Francesca (Lust)
Iโm using the poem as a device to distance myself from it, but if Iโm being honest it did start from a personal place. I wrote that for somebody, before I brought it forward to a producer. But the poem offers it a second layer. It lives this other life, itโs not just a secret message that I wrote from myself to somebody elseโฆUltimately when other people hear it, you let go of exclusive ownership, let the song be whoโs ever it is, when other people celebrate it and enjoy it. But in the early part of its life, that song had an audience of two.
Whatโs fun about it, itโs in the 9th circle of hell, the circle of treachery. Itโs a song about being let down by someone you really trusted, the feeling of being betrayed. Dante depicts Satan not as the king of hell but the primary prisoner. In the very lowest part, the fallen angel, heโs the furthest from Godโs light, heโs frozen up to his waist in ice. This enormous being whoโs weeping, heโs trying to get away from the ice, but the more he beats his wings, it creates this horrible wind that freezes him in place more and more. Heโs just frozen there, crying, chewing on Judas. (laughs) itโs so messed up! Thereโs imagery in the song, having parts of your heart stuck in someoneโs teeth, and the frozen angel.
I never gave myself permission to write a breakup song before. When youโre in a relationship, itโs such a part of you, but youโre discussing that it has to end, at first seems like something heretical. Because itโs something you believe in, something you have faith in, something that you love. Approaching the idea that it must disintegrate can feel like a heretical thing.ย ย
