Chasing Whispers
Behind The Song:
The song is an exploration of the process of researching this EP. I had to write a song about the lack of information and knowledge of this period of history, how little care was taken when documenting the deaths of these women.
While researching this project, I felt like I was chasing something impossible, searching for information that isn’t there, and it was frustrating how easily these women had been more or less erased from history. There is information about their torture, the circumstances of the witch trials and even plenty on why these women were accused, but very little information about who these women were, past generalisations of the type of woman targeted for witchcraft. While reading through the Scottish survey of witchcraft online i found countless cases but very little information about these women’s ages, full names where they lived, what they were accused of or even trial notes.
This song not only includes my sadness at the erasure of these women but also the anger, the chorus being meant to drive home who these women were.
Lyrics
Verse:
Chasing the whispers you left behind
Trying to piece together what you were like
I have to find out what they've tried to hide
Chasing the whispers silenced in time
Chasing the names of those who were erased
Staring at endless notes but no real case
I have to know how you met your fate
Chasing the names of those without graves
Pre-Chorus:
Do you know what you've done?
Got a taste for the blood
Kept us all on the run
Did you have fun?
Chorus:
Mothers and wives
A sister a child
Healers and friends
When did it end?
Mothers and wives
A sister a child
Healers and friends
When will it end?
Verse:
Chasing the stories I was never told
Of women not witches those who were wronged
I have to show them you were more
We need to mourn