This song is based on a poem by Anne Sexton that depicts Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty) as a victim of sexual abuse at the hands of her father.
Rose, Briar Rose
Why you look so sad, I don't know
Did you prick your thumb? Did you skin your knee
Running down the stairs looking for me?
Everything’s on fire and everyone’s asleep
And they’re burning wheels at the king’s feet
You, where’d you go? Who you running from?
Everyone loves a sleeping beauty
On the stage or on the screen
So you take it like a man, do what you can, while you can
Try not to scream
Your daddy, he came upstairs to tuck you in
Why’d you look so scared?
Where’s the queen? Your mother, dear
She’s in the next room over, finger in her ears
She doesn’t want to hear, she thinks you’re a liar
So you light a match and you cast your spell and you start the fire
Then you try to run, but you don’t get far
You’re gonna lie for a century, dreaming in the dark
Everyone loves a sleeping beauty
On the stage or on the screen
So you take it like a man, do what you can, while you can
Try not to scream
Someday I’ll come looking for you
Through the roses and the thorns
I’ll come crawling through it all
It might take a hundred years
But I’ll be here when the smoke clears
To tear down the wall
Everyone loves a sleeping beauty
The northern lights are out tonight
Aurora, can you hear me? I know you’re weary
If you open up your eyes, you’ll be alright
Briar Rose was written by Aoife O’Donovan.
Briar Rose was produced by Tucker Martine.