Narration: PJ Harvey – “I’ll Be Waiting”

PJ Harvey

“I’ll Be Waiting”

AA Side

The great Polly Harvey has released some outtakes from her latest project, The Hope Six Demolition Project, her insightful, journalistic records of pain and misery around the globe.  While most of The Hope Six Demolition Project is straight-forward journalism, Harvey being the observer, just relating what she sees, “I’ll Be Waiting” returns to what Harvey does best: story-telling.  In “I’ll Be Waiting”, Harvey becomes the narrator, she inhabits the character, and she tells the story as if it is happening to her personally.  Harvey is the best storyteller in rock and roll, surpassing even Bob Dylan in bringing her characters to life.  “I’ll Be Waiting” is similar in style to “Kick It To The Ground” or “Catherine”, tales of revenge.  What a great song; such a song would fit perfectly on Let England Shake and Is It Desire?.  I do hope this is an indication of the way that Harvey is going to continue, as narrator and participant rather than just journalist.

They swept across the land
they did not leave a thing
they did not leave a person
stone or a tree
they did not leave anything (2x)
all that’s left is sand (2x)

I remember father
I remember him
every minute I remember
every moment
now I hate everyone (2x)
before I used to love (2x)

One day thorn shall grow
one day thorn shall grow from their graves
when they return
thorns will grow
over their graves

I will be waiting
and when they return
I will be waiting
I will not leave a person
standing
I will not leave anything (2x)
all I’ll leave is sand (2x)
and then thorn shall grow
and then thorn shall grow from their graves
when they return
thorn shall grow
over their graves
I will be waiting when they return
thorn shall grow
over their graves
I will be waiting