In 2013, Hozier recorded his iconic single Take Me to Church, and it completely blew up on the charts earlier this year. Known for its fantastic composition and for speaking out against religious intolerance against homosexuality, it is the song that put Hozier on the map. It is certainly Hozier’s most popular song, but his other songs, a majority of which can be found on his debut album, feature beautiful lyrics and messages, much like the ones found in Take Me to Church. The following list compiles just a few beautiful lines from Hozier’s songs that prove he’s a real poet.
- From In the Woods Somewhere:
A fox it was
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He shook afraid
I spoke no words, no sound he made
His bone exposed,
His hind was lame.
I raised a stone to end his pain.
In the Woods Somewhere is the only song on this list that is not on Hozier’s album, but it is still an incredible song. Much like his other songs, it tells a story. This specific story is about a man who is lost in the woods and hears some unfortunate noises. The lines above are from the second verse. The speaker comes upon a fox who was attacked by an unknown creature. After deciding to put the fox out of his misery, the speaker is still faced with the fact that whatever it was that harmed the fox is still in the woods; he might be this creature’s next victim.
A truly chilling song, In the Woods Somewhere will leave you wanting more of the speaker’s story.
- From From Eden:
Honey, you’re familiar like my mirror years ago
Idealism sits in prison, chivalry fell on it sword
Innocence died screaming, honey, ask me I should know
I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door
Hozier has said himself that the speaker in this song is the Devil. “I always loved in blues music how the Devil can be a character who walks and talks. So awful is your state that it seems to be a presence around you.” This makes sense in the context of the words and makes the song that much more powerful. The song is written almost like a love song with the Devil constantly calling the person he’s talking to “Babe.” The lines above, as well as the chorus, are saying that he has come to seduce the person the song speaks of because the other virtuous options are no longer viable.
- From In a Week:
I have never known peace like the damp grass that yields to me
I have never known hunger like these insects that feast on me
These are the opening lines of In a Week, a story about two lovers who die together with their bodies to be found a week later. It is a beautiful song with a message of eternal love. These two lovers lay in a field together and even though they die, their love never will. A repeated line is “I’ll be home with you” which signifies that each of them belongs where the other one is. Their hearts begin to stop, their bodies begin to decay, and insects begin to eat them, but nevertheless they have both found peace with each other.
- From Take Me to Church:
There is no sweeter innocence than our gentle sin.
Finally, no list of Hozier songs would be complete without discussing what makes Take Me to Church such an impactful song. The reason why it is so insanely popular is that it's very well written and portrays a clear message on what it is like to be on the receiving end of hate. The song is about the speaker who is being punished for being gay. His oppressors force him to follow their religion, and the only thing he can do is equate this with death. The line above is one of the most powerful in the song. It expresses how the speaker is participating in nothing but love and is causing no harm to anyone, however, it will always be regarded as a sin in the eyes of many.
Hozier definitely has a way with words and this is not an all-inclusive list. Every song of Hozier’s has a story to tell, and it is always told well. To leave off with some insight to how great of a writer he is, I leave you with this quote:
