The song “Ptolemaea” by Ethel Cain, who also goes by Hayden Anhedönia, is a very dark and raw track off her 2022 debut album Preacher’s Daughter. Unofficially titled “Perverts,” the lyrics delve into themes of pain, religious trauma and spiritual suffering that run through much of Cain’s extremely introspective work. Written and performed entirely by Cain herself, it delves into vivid, unsettling imagery and soundscape motifs as she explores issues of self, religion and torment. In many cases the lyrics are vaguely ominous or describe some kind of impending fall into madness or damnation, fitting with the broader doomed Southern Gothic arc plotline to the album. With vocals that balance ethereal beauty with visceral power, there is a reason why Preacher’s Daughter has been hailed as such a powerful collection of evocative deep cuts from listeners who love poetic darkness.
Ptolemaea Lyrics by Ethel Cain
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Song Title | Ptolemaea |
| Album | Preacher’s Daughter |
| Artist | Ethel Cain (Hayden Anhedönia) |
| Release Date | May 12, 2022 |
| Genre | Southern Gothic, Darkwave, Experimental |
| Songwriter | Hayden Anhedönia (Ethel Cain) |
| Themes | Religious trauma, spiritual torment, identity, descent into darkness |
| Notable Lyrics | Cryptic and eerie, featuring phrases that evoke chaos and inner suffering |
| Production | Written, produced, and performed by Ethel Cain |
| Reception | Praised for its haunting atmosphere and emotional depth |
| Soundscape | Unsettling and experimental, with ethereal vocals and dark instrumentals |
Ptolemaea Lyrics
I followed you in and I was with you there
I invited you in twice, I did
You love blood too much
But not like I do
Not like I do
Heard you, saw you, felt you, gave you
Need you, love you, love you, love you
Heard you, saw you, felt you, love you
Love you, love you, love you, love you
Love you, love you, love you, love you
Love you, love you, love you, love you
You’d do well to say yes to me
Suffer does the wolf, crawling to thee
Promising a big fire, any fire
Saying I’m the one, he’s gonna take me
I’m on fire, I’m on fire, I’m on fire
Suffering is nigh, drawing to me
Calling me the one, I’m the white light
Beautiful, finite
Even the iron still fears the rot
Hiding from something I cannot stop
Walking on shadows, I can’t lead him back, uh
Buckled on the floor when night comes along
Daddy’s left and momma won’t come home, oh, uh
You poor thing
Sweet, mourning lamb
There’s nothing you can do
It’s already been done
What fear a man like you brings upon a woman like me (show me your face)
Please, don’t look at me
I can see it in your eyes, he keeps looking at me
Tell me, what have you done?
Stop, stop, stop, make it stop
Stop, make it stop, make it stop
I’ve had enough
Stop, stop, stop, stop
Stop, stop, stop, stop
I am the face
Of love’s rage
I am the face
Of love’s rage
Blessed be the Daughters of Cain
Bound to suffering eternal through the sins of their fathers committed long before their conception
Blessed be their whore mothers
Tired and angry, waiting with bated breath in a ferry that will never move again
Blessed be the children
Each and every one come to know their god through some senseless act of violence
Blessed be you, girl
Promised to me by a man who can only feel hatred and contempt towards you
I am no good nor evil, simply I am
And I have come to take what is mine
I was there in the dark when you spilled your first blood
I am here now, as you run from me still
Run then, child
You can’t hide from me forever
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