Patrick Wolf has announced plans to launch his third single from “The Bachelor” – the stunning and epic track “Damaris” on December 15th on digital and vinyl. “Damaris” is one of the key tracks on the album and fan reaction to this song being chosen as a single has been very positive.
In an excerpt from the press release issued yesterday, the origin of “Damaris” is explained in which the track originates from Patrick’s determination to find out more about his British roots – it’s quite an interesting read for any dedicated Patrick Wolf fan…
Semi autobiographical and centered on the loss of love, Damaris was inspired by a tale discovered whilst Patrick went to seek out his English roots after a period of heartbreak and the ending of a relationship that was much documented in the song “The
Magic Position”. Tracing his father’s roots, under the family name “Apps” back to a family of ferret catchers and blacksmiths in Brede, East Sussex, he stumbled across a small wooden cross engraved with the name “Damaris” among the gravestones of his ancestors.
From that moment, Patrick began researching who Damaris might be and it came about that the wooden cross told a larger tale then anyone could have imagined. It is still unsure whether Damaris was a gypsy or a heathen, but she belonged outside of the Catholic church, who in 1880 held a very strict reign over romance and passion in such a small village. Damaris was most certainly not from the Catholic church so when she fell in love with Lewis, the son of the Parish priest, she was denied of ever being united in marriage with him. Patrick writes the song from the perspective of Lewis after discovering that Damaris has “died of a broken heart” which in the 19th Century was a polite term for either suicide or a romantic notion that someone can be so heartbroken that they give up on life. This is a musical iconisation of a true life Romeo and Juliet from Sussex. Two star crossed lovers who were destined to be together, but were denied due to the repression and sign of the times.
The digital release for “Damaris” will also feature the following tracks:
“Peacock Skies”
“Queen Isabella (The She-Wolf of England)” (on vinyl as well)
“Damaris (St George’s Church Acoustic Mix)”