Hozier Analysis- "Angel of Small Death and the Codeine Scene"

Ingrid Veiga

I’m so late but just wanted to say that I have been loving your Hozier analyses só far! It’s exactly how you said, he has access to same words we do, but the way he phrases things are out of this world. Also, the “I lay my heart with the rest at your feet” bit I always understood as he saying he was laying his heart and all of the rest of him at her feet, some sorte of “I am giving you all of me” thing. What do you think? Does it make sense to you? 😂

Tabatha Arria

hi KP! it's been so long since i commented something 😅 thanks for analyzing hozier's songs. he's so underrated and i need more people to agree 😂 you said in the last take me to church video that he uses his words as double meanings for sex and something else, and i totally agree, especially the part here where he said "tongue so mean". i also loove love "leash-less confusion". it really hones in how he was dependent thi angel lover of codeine scene. can't wait to listen to your analyses for the rest of the album 💚

English Teacher KP

That makes a lot of sense! His music is so soulful, and I can definitely hear the blues influence! Also, I am so glad you enjoy my videos! Thank you for watching!

sxlem .

Nice! As someone whose first language is not English, I'm always learning with you and even tho I've listened to this song dozen of times I just got a new appreciation for it. Oh and Hozier said he was around blues music a lot growing up, so it's a big influence.

English Teacher KP

I really like this song; I can see why it's your favorite! I'm so glad you enjoyed the analysis!

English Teacher KP

Thank you for sharing this! I thought codeine was an opioid, but I wasn't sure. When I think of codeine, I think of the rappers in the early 2000s. There was this whole cultural movement of mixing codeine cough syrup with juice. It was all very flashy and over-the-top and ridiculous. So that's where my mind went. But you're so right--opioids, at the end of the day, can and do actually help people. Here in the US, though, there's an opioid crisis because they're just so addictive. I like the implications that has on the nature of this woman and the speaker's devotion to her.

Sav Miller

It's interesting that the drug she represents is Codeine, which is an opioid that's prescribed for pain relief. Opioids kind of straddle the line between beneficial and dangerous. They help people cope with severe or chronic pain, but over time they can seriously hurt the user, causing dependence that requires them to use more and more of the drug to achieve the same effect. Similarly, we get the impression that Hozier turned to this woman to cope with the pain of being rejected but found himself quickly becoming dependent on their increasingly destructive relationship.

This is my favorite Hozier song! The diction is so interesting and it’s such a bop. I love your analysis, definitely agree with your takes!