Three surprising things I learned about What the Water Gave Me in ascending order of unexpectedness:
1) The title is taken from a partial self portrait of Frida Kahlo.
2) The track was written by Florence Welch, according to the YouTube algorithms I came across when looking up the video of Cub’s recording. This briefly intrigued me until I found out that to have written this would have been a hell of an achievement given that Welch was only 6 years old at the time that Peel played it. You’ll have to forgive me for my ignorance, I leant more towards Santigold in the late 00s rather than Florence and the Machine. I harboured hopes that the 5 and a half minute choral euphoria of What the Water Gave Me which was recorded for their 2011 LP, Ceremonials was inspired by Welch or Paul Epworth chancing upon the 73 second strum-along which Cub recorded for their debut EP, Pep, 20 years earlier but no, it was inspired by the Kahlo painting.
3) Cub, who included future Peel favourite, Neko Case as an occasional drummer on some of their recordings, were exemplars of a style of music known as cuddlecore, a North American version of twee pop. Considering the critical hostility which bands affiliated to Sarah Records attracted from the UK music press, it’s possible that those same critics would have spontaneously combusted in horror had they attended a Cub gig and seen the girls emphasising their gentle credentials by playing in their pyjamas and giving out presents to the audience.
As ever with twee pop though, while the music may be light and jangly, the lyrics cut deeper than the shiny surface suggests it will. I had initially been reading an Ophelia subtext into the lyrics as I’m wont to do whenever a fey sounding woman sings about water, but the allusion to bruises worn like new tattoos and love withdrawn from an abuser suggests that the water will give the narrator escape either by sailing away from their troubles, or like Ophelia, a means by which to end their heartache permanently. Frida (and Florence) would approve.
Video courtesy of Matias Monges
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