Medeia
The only personal detail of my romantic preferences that I’m willing to admit, because I believe it enriches this particular listening experience, is that I’ve got a thing for the marginally insane. I seem to be drawn to people with one screw missing, and possibly an extra screw somewhere. That has got me in both trouble, and whatever the opposite of trouble is, many times. I imagine Jason, falling head over heels for this woman who’s been nothing but absolutely insane, unhinged and murderous ever since they met. Her love must have been divine, and his undoing was treating her badly. Sometimes you just gotta take that risk, it leads to good things… very occasionally.
The character of Medea, styled in Portuguese as Medeia, is fascinating to me. I recorded an entire video lecture of sorts about her, because I am infatuated with this divisive and ever-mysterious figure. The goddess of life, youth and rebirth, mistress of infinite knowledge and healing wisdom, made into the wicked child murderer, a fearful witch to be treated as a villain. Notwithstanding all this, all that and those she burned represented the stature of an old system, the old regime, the one that tried to bend such a powerful witch to the whims of men. Fire, then, came to purify, and that which is pure is holy. She was delightful indeed.
I had the amazing Lari Azevedo make a cover for the Live At The Bedroom version of Medeia based on Frederik Sandys’ classic 1868 painting portraying the woman herself, one that I particularly like.
Is it blood on the Earth you want?
Then, blood on the Earth you’ll have
For your never completion
I said:
You could bring down a hero
Honey, your touch is magic
‘Tween your witchcraft and your knife stabs
Fire comes straight from the garden
Fire will sanctify you, my lady
You, you’re crazy
Burn me, burn me, burn me to the ground
Is it your magic veils I want
Or do I wanna reveal you?
Always chasing your river
She said:
I will curse your existence
Nothing good comes from this love
Wanna join me?
You will join me in pain
Fire comes straight from the garden
Fire will sanctify you, my lady
You, you’re crazy
Burn me, burn me, burn me to the ground
Yeah!
All my dreams and aspirations
It's time to say goodbye
So I can give you all the room
For you to ruin my life
Carry me in your magic arms
And poison all I love
You're the shining in the fires below
And in the stars above
Is it blood on the Earth you want?
Then, blood on the Earth you’ll have
For your never completion
I will curse your existence
Nothing good comes from this love
Wanna join me?
You will join me in pain
Fire comes straight from the garden
Because fire will sanctify you, my lady
You, you’re crazy
Burn me, burn me, burn me to the ground
(You)
My lady
(You)
You’re crazy
Burn me, burn me, burn me
Burn me! (To the)
To the ground
Taste the sun and the moon and the stars in you
