Released: 2014
Hozier’s ‘Someone New’ is a deep dive into the complexities of love and human connection. The song speaks to the artist’s propensity for falling in love easily and frequently, and his struggle with the idea of a ‘right way’ to love.
Let’s start with the opening lines. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way / You knew who I was with every step that I ran to you.’ Here, Hozier is expressing that his romantic partner knew about his tendency to fall in love easily from the beginning of their relationship.
‘Only blue or black days / Electing strange perfections in any stranger I choose.’ These lines suggest that Hozier finds solace in the company of strangers during his low days, finding beauty in their imperfections.
The chorus, ‘And so I fall in love just a little ol’ little bit / Every day with someone new,’ is a candid admission of his constant, fleeting infatuations. He falls in love ‘just a little bit’ with different people every day.
‘There’s an art to life’s distractions / To somehow escape the burning weight, the art of scraping through.’ Here, Hozier is talking about the distractions we create to escape the harsh realities of life, and how he uses these fleeting infatuations as a coping mechanism.
‘Some like to imagine / The dark caress of someone else, I guess any thrill will do.’ These lines further emphasize his need for distraction and thrill, even if it’s fleeting or not entirely real.
The reference to Aretha Franklin, ‘How pure, how sweet a love, Aretha, that you would pray for him?’ is a nod to her song ‘I Say a Little Prayer.’ Hozier is suggesting that even a love as pure and sweet as Aretha’s is not immune to the trials and tribulations of human nature.
The closing lines, ‘Love with every stranger the stranger the better,’ reiterate Hozier’s theme of seeking love and connection, however fleeting, with strangers as a means of distraction and coping with life’s hardships.
