Losing someone is never easy, whether you know it’s coming or not, the wounds of that loss still hurt and the resulting scars will continue to linger. Yet, there’s a certain unnamable pain that comes with losing a loved one to suicide. In the touching single ‘Black Crow’, Newcastle singer-songwriter Martha Hill chronicles the empty space left by the death of childhood best friend Zoe, who sadly lost her life to suicide.
Throughout this track, Hill traces the enduring memories of her friendship with Zoe, her “sister in arms,” as she navigates her own experience of sudden loss and grief. ‘Black Crow’ starts with some simple indie-folk strings, which don’t immediately give away the heaviness of Hill‘s emotions. Yet, there’s something about the raw intimacy of her guitar, voice and her unguarded lyrics that gradually reveals just how devastating the absence of Zoe is. We’re struck by the chorus especially, “And I hear you in the way I talk to myself, I see you in the backs of other people’s lovers.”
The chorus also delivers the song’s title and central image, the black crow, a much misunderstood bird whose symbolic potency has been reshaped and reimagined over centuries. For some, the black crow is a bad omen, yet we don’t have to look far for other interpretations. For example, in Celtic mythology, the crow is the bird of the triple goddess, the Morrigan, a goddess of war and fate, who was a fierce protector of her land and people. This isn’t to undermine the loss of Hill’s dear friend, but rather to remember her as a whole person, who is so much more than her ending.
As part of the upcoming album Tether, ‘Black Crow’ shows us how sensitively and bravely this singer-songwriter handles the toughest of topics. As Martha Hill eulogises, this song is all “for my beautiful Zoe.”
You can also listen to ‘Black Crow’ in our Folk This Way playlist.
Follow Martha Hill:
UNRECORDED 