Isle Unto Thyself

Isle Unto Thyself
Written by	Joe Hawley
Appears on	Hawaii: Part II
Sung by	Joe Hawley
Duration	3:47
Genre	World, Psych Rock
Language	English
Links:	Youtube Spotify Bandcamp Instrumental (Bandcamp) Demo (Bandcamp) Wee-Oh (Bandcamp)

Isle Unto Thyself is a song written by Joe Hawley. It is the 2nd track on the album Hawaii: Part II. Variations On A Cloud contains some motifs from this song.

History

The first demo of Isle Unto Thyself that is documented is from January of 2006 and was titled Matters. Coz leaked the original 2006 demo on January 24th, 2022 in the Needlejuice Records Discord server.

A mastered version of the demo track was made available on Hawaii: Part II: Part ii May 19th, 2014. Entitled Isle Unto Thyself (Demo)

The only differences between the '06 Matters demo and the '14 Isle Unto Thyself (Demo) is the mastering.

Notable differences between the demo version and the final Hawaii: Part II album version include the the chorus and verses being told in first person (bridges remain second person), Joe Hawley singing the chorus instead of Madi Diaz, and a vivid Hawaiian and 1960s theme.

Music Video

On the 12th December 2014 (2 years after the original release of Hawaii: Part II) an animated music video for Isle unto Thyself was uploaded to the ミラクルミュージカル YouTube channel. The video shows a squid and a whale dancing together before being attacked by predators. The whale and squid evolve over time before being dropped back into the ocean and dancing again.
A flipped version of the music video, called "Ambidextrous Version", was also made per Joe's request.

The squid and whale seen in the video could be reference to the Sperm Whale and Giant Squid diorama in the The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life located in the American Museum of Natural History. The diorama depicts a hypothetical fight between the two creatures. The Squid and the Whale is also a 2005 movie by Noah Baumbach, which features the diorama in the film.

Lyrics

Blinding shining star
You won't see so far
Know what can't be shown
Feel what can't be known

You were an isle unto thyself
You had a heart you hadn't felt
Why would it hurt me
Or was it real

It was the night we had to part
We were afraid to miss the start
What did it matter
Why would it matter
And could we heal

Blinding shining star
You won't see so far
Know what can't be shown
Feel what can't be known

I was a victim of magic
Apollo
Catching my breath as I bled on the ground
Somebody called me to follow
I followed
Thinking aloud without hearing the sound

Then all the planets fell to dust
Lonely departing after us
Gone not forgotten
Long but forgotten old lore

In every element of life
Love camouflaging under strife
Or other matters
Minds over matters
let there be more

Maybe you'll exit tomorrow
The sorrow
Sweeping you off as your island replies
Sudden invincible flowing
A river
Clearer than all thou might view with thine eyes

Why did fire-erupted lands arrive?
Why did murderous animals survive?
Why did we deserve to be revived?
Why was any and everything alive?

Matters Lyrics

Blind a shining star
We won't see so far
Know what can't be shown
Feel what can't be known

I was an isle unto myself
I had a heart I hadn't felt
Why would it hurt me?
Or was it real?

It was the day I had to part
I was afraid to miss my heart
What did it matter?
Why did it matter?
Or would I feel?

Blind a shining star
We won't see so far
Know what can't be shown
Feel what can't be known

I was a victim of magic
Apollo
Catching my breath as I bled on the ground

Somebody called me to follow
I followed
Thinking aloud without hearing the sound

(Why)

When all the planets fall to dust
Lonely departing after us
Gone not forgotten
Long but forgotten

In every element of life
Love camouflages under strife
Or other matters
Not only matter
Let there be more

Blind a shining star
We won't see so far
Know what can't be shown
Feel what can't be known

Maybe we'll tango tomorrow
The sorrow 
Sweeping us off as our mother replies

Suddenly everything flowing
Like water
Clearer than all we can see with our eyes

(Why)

Why do travelling tumbleweeds arrive?
Why do murderous animals survive?
Why do I deserve to be revived?
Why are any or all of us alive?

Personnel

Engineered by Bora Karaca at the LaBORAtory in Beverly Hills, CA
Music & Lyrics: Joe Hawley
Vocals: Joe Hawley
Additional Vocals: Bora Karaca, Andrew Kurtz, Ashley Renee
Acoustic & Electric Guitars: Joe Hawley
Electric Bass: Ryan Brady
Drum Kit: Ross Federman
Drum Engineering: Ben Collins, Ross Federman

Music Video Personnel

Video by Sean Donnelly and Teddy O'Connor
Squirrel Animation: Abbey Luck
Sets: Liz Toonkel