My interpretation of 'Preachers Daughter' Ethel Cain
This song introduces and foreshadows the entirety of the album by highlighting Cain's connection to her parents, God and love. This song foreshadows her brutal death at the hands of her lover as the lyrics "the fate has already fucked me sideways..." indicates that the ending of her story doesn't have a happy ending. The next line "swinging by my neck from the family tree..." infers that her death was a product of her environment and childhood which ultimately set her up for a tragic ending- she could of not escaped this ending no matter how hard she tried.
Ethel begins the story of her adolescences through the cliche symbolism of the teen experience in highschool- as someone who is not American theres this desire to experience an American highschool because of how films portray the coming-of-age experience- so that being said I think Cain is referring to this "happy" and glorified teenage experience throughout highschool as the upbeat music plays to give the illusion that this song is meant to be a cheerful one when the lyrics contradict the music. Cain refers to Sunday mornings which is traditionally when someone goes to Church which implies that her relationship with God is a complicated one as well as her problems with alcohol.
This is the beginning of a relationship with Willoughby Tucker. Her relationship with him was probably the least toxic one and throughout the song we gain the sense of love Cain feels for him. However, towards the end she begins to describe how alone she feels as Willoughby left and she blames herself for this. I get the feeling that although their world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows what they had was strong enough to trump the bad.
As Willoughby Tucker has left Cain, Western nights delves into her love story with Logan Phelps who often finds himself in quite a bit of trouble in order to support himself and Cain. The lyrics "trouble's always going to find you..." shows that Phelps was a troublesome person but had to do what he did in order to survive as they are starving and struggling. Cain finds herself alongside this violent man who reminds her of her family; violent.
As the life of crime gets the better of Logan Phelps, he's killed by police officers and she finds herself grieving the loss of Logan as well as reminiscing on her childhood. She remembers growing up in a violent household and how the patterns align with Logan's behaviours which makes her reflect upon her relationship choices. Throughout Preachers Daughter Cain utilises the motif of a noose, in this song she states "take this noose off, wrap it tight around my hand..." which can be interpreted in many ways but personally I felt that the motif of the noose reflects her bad childhood as suicide was the only escape. The "wrap it tight around my hands" shows her sexual side and how she's developed as a woman and knows she isn't that same kid anymore. Cain alludes to being cleansed in holy water to rid her of not only her sins but everyone's she's ever loved.
This is a song with very deep meaning as it reflects her relationship with her father; the preacher. She reveals that her father has attached himself to her sexually and emotionally. Cain writes, "a little girl who needs her daddy real bad..." and then continues to state how on her birthday her dad watched her dancing in the grass which can be used as a metaphor for him sexually abusing her. She states how she was "too young to notice" which indicates how Cain has revisited this emotional turmoil and is currently experiencing distress. The repetition of "I'm tired of you, still tied to me" indicates that she carries her father everywhere she goes and wants to break free from the chains of abuse.
This song has more country undertones which symbolises her Southern roots. This song follows the story of her meeting a man named Isaiah as he offers her a ride in his truck so she doesn't have to walk. Cain narrates the story of them two driving off to California, their discussions about love and their interpersonal relationship. She begins to see Isaiah as the opposite of her father and Logan; not a violent man thus opening herself up to him pursing a romantic relationship.
She ends Act One off with a new relationship with a supposedly non-violent man.
Isaiah and Ethel have been out in the West for some time now. This song explores Isaiah's abuse and how he coerces Cain into prostitution where I assume she encounters a multitude of violence time after time. She thought that this relationship was one that she was safe in however she had fallen back into the cycle of abuse just like with her father and Logan. She states "you want to take my clothes off and hurt me..." which indicates that the physical and sexual abuse she was facing brought up distressing thoughts of her father.
Ethel is hallucinating because of the drugs that Isaiah has introduced to her- she begins to see his true colours in the relationship. The allusion to the Bible and religion symbolises the demon-like behaviour that Isaiah, Logan and Cain's father have all committed which has significantly affected Cain's understanding of love.
"You poor thing, sweet mourning lamb, theres nothing you can do..."
This line indicates something horrible is about to happen and there is nothing she can do about it- she cannot reverse her tragic ending. The symbolism of the lamb is used to showcase how in the end as Isaiah commits horrible acts she is innocent and being slaughtered; just like a lamb.
"bound to suffering eternal through the sins of their fathers committed long before their conception"
Cain is reinforcing how her circumstances and how she ended up being cannibalised was inevitable, she simply could not stop it as it was bred into her. Her fathers sins were weaved into her DNA and his abuse had turned out to stay with her until death. She found her father in all of her romantic relationships which eventually caught up to her.
Following the hallucinations Isaiah brings her to an abandoned location where he brutally murders her. The footsteps at the end of the song are an indication of Isaiah's power over Cain.
This song is almost refreshing in a way as the piano at the start is light and airy, symbolising how Cain is now free from the chains of her father, her lovers and herself. Her soul ascends into the afterlife where she's at peace and no longer has to endure the pain and suffering she went through. This instrumental is emotional and passionate which highlights the beginning of Ethel's life after death. Cain portrays death in the sense that it's freeing; especially after all she's gone through.
This was probably the song that got me OBSESSED with Preacher's Daughter. Cain reflects on her life from the afterlife and looks back upon her childhood.
"What I wouldn't give to be in church this Sunday..."
Cain reminisces her time spent in church with her family, listening to the choir and praising God whom she thought would be at her side, yet he could not save her from the wrath of the abusive man.
"God loves you but not enough to save you..."
"I forgive it all as it comes back to me..."
Cain's life after death has made her a forgiving person as she knows that she is safe from the evil men in her life as she's soon one with God.
Cain refers to the house in Nebraska at the end of the song which makes the listeners understand how her innocent love with Willoughby Tucker was the only love she ever truly felt hence why she is singing to the house in her afterlife- she'll never forget the love she had which wasn't abusive.
Before her soul leaves earth she watches her physical body.
"You devour like smoked bovine hide..."
Isaiah had a psychotic break and has begun to cannibalise Cain's body and committed necrophiliac actions. He keeps Cain's body in the freezer.
"With my memory restricted to a polaroid in evidence."
All Cain wanted was someone to love her and yet in nearly all of her relationships she happened to meet the carbon copy of her father and endured his abuse again and again.
All she is now is a piece of evidence.
Before she departs to heaven she visits her mother and tries to comfort her as she sees her grieving.
