Little Love Caster

I always flit between which is my favourite Laura Marling song - but this one is definitely up there.

It follows as a sort of hangover from "Master Hunter" - with all its F-You-I-will-survive style sentiments, but with a dark twist, a vow never to let anyone in.

Now we see the reality of this unfold. A deep mistrust of anyone who tries to come near: "I have you bad man, little love caster". The narrator presupposes malicious intent and plays them at their own game "I wish that I had have told you then where my kindness ends".

Unlike 'Master Hunter', or her earlier song 'I was an Eagle' in which she states "I will not be a victim of romance … or any man who could get his dirty little hands on me", there is no sense of triumph in Little Love Caster, just an eerie sadness. As though she has in fact fallen victim to romance by denying herself the possibility of true affection. And what's more, she is hurting people in the process.

In some of her live versions she changes the line to "I would breathe you in and be your ghost", which I much prefer. I like to read it as "I'd get too close and then become a shadow of my former self." Although it could possibly just mean, I'd steal some shallow affection and then leave, and haunt you with the memory of me. But I think that sounds a bit cocky.