Polar Nettles Lyrics

Lyric discussion by j_dub 

Cover art for Polar Nettles lyrics by Neko Case

She says in one of her live performances, "the one about a dude in love with a phantom nurse . . . this unrequited love."

Per Wikipedia a nettle is a plant that has many hollow stinging hairs called trichomes on its leaves and stems, which act like hypodermic needles that inject histamine and other chemicals that produce a stinging sensation when contacted by humans and other animals. The plant has been known to kill, including horses and at least one person.

Her imagery is amazing. Quite the wordsmith.

Song Meaning