“A burning hill” is the eleventh track on Puberty 2, released on June 17, 2016. In October of the same year, a video was released for the song, which collected more than two million views. This is the final composition of the album, which contrasts with the rest of the content of the songs.
It was written by Japanese singer Mitsuki Miyawaki, who independently released her first two albums. She later worked with the Double Double whammy and Dead Oceans labels.
In the text of this song, the emphasis shifts from telling stories and feelings in simple words, as was the case in past albums, towards metaphors and comparisons.
After the release of the track, the singer gave an interview: “I no longer thought about whether I could play it live. I thought more about how I could make these records the way they are, and I knew I could always just re-create a different version live.” “I think I’m just starting to become more aware of the layers of who I am. Nobody is just one person, nobody is just one feeling. […] sometimes the best way to convey an emotion is not just to describe it directly, but to hint at it with a metaphor or use symbols.”
The performer states: “I not only want to be happy, but I also want to maintain happiness.”
Meaning of “A Burning Hill” – Mitski
Listeners from all over the world interpreted the meaning of the track in their own way: to some the text seemed to be about dependent relationships, and to others about non-reciprocal love or depression. But most users agreed that this song is about self-destruction. The emphasis is on the fact that the lyrical heroine drove herself into such a situation herself. This is indicated by the lines “And you are not there at all.”
The heroine understands the deplorability of her condition, but is powerless to stop what is happening to her and can only watch her own self-destruction. Users of the American Reddit forum suggested that the main character is the forest she talks about. It burns, that is, it is destroyed, but, like a forest fire, it cannot help itself. Remaining a passive witness to your life. The image of a forest fire personifies the state of depersonalization, it is everything and nothing at the same time.
