Hozier’s ‘Take Me To Church’ was one of the biggest hits of 2014, going five times Platinum and topping Billboard’s Hot Rock Songs chart for a then-record 23 straight weeks.
Powered by that single, the Irish rocker’s self-titled debut LP sold a million copies worldwide. I think I heard it a couple of times and enjoyed it well enough, but I couldn’t name another of its songs.
Twenty years from now, people will listen to ‘Take Me To Church’ and grow frustrated as the name Hozier sits on the tip of their tongues, just out of memory’s reach.
Or maybe his newest EP, Nina Cried Power, out just a few weeks ago, will catch fire, propelling him to a second wave of success, and he’ll churn out a handful of well-received albums over the next decade, cementing his spot as one of the great singer-songwriters of the new millennium.
Nope. Future one-hit wonder.
I couldn’t utter my love when it counted
But I’m singing like a bird about it now
And I couldn’t whisper when you needed it shouted
But I’m singing like a bird about it now[Chorus 1]
Words hung above, but never would form
Like a cry at the final breath that is drawn
Remember me, love when I’m reborn
As a shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn
[Verse 2]
I’d no idea on what ground I was founded
All of that goodness is going with you now
Then when met you, my virtues uncounted
All of my goodness is going with you now
[Chorus 2]
Dragging along, following your form
Hung like the pelt of some prey you had worn
Remember me love, when I’m reborn
As the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn
[Verse 3]
I fled to the city with so much discounted
But I’m flying like a bird to you now
Back to the hedgerows where bodies are mounted
Ah but I’m flying like a bird to you now
[Chorus 3]
I was housed by your warmth
But I was transformed
By your grounded and giving
And darkening scorn
Remember me love, when I’m reborn
As the shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn
Meet Me In Montauk 
I could truly listen to Hozier all day long. This EP isn’t my fave of his work, but his voice is incredible and I hope he lives forever.
The jury may still be out on Hozier, and Maddie is making it a hung jury. However, under my name theory, Hozier has an uphill battle against one hit wonder trivia obscurity.
Your description of that instant is spot on and so amusing (though today’s digital display takes some of the fun out of it; half the time I still don’t know which is the artist’s name and which the song title). Time will certainly tell, but I agree that this song has the qualities to earn its spot this week.
To clarify, the qualities the song has is being such a huge hit and so beloved, when the rest of the album/s ????
I’ll be seeing this one-hit wonder in concert tonight, so I’ll keep you all posted about how magical that is 😛
Update: one of the best concerts ever. Long live my Irish prince.
❤️👍🏼
I think this is a very accurate choice. It’s not that I dislike Hozier. I respect him a lot as an artist but I’ve found that many of the songs he produces are similar to “Take me to Church”. Perhaps, it’s just because of his admittedly soulful and rich but to me somewhat monotonous voice that ties all of his songs in that same kind of low angsty mood. Therefore, I think wide audiences have loved the shtick one time but it can’t sustain for multiple hits.
Let the record show that Hozier recently dropped an incredible new single that is climbing the charts. One hit wonder status be damned.