When weeds grow, they monopolize the space leaving no room for other plants to flourish. Even the common daisy, widely regarded for its beauty, falls under the category of a weed, wreaking having on its surroundings. For dalloway, this idea represents the perfect metaphor for her own life as she draws a parallel between having many relationships that feel as though they drain her and the roots of weeds that sap the life from their surroundings.
In dalloway’s newest single, “Giving Tree” she expresses these feelings of being used and discarded in relationships through her signature indie pop sound and strong lyrical style. Starting off with an audio clip from Alice in Wonderland saying, “It’s just as I suspected, she’s nothing but a common weed.” referring to when Alice was accused of being a weed by a field of flowers she was running through.
There is a strong presence of mental health awareness in the song and the importance of feigning good relationships and the importance of putting yourself first sometimes. Advocating for and creating music about mental health is very important for dalloway, who chose her stage name from Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs Dalloway” novel. One of the major themes seen in the book is mental illness, allowing Woolf to heavily critique the treatment techniques.
Giving Tree also houses the powerful lines that epitomize the song’s central theme: “You cut off all my branches / like I’m a giving tree / I know I shouldn’t let you / There’s something wrong with me / I hand out second chances / It’s always Halloween” These lines portray the struggle of wanting to hold onto a relationship even when it may not be wise, grappling with the fear of being taken advantage of, yet repeatedly offering chances in the hope of redemption.
