Made my steps towards the water
where Undine last was seen
I was told that if you saw her
it should make you more naive
made my steps towards the shore
she calls her love at me
oh Undine so sweet and pure
make me more naive
o Undine, singing after me
o Undine, make me more naive
There were ropes around my wrist
the tide pulled at her hair
pulling her away from me
and me away from there
yes the water tried to take her
and it may pour on that night
but she fought herself against it
love in her had not yet died
o Undine, fight your way to me
o Undine, make me more make me more
You live for the sea
Undine, you live for the sea
you can not you can not
you can not you can not
you can not love me
It's cold there in the summer
so I took my coat and left
left Undine by the embers
that's all our fire had left
left Undine by the shore
when she sings her love at me
o Undine I shook and swore
I don't know
What this love is singing
You live for the sea
Undine You live for the sea
you can not you can not
you can not you can not
you can not love me
What's going on in there
what's going on in there
let me in
You live for the sea
Undine you live for the sea
you can not you can not love me
Marling told Alyssa Pereira of spin.com that:
"The other day I was looking through some old sketchbooks of mine and I found something about the myth of Undine. She was a water goddess or water nymph and she was supposed to make people feel like there was no danger in the world and lull them into a sense of security. And she causes people to walk into the water. I've been thinking about that a lot over the last couple months. Undine will probably pop up somewhere [on the new album]. I do like stories from ancient times and the beginning of literature — the way they use personification. A character was not only a being but representative of a passion like adultery. Each character had an aspect of human nature that they represented. I found that a useful tool."
Marling first performed this song in Atlanta. Below is the video.