Uploaded December 2020 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago

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The new album "A Dark Murmuration of Words" is out now - emilybarker.com/words

I wrote ‘Machine’ after watching director Ava DuVernay’s powerful documentary 13th. There are many other inspirations for the song, but this film in particular exposes the insidious methods used by those in positions of power to subvert historical narratives to their own advantage. Oftentimes the persistence isn’t even conscious – hence the lyric “This machine runs on its own” – but as the events of this year have demonstrated, we can all play a part by recognising historical and ongoing injustice and calling it out wherever we see it.

Sing along with me to this lyric video :)
Hope you're keeping well.
Emily
❤️

#indiefolk #lyrics #lyricvideo #machine #oppression #adarkmurmurationofwords

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