Song Meaning

Nicole Scherzinger's rendition of "I Started Work" plunges us headfirst into the suffocating world of Norma Desmond, a faded silent film star clinging desperately to a bygone era. The song, delivered from the perspective of Joe Gillis, a down-on-his-luck screenwriter, paints a portrait of creative compromise and burgeoning entrapment. Joe's initial optimism – "I started work on the script, I hacked my way through the thicket" – quickly curdles into a grim realization. He's not just polishing a script; he's navigating a psychological minefield. Norma, ever the watchful hawk, embodies the possessiveness and delusion that have consumed her. Her spoken lines, dripping with narcissistic entitlement ("Of course they do, what else would they have come for?"), highlight the chasm between her self-perception and reality. The lyrics subtly underscore the power dynamic shift. Joe's "first big mistake" isn't a mere editorial oversight; it's a symbolic sinking into the quicksand of Norma's manipulative world. The screenplay, initially a project, becomes a gilded cage. The house itself, described as "always so quiet," becomes a character, a mausoleum of forgotten glory. The mention of "Max and that organ" evokes a sense of gothic isolation, hinting at the twisted codependency that fuels Norma's fantasy. The "one kind of entertainment on hand" implies a stifling monotony, a creative and emotional vacuum that Joe is increasingly drawn into. Ultimately, "I Started Work" is a study in desperation and the corrosive nature of unchecked ego. It's about the Faustian bargain Joe makes, trading his artistic integrity for a fleeting sense of security. Scherzinger's performance, layered with a subtle undercurrent of dread, perfectly captures the suffocating atmosphere of Norma's world and the creeping sense of unease that permeates Joe's experience. The song's power lies in its ability to evoke a sense of claustrophobia, leaving the listener with a lingering feeling of impending doom.