History YMMV / PJHarvey

* UncannyValleyMakeup: During the ''Music/ToBringYouMyLove'' era, to which she described it as "Creator/JoanCrawford on acid" after denying that it was inspired by either drag makeup, Kabuki theatre or performance art.

* {{Tearjerker}}: "This Mess We're In" from ''Music/StoriesFromTheCityStoriesFromTheSea'' had an entirely different implication after 2001, especially when set with a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLM4BMM_hzk video]] of 9/11.

** "To Talk to You" is also pretty depressing, as it's a song about PJ [[GriefSong mourning the loss of her grandmother]].
* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Polly has made a point of saying her album ''Let England Shake'' is not really political.

* CargoShip: "M-Bike". As her boyfriend at the time commented, "She could have just ''told'' me she didn't like my motorbike..."

* {{Tearjerker}}: "This Mess We're In" had an entirely different implication after 2001, especially when set with a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLM4BMM_hzk video]] of 9/11.
** "Horses In My Dreams" sounds like a desperate cry for help.

* CargoShip: "M-Bike"

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Polly has made a point of saying her upcoming album ''Let England Shake'' is not really political.

* NightmareFuel
** "Down By the Water". No one's quite sure what this song is about. Murder, rape, child abuse, infanticide, sexual abuse, jealousy, shame, incest, some horrible combination of any of those: the theories are out there, but what everyone can agree on is that this is an extremely dark song on an extremely dark album. What makes it even worse is that this track was actually used as a ''radio single'', making it the first Harvey song this troper ever heard.
*** [[MadnessMantra "Little fish, big fish, swimming in the water, come back here and give me my daughter...".]]
** Hearing Polly Jean belt out the titular lyrics of "Long Snake Moan" counts as NightmareFuel and FetishFuel at the same time.
*** Hell, just the ''intro''...
---->*a few seconds of silence*
---->'''Polly Jean''': M-hmmm...?
---->*wall of pounding guitars*
** "Catherine" is perhaps one of the creepiest songs Harvey has recorded and that is saying a lot. Her voice in the entire song never rises above a whisper as she murmurs a prayer for the death and damnation of the titular women.
** While not an overtly creepy song, some of the theories surrounding "A Perfect Day Elise" give cause to mention it here. Just what exactly goes on in [[{{Room101}} Room 509]]?
*** This song was inspired by the J.D. Salinger story "A Perfect Day for Bananafish," which is the first of Salinger's stories about a member of the Glass family, Seymour. In the story, Seymour is on vacation with his wife in Florida. While his wife stays in the hotel room and talks on the phone to her mother about his strange behavior, Seymour is having a day at the beach. Afterwards, he comes into the hotel room where his wife is sleeping and shoots himself.
** "Electric Light" certainly qualifies. The entire song consists of a low, rumbling organ repeating the same riff over and over while a quiet drum machine can be heard in the background. Harvey's voice is extremely creepy, mumbling and whispering about how beautiful some girl looks under electric light, saying that it "tears her heart out" to see. It's never explicitly stated who this girl is or what happens to her, but that just makes it all the more unsettling.
** "Horses in My Dreams" is to be avoided if horses already creep you out.
** "We Float" also know as Nightmare Fuel in a song.
** "Working For the Man" is also exceptionally creepy, particularly because PJ's voice is recorded in such a way that it sounds like she's whispering in your ear. The lyrics could be interpreted as being from the perspective of a man who picks up prostitutes in his car and murders them, but believes he is doing the work of God. [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking It also has an awesome groove to it]].
** ''White Chalk'', the entire album. Some standout songs include "The Piano", "Grow Grow Grow", and "When Under Ether".
*** A lot of the theories surrounding "When Under Ether" are pretty interesting. Many people interpret it to be about abortion, although PJ [[WordOfGod denies this]]. It could also be about being in a drug-induced haze.
** "Pig Will Not" from her ''A Woman A Man Walked By'' album.

* [=Tearjerker=]: "This Mess We're In" had an entirely different implication after 2001, especially when set with a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLM4BMM_hzk video]] of 9/11.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: Polly has made a point of saying her upcoming album Let England Shake is not really political.

* TearJerker: "This Mess We're In" had an entirely different implication after 2001, especially when set with a [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLM4BMM_hzk video]] of 9/11.

** "Working For the Man" is also exceptionally creepy, particularly because PJ's voice is recorded in such a way that it sounds like she's whispering in your ear. The lyrics could be interpreted as being from the perspective of a man who picks up prostitutes in his car and murders them, but believes he is doing the work of God.

* HighOctaneNightmareFuel

** "We Float" also know as nightmare fuel in a song.

* FetishFuel: A good half of ''To Bring You My Love''. For the other half of the album, see HighOctaneNightmareFuel. Oh, and the two overlap at times
** Same goes for her music videos for Down By The Water and C'mon Billy. Woman wearing [[LadyInRed fancy clothes]], [[LingerieScene negligee]] and [[StockingFiller fishnets]] who's also writhing around [[MadnessMantra chanting]] and [[DistressedDude tying men to chairs]] so she can feel loved, all set to somewhat disturbing music.

** WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitcal: Polly has made a point of saying her upcoming album Let England Shake is not really political.

** "Horses In My Dreams" sounds like a desperate cry for help.

---->'''Polly Jean''': [[AudioErotica M-hmmm...?]]