This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
This is the song for Baby Birch
Though I will never know you
And at the back of what we've done
There is the knowledge of you
Well, I wish we could take every path
Could spend a hundred years adoring you
Yes, I wish we could take every path 'cause you know
I hated to close the door on you
Do you remember staring up at the stars?
So far away in their bullet-proof cars
When we heard the rushing, slow intake
Of the dark, dark water and the engine brakes
And I said how about them engine brakes?
And if I should die before I wake
Will you keep an eye on baby birch?
Because I'd hate to see her make the same mistake
When it was dark I called and you came
When it was dark I saw shapes
When I see stars I feel your hand
And I see stars and I reel again
Well mercy me, I'll be goddamned
It's been a long, long time since I last saw you
And I have never known the plan
It's been a long, long, time
How are you?
Your eyes are green, your hair is gold
Your hair is black, your eyes are blue
I closed the ranks and I doubled back
But you know I hated to close the doggone door on you
We take a walk along the dirty lake
Hear the goose cussing at me over her eggs
You poor little cousin, I don't want your dregs
A little baby fussing over my legs
There is a blacksmith and there is a shepherd and there is a butcher boy
And there is a barber who's cutting and cutting away at my only joy
I saw a rabbit as slick as a knife and as pale as a candlestick
And I had thought it'd be harder to do but I caught her and skinned her quick, held her there
Kicking and mewling upended unspooling unsung and blue
Told her wherever you go little runaway bunny I will find you
And then she ran
As they're liable to do
Be at peace baby, and be gone
Be at peace baby, and be gone
Though I will never know you
And at the back of what we've done
There is the knowledge of you
Well, I wish we could take every path
Could spend a hundred years adoring you
Yes, I wish we could take every path 'cause you know
I hated to close the door on you
Do you remember staring up at the stars?
So far away in their bullet-proof cars
When we heard the rushing, slow intake
Of the dark, dark water and the engine brakes
And I said how about them engine brakes?
And if I should die before I wake
Will you keep an eye on baby birch?
Because I'd hate to see her make the same mistake
When it was dark I called and you came
When it was dark I saw shapes
When I see stars I feel your hand
And I see stars and I reel again
Well mercy me, I'll be goddamned
It's been a long, long time since I last saw you
And I have never known the plan
It's been a long, long, time
How are you?
Your eyes are green, your hair is gold
Your hair is black, your eyes are blue
I closed the ranks and I doubled back
But you know I hated to close the doggone door on you
We take a walk along the dirty lake
Hear the goose cussing at me over her eggs
You poor little cousin, I don't want your dregs
A little baby fussing over my legs
There is a blacksmith and there is a shepherd and there is a butcher boy
And there is a barber who's cutting and cutting away at my only joy
I saw a rabbit as slick as a knife and as pale as a candlestick
And I had thought it'd be harder to do but I caught her and skinned her quick, held her there
Kicking and mewling upended unspooling unsung and blue
Told her wherever you go little runaway bunny I will find you
And then she ran
As they're liable to do
Be at peace baby, and be gone
Be at peace baby, and be gone
Lyrics submitted by blueofthesky
Baby Birch Lyrics as written by Joanna Newsom
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
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Littlelifegiver, I appreciate someone atually taking the time to explain their theory, as opposed to just stating that this song is "obviously" about an abortion, without feeling that they might have to justify that statement at all. I really liked your interpretation of the "staring up at the stars" part in particular. However, Joanna has said that she looks at this album as kind of like a 24 hour period in the narrator's life, and one interviewer suggested each disc was like a chapter in a novel, and Joanna agreed with this idea. What seems telling to me is that she chose to place On a Good Day, immediately after Baby Birch. The lyrics to On a Good Day, most definitely support the idea of the death of an imagined life, as opposed to an abortion:
On A Good Day
Hey hey hey, the end is near! On a good day, you can see the end from here. But I won't turn back, now, though the way is clear; I will stay for the remainder.
I saw a life, and I called it mine. I saw it, drawn so sweet and fine, and I had begun to fill in all the lines, right down to what we'd name her.
Our nature does not change by will. In the Winter 'round the ruined mill, The creek is lying, flat and still; it is water, though it's frozen.
So, 'cross the years and miles and through, on a good day, you can feel my love for you. Will you leave me be, so that we can stay true To the path that you have chosen?
Yes, it was the hearing of On A Good Day that originally made me turn away from the abortion theory. It doesn't seem to be about an abortion -- though it technically could be, that's not what I would hypothesize and certainly throws a wrench into my thoughts on Baby Birch. But at the same time, leaves questions about Baby Birch that I would think of previously answered.<br /> <br /> I'm definitely unsure at this point.
Me too! I can't tell, but knowing Joanna, it's billions of themes rolled into one. It could be about abortion and/or everything else in the world.