Plants and rags
Ease myself into a body bag
Plants and rags
Ease myself into a body bag

Dreamt of a man
He fed me fine food
He gave me shiny things
I dreamt of a man
He fed me fine food
He gave me shiny things

White and black
You looking for the sun, boy?
The sun doesn't shine down here, no, no, no
White and black
You looking for the sun, boy?
The sun doesn't shine down here, in the shadows

House and home
Who thought they could take away that place?
Outside, and they lead us out quietly
Lead us outside, and the lead us out quietly
House and home
Who thought they could take away that place?
Outside, and they lead us out quietly
Lead us outside, and they lead us out quietly


Lyrics submitted by shut, edited by fast_as_you_can

Plants and Rags Lyrics as written by Robert Damian Ellis Polly Harvey

Lyrics © Sentric Music

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Plants And Rags song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +4
    General Comment

    After listening to this song for some time I've been getting visions of holocaust survivors

    AlecsPenon April 02, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "the sun doesnt shine down here" this song is about being in the merky depts of depression and wanting to commit suicide.

    Riot Grrrlon March 25, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I've always liked this song a lot. No idea what exactly its meaning is derived from- but it seems to be a song based on a person (assumingly female) who is in a very murky & deep state of depression.

    I love how PJ Harvey's songs from album to album- even track to track, a lot of the time- can alter so much in mood, element, emotion...

    Take a song like this. Then compare it to a later work, such as Good Fortune. Or a ballad-like rock song like Dry. Or something like The River... Electric Garden. etc. The diversity in her music has always kept me interested and listening consistently- one of a few artists constantly in rotation on my playlist. Great music, great lyrics.

    NickMSuckson May 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I never noticed this song on "Dry" before so wierd that i didnt, it is bloody fantastic but really quite morbid

    amongthetreeson December 13, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is so beautiful, how she sings it... (I overlooked this for a long while too somehow)

    precipitateon January 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i've always thought this song was about homelessness.

    "plants and rags / ease myself into a body bag." her current condition. a starving person lying in a ditch somewhere, ready to die alone.

    "dreamt a man..." self-explanatory.

    "white and black / you're looking for the sun, boy?...." not entirely sure on this one, but it appears there was a male protagonist at one point, and this lyric may suggest a falling out. poverty will completely destroy a relationship.

    "house and home, who thought they take away our place..." the cause of all their problems.

    SWRJoneson March 10, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    As a new user I thought I'd comment on some of my favourite songs ever, this is the most beautiful sublime song about loss, depression, unfulfilled dreams, aaah, its always been one of mt favourite P J songs, it makes me cry alot...

    princess distresson March 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    Well, it seems to me that the meaning is self explanatory, there was some lonely girl who dreamt of a man who would be kind for her, and he got killed by him, and dumbed in some derelict place among plants and rags, where the sun doesn't shine. And the last part is about body being recovered, at least that is how I imagine it, as a quiet and sad piece of work. That song is truly sad and the cello part is amazing. I'm not an anglophone though, and thus might be wrong on the meaning of it.

    fistfulofdynamiteon August 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    I always felt this song was about being taken for granted. Or even deceived by the man she gave herself to. In a sense, she feels as if she'd rather be dead. He offered her all the finer things in life. But she was nothing more than another possession of his to show off. Never really cared for her. Just my opinion.

    Personally, I should know. Being gay has it's perks.

    mwanteroon February 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song always reminds me of the book The Handmaid's Tale.

    LoudSilenceson October 25, 2015   Link

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