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Joanna Newsom – Clam, Crab, Cockle, Cowrie Lyrics 15 years ago
This song is, I think, about wanting for someone and hopes to achieve mutual feelings.

How she adores watching and looking at him.
"Oh don't, don't you lift me up
like I'm that shy, no no no no no,"

"And I am watching you
and you are starry, starry, starry
and I'm tumbling down, and I check a frown"

But the problem is that he does not notice her and he is leaving the town (of sudden). And how it hurts her.
"O, morning without warning like a hole
and I watch you go
There are some mornings when the sky looks like a road
There are some dragons who were built to have and hold
And some machines are dropped from great heights lovingly
and some great bellies ache with many bumblebees
(and they sting so terribly)"

She just want to be noticed and asks for it in him as well. The clam, crab, cockle, and cowrie (shells) represent that for him she is just hidden; unknown or someone unnoticeable or just an ordinary girl in the neighborhood.
"Clam, crab, cockle, cowrie
will you just look at me?"

Well, if he looks (gives an attention) at her. He'll probably notice that she has desires for him.

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