| Joanna Newsom – Baby Birch Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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In my opinion when the narrator refers to "baby birch," she is not only singing about a human baby, but also a new life she believed she would grow with her boyfriend, a life that was ripped away from her once the relationship ended. Also, I don' think the violent scene described at the end of the song is enough to jump to the conclusion that it must be about an abortion-it seems like an awfully big jump. To me, the skinning of a bunny does not indicate an abortion, especially since the bunny runs away in the end. When the narrator sings about not wanting the goose's dregs- "a little baby fussing over my legs," she seems to be indicating that she had experienced uncertainty about whether or not she ever actually wanted a child-and if this song really was describing an abortion, that line would be uncharacteristically obvious and vulgar for Newsom to include. |
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| Joanna Newsom – Baby Birch Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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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? |
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| Joanna Newsom – Baby Birch Lyrics | 16 years ago |
| I don't think there is any evidence in the lyrics of this song to imply that the narrator is singing about an abortion. I think the narrator is singing both to a baby she dreamed of having, and to her ex-boyfriend that she thought she would be having the baby with--the "you" in the song representing both of them. I'm not sure why some people are quick to jump to the abortion theme--for some it seems the only reason they are doing so is because it's the most shocking idea, and therefore supposedly more interesting. There are people on the web who think Joanna Newsom has been singing about abortions since Milk Eyed Mender--which, if it were true, would indicate to me that Joanna needs to get some new material or she needs to learn more about effective contraception from her physician parents. I am joking of course... | |
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