14 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Rabbit Fur Coat Lyrics
I was of poor folk
But my mother had a rabbit fur coat
And a girl of less character pushed her down the LA river
"Hand over that rabbit fur coat"
She put a knife to her throat
"Hand over that rabbit fur coat"
When my ma refused, the girl kicked dirt on her blouse
"Stay away from my mansion house"
My mother really suffered for that
Spent her life in a gold-plated body cast
Now, you ask, did she get that girl back?
She paid a visit to that mansion house
She knew the girl was not there
But her father was in cufflinks with slicked-back black hair
He invited her in, they never sang a note
But she took off that rabbit fur coat
And who do you think came home?
Miss So-and-so
She took one look at my mama and what did she say?
"Why are you stealing from my mansion house?"
"I'm in love with Mr. So-and-so
He invited me in, I'm a girl no more"
Then she dragged my ma out by her throat
"Hand over that rabbit fur coat"
Let's move ahead twenty years, shall we?
She was waitressing on welfare, we were living in the valley
A lady says to my ma, "You treat your girl as your spouse
You can live in a mansion house"
And so we did, and I became a hundred-thousand-dollar kid
When I was old enough to realize
wiped the dust from my mother's eyes
It's all this for that rabbit fur coat
But I'm not bitter about it
I've packed up my things and let them have at it
And the fortune faded, as fortunes often do
And so did that mansion house
Where my ma is now, I don't know
She was living in her car, I was living on the road
And I hear she's putting stuff up her nose
And still wearing that rabbit fur coat
But mostly I'm a hypocrite
I sing songs about the deficit
But when I sell out and leave Omaha
What will I get?
A mansion house and a rabbit fur coat
But my mother had a rabbit fur coat
And a girl of less character pushed her down the LA river
"Hand over that rabbit fur coat"
She put a knife to her throat
"Hand over that rabbit fur coat"
When my ma refused, the girl kicked dirt on her blouse
"Stay away from my mansion house"
Spent her life in a gold-plated body cast
Now, you ask, did she get that girl back?
She paid a visit to that mansion house
She knew the girl was not there
But her father was in cufflinks with slicked-back black hair
He invited her in, they never sang a note
But she took off that rabbit fur coat
Miss So-and-so
She took one look at my mama and what did she say?
"Why are you stealing from my mansion house?"
"I'm in love with Mr. So-and-so
He invited me in, I'm a girl no more"
Then she dragged my ma out by her throat
"Hand over that rabbit fur coat"
She was waitressing on welfare, we were living in the valley
A lady says to my ma, "You treat your girl as your spouse
You can live in a mansion house"
And so we did, and I became a hundred-thousand-dollar kid
When I was old enough to realize
wiped the dust from my mother's eyes
It's all this for that rabbit fur coat
I've packed up my things and let them have at it
And the fortune faded, as fortunes often do
And so did that mansion house
Where my ma is now, I don't know
She was living in her car, I was living on the road
And I hear she's putting stuff up her nose
And still wearing that rabbit fur coat
I sing songs about the deficit
But when I sell out and leave Omaha
What will I get?
A mansion house and a rabbit fur coat
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
This is probably the most sentimental song on the album. Frankly, I'm shocked that the album title was chosen because of this track. It's so personal, and you can hear it in Lewis' voice. The fact that she's offering her bittersweet past up for all her fans to hear is really a treat that shouldn't be taken for granted.
Yeah, this is all about Jenny's child actress days - and just general Hollywood madness, as she said in her interview with the Sunday Times.
The "rabbit fur coat" is a metaphor for wealth and success which can be as easy to lose as it is to come by. Also, the line:
"You treat your girl as your spouse."
is about the way roles in families can be confused and reversed when the child is the one earning the most money as it was - and is - with child actors/actresses.
A really beautiful songs, like all of the songs on Lewis' new album - but this one took a while to grow on me and figure out. Now it means a lot more for it.
This song is so pretty, and Jenny really sings it beautifully.
This part is really sad. I get really sad when she sings it:
Where my ma is now, I don't know She was living in her car, I was living on the road And I hear she's putting stuff up her nose And still wearing that rabbit fur coat
If you listen closely, you can hear her sigh. Particularly right after "You can live in a mansion house" Supposedly, this song was very emotional for her when she recorded it. It could be just a sigh for breath, but i just love the small details.
"But mostly I'm a hypocrite I sing songs about the deficit But when I sell out and leave Omaha What will I get? A mansion house and a rabbit fur coat"
I think this is talking about how they where once on Saddle Creek in Omaha, and now she is on Warner Bros. - she's becoming more mainstream. Moneymaker is now in a Carl's Jr. commercial. So as much as she has judged her mother for striving for fame and fortune, she picked up right where her mother left off. It is one of the most honest and beautiful songs I've ever heard. I love it.
HAHA, I have the live version and at the end of the song Jenny and one of the Watson twins are talking about how Jenny's mic smells like a wet dog and the Watson twin says 'Is it Blake's'. That was funny.
"and so we did, and i became a hundred-thousand-dollar kid" Jenny was a child actoress.
so moving to hear this song live.
i love this song....i can't exactly put it into words but either way, its beautiful. well dooone jenny lewis, well done.
I believe the 'rabbit fur coat' is pride. There's not much to explain about it. It just fits with the song so well. Especially the end:
"But when i sell out and leave omaha what will i get? A mansion house and a rabbit fur coat"
The mansion house is the wealth; the rabbit fur coart is the pride.
The fact that the album it's self was named "Rabbit Fur Coat" says a lot.