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When I Was a Baby (The Donner Party cover) Lyrics
When I was baby, I looked like a pig
My nose a snout and my ears were too big
My mother would poke at the hole
At the back of my head where my brain was exposed
I didn't know it then but never again
Would recapture those wonderful days
When I was a baby, I fell down a well
I landed deep down in the furnace of hell
The devil would rock me to sleep
With stories of cities of ivory and gold
It took a long, long time before I could
Escape from that terrible hole
When I was a baby, I lived in a crib
I crawled on floors and ate with a bib
But then I was taken away
And was sold to the circus for trinkets and beads
Now I lie awake at night and dream about
What I would do if I was ever set free
My nose a snout and my ears were too big
My mother would poke at the hole
At the back of my head where my brain was exposed
I didn't know it then but never again
Would recapture those wonderful days
I landed deep down in the furnace of hell
The devil would rock me to sleep
With stories of cities of ivory and gold
It took a long, long time before I could
Escape from that terrible hole
I crawled on floors and ate with a bib
But then I was taken away
And was sold to the circus for trinkets and beads
Now I lie awake at night and dream about
What I would do if I was ever set free
Song Info
Submitted by
anderson_council On Jul 10, 2006
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For some reason, I think this song's about the foster care system. Like when she was at baby she was mistreated by her mother ("My mother would poke at the hole at the back of my head where my brain was exposed"), but those were still her best childhood memories, because then she talks about falling into hell and having the devil as her new caretaker. The funny thing is that the devil caretaker "rocks her to sleep" and sings songs, but she still feels like she's in hell. The next part is a rehash of the foster care thing, I think... she was neglected by her original caretaker, and then she was taken away and put in a "circus for trinkets and beads", which I think might mean foster care for unwanted children. She can't be free from it, and for whatever reason she doesn't like it (maybe it's sort of wild or an usual, being described as a "circus") so she remembers her mother's problems happily. That's what I got out of it anyway.
I could see that, and maybe one of the three verses is. But really, I get the feeling that there are three different speakers in this song - with three different stories. Maybe its just a mindf*** song.
I could see that, and maybe one of the three verses is. But really, I get the feeling that there are three different speakers in this song - with three different stories. Maybe its just a mindf*** song.
Ahhh, would love it if they played this song live sometime. Hmm, meaning. I don't really know. Perhaps its self explanatory. Neglected children?
the decemberists covered this one time...but the np version is a cover also, right? who sings this?
this is a donner party song. donner party being a band that sam coomes(of quasi) was in during the late 80's. really good stuff.
No way! This is one of Sam's songs! I had no idea. Ok, it would of been totally cool if they had played this at the Portland show (while touring with Belle and Sebastian) because Sam Coomes and Janet Weiss were hanging out backstage.
Oh, also, I forgot to mention: the description of a pig baby definitely conjures up Alice in Wonderland.