The Decemberists – The Rake's Song

General CommentThe "humble narrator" bit reminds me of A Clockwork Orange, since that's how Alex refers to himself throughout most of that book. If that's intentional, it's fitting, since both are about relishing in violence.

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  @mainmansam

General CommentPretty straightforward song: bachelor gets married and loves it because he gets to have sex but, damn it, his wife keeps getting pregnant! Thankfully their last child and his wife die during childbirth, but it leaves him stuck with the remaining three, whom he kills with no regrets in an effort to be free.

It almost makes me feel guilty for dancing around to it, lol.

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  @strykerchick
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  hahaha I couldn't have said it better myself!

  Flag jewticaon July 23, 2009  

General CommentFrom Wikipedia

"The Rake's Song - Introduces the villain of the story, the Rake, who provides some background details of his life. The Rake was married at the age of 21, and was happy with it for a while, until his wife began having children, whom he despised. He had three children, Isaiah, Charlotte and Dawn. His fourth child, Myfanwy, died in childbirth along with her mother. With his wife gone, he began to desire a new life of freedom, but saw the children as a major obstacle. He killed Charlotte first, feeding her poisonous foxglove, then drowned Dawn in the bath, and finally went on to kill Isaiah. Isaiah tried to fight back, but was easily defeated by his father, who then burned his body as punishment. The Rake then tells us that his actions have never really bothered him and that he is not haunted by his actions. (This is a bit of dramatic irony because in The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge!) his children will literally come back to haunt him.)"

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  @Cyberghost

My InterpretationFor me, the mere "plot" of the song doesn't encompass the whole meaning of the song. When I listen to this song I think about selfishness, responsibility, and most importantly, guilt. All of us do things that are selfish, it's a fact of life. Not that we kill all of our children obviously, but everyday things and even a lot of the big decisions we make are purely selfish. The lines "Expect you think that I should be haunted, to be living so easy and free, but it never really bothers me," apply to everyone as far as I am concerned. To be living a relatively carefree life while there are so many horrible things going on in the world can be related to the rake, and how he feels no guilt. This song means a lot to me, and reminds me to think about others and not to get too caught up with myself and my life. It also leaves me feelings disappointed by my society (including myself) and peers that live day to day life in a bubble.

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  @emda10
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  Of course, he may not feel guilt because he's a psychopath ;) Sorry, Just watched an episode of a crime show :) As for guilt, it's merely God (yes, God) telling us what we already know in our hearts. We merely choose (contiously) to go against Him. It's that dang free will He cursed us with...

  Flagged ManofSteelon October 28, 2011  

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  Flag Astarte24on November 14, 2012  

General Commentvery fucked up song but its great. its almost funny cuz a condom would have prevented his dying wife and baby killing spree

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  @kenbennedy
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  there were no condoms in the 19th century

  Flag edwin seattleon April 30, 2009  

  +3

  Your random condom fact of the day.....
  
  Condoms existed well back in the 15th century. Originally they were made from things like lamb intestines or turtle shell. The rubber condom came around in 1855 after rubber vulcanization was discovered.
  
  

  Flag zergbaiton August 12, 2009  

General Comment[Light's flicker, intermission over]

On with the literal/shameful interpretations. I love this song. For shits and giggles I will take my most generous liberties in this interpretation.

[New character is introduced, a guy known only as the Rake]

I got hitched
At 21
There were some wedding bells
I can actually remember it now (lot of booze that day, sorta hazy)
Alright, alright, alright

No longer a completely unhinged crazy bachelor dude
I was married and really wanted to have sex... like, a lot
Until she starts pumping out kids (wizard's sleeve)
Then I finally realized what an idiot I was for getting married at 21
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright

First came Eziah with his crinkled little fingers
Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn
Ugly Myfanwy died while being popped out
And, thankfully, did me the service of also killing his mother at the same time. (two birds, one stone)
Alright! alright! alright!

What can you do when you don't have a wife anymore
and are stuck with three friggin' kids
All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life
So I began to offing the brats
Alright, now we are talking

Charlotte I buried after feeding her a poisonous flower
Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bathtub
Eziah fought but still had weakly small child-muscles
Burned his body for pissing me off
Alright, alright, alright

And that's how I came your humble narrator
To be living so easy and free
You might think this would scar me
But that doesn't really happen when you are a sociopath like me
Alright!

[now with that pleasant back-story out of the way, let's get back to this main shindig with Margaret. I hear she hasn't been raped by any insane men/creatures in awhile...]


[Also, from previous personal song comment - I deduced based on cultural and natural clues that the country of setting was most likely Scandinavian. Now, with this song and the Welsh name Myfanwy, the exact country becomes a bit more puzzling. The idea of castles, the Welsh name and the feel of the album for me personally, point pretty specifically to England or Wales (United Kingdom area), but according to maps of tagia climate zones, they are not really present lower than Scandinavia. At the very least, I can, with conviction, cross off any tagia location in North America or Asia.]

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  @wanderingaloud
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  You have like a PHD in research. holy crikes. But the translation was jolly good, enjoyed it. Check out thecurrent.org live streaming member supported commercial free radio. The Decemberists and tons of other good music. Don't believe me, go check out the playlist. thecurrent.org THE BEST RADIO STATION IN THE NATION.

  Flag ryanalbertjohnomaron February 25, 2010  

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  wait... what? Your translation makes no sense in its change of tone... and... Scandinavia? Just... what?

  Flag URWrongon October 28, 2011  

Song MeaningThis song is about a man who gets married early in age. He thought it was a good idea, until his wife started having children. There were three, Isaiah, Charlotte, and Dawn, but the fourth died during child birth, also killing the mother. This widower would rather live a life of freedom and devises to kill his children. Dawn was fed foxglove (a poisonous flower) and then buried her; Dawn was drowned in the bath. Isaiah tried to fight back, but was punished for doing so by being burnt. The narrator then goes on to tell how he is now "a free man". His actions never struck him as odd or something to feel guilty for.

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  @allen87

General CommentDoes anyone think there may be a connection between Isaiah and William? Isaiah was "buried in an urn" and William was rescued from a "cradle of clay." I'm still trying to figure out what the "cradle of clay" would be referring to, if anyone has ideas....

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  @SkylinePigeon
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  Well it could be a few things.
  
  For one, she could be referring the the soil he was laying on, which might well have a lot of clay. There's also a chance that she means a literal cradle made from clay, but I don't think that's terribly likely. What I think the the most likely interpretation is his body - Genesis describes Adam being formed from clay, and clay is often used as a metaphor for human flesh.

  Flag reagankon May 25, 2009  

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  I totally agree. I'm taking way too much liberty with this, but I think of the cradle of clay like half the urn broken off from the rest facing upward in a cradle type shape. Or maybe just the urn in general. There's too much there to say that there's no possible connection between the characters. It would just be so Decemberists-y to throw in a twist that's not really explained publically.

  Flag PlatonicNothingon May 30, 2009  

  +1

  or at all. Isaiah shows up as a ghost in "The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge)". How could he be dead with his sisters, and yet alive (as William) chasing after The Rake to save Margaret. I agree it seems like there should be some link between the two, but I can't see how this is it.

  Flag davejlon August 03, 2009  

General CommentPretty straight forward song. Reminds me of a Placebo song I think. Anyone agree?

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  @ktown

General CommentA rake gets married and has children, but longs for the freedom to gather leaves all day long. After his wife dies, he kills his remaining children and regains his freedom

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  @vondruke