Jackrabbits

This is one of the most haunting songs on the album lyrically and musically--even her unaffected vocals here sell the song's dejected stance--I think the main imagery "So I swung through here like a brace of jackrabbits With their necks all broke"is the key to this song. Fight or flight, except here they are one and the same, the jackrabbits knowing nothing but to flee, only worsening their fatal injuries--the singer of the song is both trapped and emancipated by their emotions and convictions "My faith makes me a dope"

Lots of lines with darker double-edged meanings "A length of rope" The tricky game of negotiating between friends and lovers, Undying love as an unmendable wound (never change in size), the very implements of healing (poultice) only signaling a death knell (vultures), salvation coming as a snake.

My interpretation of this piece, is that after the death of her dear friend, she no longer assumes things with conviction. Her heart is open wide, to faith, to love, to anything that could possibly provide her with consolation. that is just a tiny little interpretation of only part of the piece though.

"Then Isiah said,“Prepare a poultice of figs.” They did so and applied it to the boil, and he recovered."

It seems to me that this song is about finding love again with a former lover. She seems to have a sudden realization that she is tired of being drunk and partying, tired of other males not being as good as he was. Her face cracks, like an epiphany.

She knocks on his door and fights for him. She knows he is hurting, but feels she can convince him that her love is real and that it can materialize to be what it once was.

This song offers me imagery of Joanna having looked in the mirror at herself, having seen her own heart and having realised what it is she wants. Him. She knows she cannot rush him and offers her hand in the darkness whilst she guides him and proves her love for him.

The reference to Matthew is clearly about the book of Matthew and perhaps she has turned to god in this case to look for guidance. She wants him so badly that she is willing to take faith where she wouldn't normally in the slim hope it may help her capture his heart,.

This song to me is about things making sense and becoming clear. The love she has has changed in shape and form, but never in size. She realises this is the man she wants (most likely Bill Calahan). I interpret the last chorus as her asking him to allow her to love him again "Tell me that I can, love you again" and confirming it with repeating it to herself.

I saw Joanna perform this live and it was the highlight of my year.

I think any interpretation of this song being related to a religious rebirth or being sung to God is a little misquided and definitely projective of your own personal beliefs.

If the narrator of the song is really singing to God, he/she probably wouldn't be referring to Him as "Darlin'" constantly. Or, if you were thinking that it was God singing those stanzas, I doubt He would be calling the narrator of the song "Darlin'" either. Joanna is more clever with her words than that.

Plus, all references to faith and the bible are near-mocking. The narrator quotes the bible "in jest" and admits that faith makes him/her a dope, although I personally believe that second line refers to the narrator's faith in a particular person who isn't really deserving of trust, rather than a divine being.

No, I think is more personal/human than that.

i haven't heard this song yet. does anyone have the lyrics for her new song about "every time you cross the borders of california feels like you're crossing the borders of my heart feel like the clock that trembles on the hour cuckoo cuckoo cuckoo cuckoOoOoO" something like that.

could it be "a poultice made of fig, they gave a little vulture to peck."?

Fig poultice: Heat figs for 3 minutes, cut open, and apply to infected sores. It will bring them to a head.

this song appeared as "Jack Rabbits" on the Brisbane setlist (1/16/10)-- combing through a recent (clear! hooray) recording, this is as accurate as i can guess:

"i was tired of being dumped my face cracked like a joke so i swung through here like a brace of jack rabbits with their necks all broke i stumbled at the door with my boot and i knocked against the jamb and i scrambled at your chest like a mute with my fists of ham

trying to tell you that i am telling you i can i can love you again love you again

i'm squinting towards the East my faith makes me a dope but you can take my hand in the darkness, darlin' like a length of rope i shaped up overnight, you know the day after she died when i saw my heart and i'll tell you, darlin', it was open wide

what with telling you i am telling you i can i can love you again love you again

and it can have no bounds, you know it can have no end you can take my hand in the darkness, darlin' when you need a friend and it can change in shape or form but never change in size see, the water, it runs deep, my darlin' where it don't run wide and a feather of a hawk was bound bound around my neck a poultice made of fig the eager little vultures peck and a verse i read in jest in Matthew, spoke to me said there's a flame that moves like a low-down pest and says you will be free

only tell me that i can tell me that i can i can love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you again love you"

This sounds to me like she is singing about being Born Again.

It's not about being born again, but is about coming out of a dark depression and finally finding oneself able to love again.

I imagine its about a man who lost his wife and drank away his sorrows until he finally found his way through it. He wasn't able to let go of his old love for a long time, staying faithful to her long after she'd passed.

There may be tangents with this and "Go Long" - also about a man struggling to let go of past loves. Almost every song on the album has a "pair".