From the courtyard, I floated in
And watched it go down
Heard the cup drop
Thought, "Well
That's why they keep them around"
The blackguard sat hard
Down with no head on him now
And I felt so bad
'Cause I didn't know how to feel bad enough
To make him proud

By the time you read this
I will be so far away
Daddy longlegs, how in the world
Am I to be expected to stay?
In the night
In the night, you may hear me call
Pa, stay your hand
And steel your resolve
Stay where you are
So long and tall

Here's Lola, ta da
To do her famous Spider Dance for you
Lighten up your pockets
Shake her skirts and scatter there
A shrieking, six-legged millionaire with a blight in his sockets

Miss Montez
The Countess of Lansfeld
Appealed to the King of Bavaria
Saying, "Pretty papa
If you are my friend
Mister daddy longlegs, they are at it again
Can I see you?"

Poor Lola, a tarantula's mounting
Countess Lansfeld's
Handsome brassiere
While they all cheer

And the old king fell from grace
While Lola fled
To save face and her career

You caught a fly, floating by
Wait for him to drown in the dust
Drown in the dust of other flies
Whereby the machine is run
And the deed is done
Heaven has no word
For the way you and your friends have treated poor Louis
May God save your poor soul, Lola
(But there is nothing I adore
Apart from that whore's black heart)

Well, doesn't that just beat all
Miss Gilbert
Called to Castlemaine
By the silver dollar and the gold glitter
Well, I've seen lots
But never, in a million years
Would think to see you, here

Though the long road
Begins and ends with you
I cannot seem to make amends
With you, Louis
When we go out
They're bound to see you with me

At night, I walk in the park
With a whip
Between the lines
Of the whispering Jesuits
Who are poisoning you against me
There's a big black spider
Hanging over my door
Can't go anywhere, anymore
Tell me, are you with me?

I called to you, several times
While the change took place
And then arrived, all night
And I died
But all these songs
When you and I are long gone
Will carry on
Mud in your eye

You asked my hand
Hired a band
"In your heart is all that you need
Ask and you will receive" it is said
I threw my bouquet
And I knocked 'em dead

Bottle of white, bottle of red
Helpless as a child
When you held me in your arms
And I knew that no other
Could ever love me as you loved
Love me as you loved
But help me, I'm leaving

I remember everything
Down to the sound of you shaving
The scrape of your razor
The dully-abrading black hair
That remained
When you clutched at me
That night I came upstairs, half-dead
And, in your kindness
You put me straightaway
In the cupboard
With a bottle of champagne
And then, later, on a train

It was dark out, I was half-dead
I saw a star fall into the sky
Like a chunk of thrown coal
As if God himself spat
Like a cornered rat

I really want you to do this for me
Will you have one on me?

It was dark, I was drunk and half-dead
And we slept, knocking heads
Sitting up in the star-smoking air
Knocking heads like buoys

Don't you worry for me
Will you have one on me?

Meanwhile, I will raise my own glass
To how you made me fast
And expendable
And I will drink to your excellent health
And your cruelty
Will you have one on me?

Helpless as a child
When you held me in your arms
And I knew that no other
Could ever love me

From the courtyard, I floated in
And I watched it go down
Heard the cup drop
Thought, "Well, that's why
They keep them around"
The blackguard sat hard, down
With no head on him now
And I felt so bad
'Cause I didn't know how
To feel bad enough
To make him proud

Well daddy longlegs, are you?
Daddy longlegs, are you?
Daddy longlegs, are you proud?


Lyrics submitted by animalcollector, edited by gifoverit

Have One on Me Lyrics as written by Joanna Newsom

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

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Have One On Me song meanings
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    General Comment

    I know I need to do more thinking. I get frustrated because I have an obsession with understanding lyrics, and even though I think I understand much of this song, I'm still having a problem tying it together to get an overall feeling or theme.

    With what you mentioned, about the love that died in a duel, I also realize I should do more research. I did a bit of reading after your comment and there's some lyrics that I think relate to that man, but it's hard to say considering so much of the song is very clearly referencing the King of Bavaria. His is the only name used and a lot of the scenarios are directly related to him. Obviously there are many that aren't, which is where the idea of other loves (specifically Alexandre Dujarier) come in, but I feel it's not obvious enough to be sure.

    And then, of course, Joanna said in an interview (or the article mentioned it without a direct quote? can't remember) that Have One On Me is partly autobiographical, which makes perfect sense, as I doubt a song would be a penned about a completely disconnected story. So some of the more confusing or seemingly-unrelated scenes could easily be fiction or personal to the point where analyzing the lyrics just isn't entirely possible. Which bothers me! I know it shouldn't, but I guess knowing that so much of the song is historical, I have a hard time accepting parts that aren't when attempting to tie together the meaning.

    Anyway, I'm going to give it more time. I don't quite understand the song right now, but I really enjoy it, so all's well.

    littlelifegiveron March 04, 2010   Link

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