There is a spring
Not far from here
The water runs
Both sweet and clear
Both sweet and clear
And cold
Could crack your bones
With veins of gold
I stood a-wagging
At the tap
Just a-waiting
On the lagging, rising sap
I held the cold
Tin ladle to my lip
At the shrine of the thousand arms
I lowered my eyes to sip
What a beautiful day
To catch my drift
Or be caught up
In it
You want your love, love?
Come and get your love
I only took it back
Because I thought you didn't
How my ears did ring
At the municipal pound
From that old hangdog
To which I was bound
Curled 'round the bottom rung
Doesn't anybody want you?
Well, come on, darlin'
I could use someone like you around
I am not like you
I ain't from this place
And I do reserve the right
To repeat all my same mistakes
And, in the night, like you
I certainly bite and chew
What I can find
And never seem to lose the taste
What a horrible face
I feel me make
For
Pete's sake!
What you have told me
I cannot erase
Though I keep on saying
And I do believe it is not too late
All day you're hassling me with trifles
Black nose of the dog
As cold as a rifle
Indicating, with a nudge
God, no god, god, no god
Sweet, appraising eye of the dog
Blink once if god
Twice if no god
My mama may be
Ashamed of me
With all of my
Finery
Carrying on, whooping it up
'Til the early morn
Lost and lorn
Among the madding revelry
Sure, I can pass
Honey, I can pass
Particularly when I start
To tip my glass
I'll be a sport and have a go
At that old song, singing unabashed
About "them city girls with their ribbon bows
and their fancy sash"
But though I get so sad
I could swear the night makes a motion to claim me
Around that second verse, I reckon I've felt worse
And still held fast
But later on when I am alone
Alone at last
Well, I take my god to task
I take my doggone god to task
Not far from here
The water runs
Both sweet and clear
Both sweet and clear
And cold
Could crack your bones
With veins of gold
I stood a-wagging
At the tap
Just a-waiting
On the lagging, rising sap
I held the cold
Tin ladle to my lip
At the shrine of the thousand arms
I lowered my eyes to sip
What a beautiful day
To catch my drift
Or be caught up
In it
You want your love, love?
Come and get your love
I only took it back
Because I thought you didn't
How my ears did ring
At the municipal pound
From that old hangdog
To which I was bound
Curled 'round the bottom rung
Doesn't anybody want you?
Well, come on, darlin'
I could use someone like you around
I am not like you
I ain't from this place
And I do reserve the right
To repeat all my same mistakes
And, in the night, like you
I certainly bite and chew
What I can find
And never seem to lose the taste
What a horrible face
I feel me make
For
Pete's sake!
What you have told me
I cannot erase
Though I keep on saying
And I do believe it is not too late
All day you're hassling me with trifles
Black nose of the dog
As cold as a rifle
Indicating, with a nudge
God, no god, god, no god
Sweet, appraising eye of the dog
Blink once if god
Twice if no god
My mama may be
Ashamed of me
With all of my
Finery
Carrying on, whooping it up
'Til the early morn
Lost and lorn
Among the madding revelry
Sure, I can pass
Honey, I can pass
Particularly when I start
To tip my glass
I'll be a sport and have a go
At that old song, singing unabashed
About "them city girls with their ribbon bows
and their fancy sash"
But though I get so sad
I could swear the night makes a motion to claim me
Around that second verse, I reckon I've felt worse
And still held fast
But later on when I am alone
Alone at last
Well, I take my god to task
I take my doggone god to task
Lyrics submitted by mutinyinheaven_x
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
next, we have a scene in which she goes to a municipal pound, or animal shelter. she sees a lowly, unlovable looking dog, and bonds with it right away. I am willing to bet that a good deal of people can relate to looking into their dog's face and wondering what it was thinking. the narrator has been questioning god lately, and his plans for her if he does exist. after all, she's been through a lot. she is looking into that dog's sweet, loving face, and asking it questions about god.
she knows that she is unlike her mother, and even a probable source of shame. the old song by karen dalton is referenced here: she goes out, gets drunk, and starts singing it. the song is tragic, and she starts feeling down, but no matter how depressed she gets she “reckon[s she's] felt worse and still held fast.”
when she gets home, she continues questioning god. I believe that “kingfisher” is continuation of this line of questioning.
i held the COLD TIN LID up to my lip
at the shrine of a thousand arms, MY LORD,
my eyes DO SIT
you want your love? LOVE,
come and get your love
i only took it
back because i thought you DID
how my ears did ring
at the municipal pound
AT that OLD HANGDOG
toOoOoOoOoOoO WHICH I WAS BOUND
CURL ROUND THE FIRE OF LOVE
WHEN NOBODY WANTS YOU
well come on darlin
i could use someone like you around
i am not like you
i aint from this place
and i do reserve the right to repeat
ALL OF my same MISTAKES
but in the night
LIKE YOU
I'LL CERTAINLY BITE AND CHEW
well i can find
i never seem to lose the taste
what a horrible face
I FEEL ME MAKE
all day you hassle me
with TRIFLES
black nose of the dog
as cold as a rifle
INDICATING WITH A NUDGE
GOD
NO GOD
GOD NO GOD
sweet APPRAISING eye of the dog
BLINK ONCE IF GOD
TWICE IF NO GOD
MY MOMMA MAY BE
ashamed of me
with all of my finery
carrying on WHOOPING IT ON
to the early morn
lost alone among the maddening revelry
SHOOT I CAN PASS
honey i CAN pass
particularly when i STOP TO TIP MY GLASS
i'll be a sport and have a go
at that old song
SINGING UNABASHED
about THE city girls with the ribbon bows
well i take my god to task
i take my DOGGONE god to task.
Cheers!
listen to "Faith/Void," from his new Album, and you will understand.