Ribbon Bows

The song that she's singing about; "them city girls with their ribbon bows and their fancy sash" is the song "Ribbon Bow" by Karen Dalton. It's truly a fantastic and very tragic song.

I believe that “ribbon bows” is pretty straightforward. our narrator is lounging at a spring, thinking about her failed relationship: “you want your love, love? come and get your love. I only took it back because I thought you didn't.” I think that she knows he does not, in fact, want it.

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'd be grateful if anyone has any corrections.there are some verses i'm really not certain what the lyrics are.

I have some corrections, but a note that I'm not entirely sure about them either (they're in caps):

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!

thanks, i'll make some amendments.

I haven't heard the music for this yet, anyone know if it's been released yet? But the lyrics are contemplative as ever!

The title of this song is, indeed, Ribbon Bows and it's on her new album Have One on Me

This song is about me.

just been reading toni morrison's "song of solomon" and about halfway through chapter ten i came across the line "sane, appraising eyes of the dogs"--and i found myself singing it in my head. this song is why. i remember reading somewhere that joanna likes toni morrison. can't quite see any other connections to the book in this song, though.

This, to me, is apparently likening Bill Callahan to an old hangdog.

listen to "Faith/Void," from his new Album, and you will understand.