Bon Iver

Hey, Ma

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Hey, Ma Lyrics

[Verse 1]
I waited outside
I took it remote
I wanted a bath
"Tell the story or he goes"
"Tell the story or he goes"

[Chorus]
Full time, you talk your money up
While it's living in a coal mine
Tall time to call your Ma
Hey Ma, hey Ma
Tall vote, you know you mope it up
Well, you wanted it your whole life
You're back and forth with light

[Verse 2]
I waited outside
I was tokin' on dope
I hoped it all wunt go in a minute
With the past that you know
I wanted all that mind sugar
I want it all mine
I had a heavy mind, sugar
It took it, it was right

[Interlude]
You're back and forth
You're back and forth
You go back and forth
And then you're back and forth
And back and forth

[Verse 3]
I waited outside
Then you took me in the room
And you offered up the truth
My eyes crawling up the window to the wall
From dusk 'til dawn
Let me talk to 'em
Let me talk to 'em all

Submitted by

mellow_harsher On Aug 09, 2019

[Verse 1]
I waited outside
I took it remote
I wanted a bath
"Tell the story or he goes"
"Tell the story or he goes"

[Interlude]
You're back and forth
You're back and forth
You go back and forth
And then you're back and forth
And back and forth

[Verse 3]
I waited outside
Then you took me in the room
And you offered up the truth
My eyes crawling up the window to the wall
From dusk 'til dawn
Let me talk to 'em
Let me talk to 'em all

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Mellow_Harsher

Submitter

2019-08-09 15:55:21

1 Meaning

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by threetoe

5y ago

To me this sounds like the narrator is speaking to an individual with mixed morals (back and forth with light) or a dark heart but a light facade. The lyrics do reference light and dark a few times, as in the darkness of a coal mine and the darkness/light of dusk and dawn.

My best guess is that the narrator is the customer of the subject, who deals drugs. The narrator begins each verse by waiting outside. He tokes on dope and he wants "mind sugar."

In the final verse, the subject brings the narrator inside rather than having him wait outside, and reveals a dark secret, perhaps a truth that the narrator already knew, seeing as his previous interactions in previous verses made him "want a bath" and referenced "the past that he knew." Further evidence being that the narrator can't look the subject in the eyes during this seemingly long discussion.

The money that the subject makes (and is constantly bragging about) is in a dark trade (living in a coal mine) and perhaps it's time to come clean, admit to the people he cares about (like his ma) that his money and lifestyle are not legit. Or perhaps he was caught / turned himself in and it's time to tell those he cares about that he's going to jail.

The one line in this song I can't really reconcile is "Tall vote, you know you mope it up," I just don't see how it fits with my interpretation. But that's what I gleaned anyways.

My Interpretation

Users:

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by wywy 5y ago

@threetoe

Good morning to anyone who may read this:

I heard this song a while ago and found it compelling as I do for most of the Bon Iver music. Its well composed and is infused with a lot of complex music literary theory.

Many of the themes of Bon Iver music to include all the artists in the band have this same up bringing and thus provide deep rich experiences to component this talent of composition delivery through music.

To understand any literary piece, the context of the writer(s) experience is key to understanding the conscious message and unconscious...

Mid west life in the north is very difficult as weather conditions and origins of its people has dictated so blue collar work values hold strong to this region. However, due to this same experience work is limited to largely to the lower socioeconomic groups and lack of education. These conditions usually result in drug/alcohol use to cope with long winters and the hardships of blue collar life. Additionally these conditions usually lead to unhealthy family and perosnal relationship patterns.

The work of this region for unskilled labor is packing and mining namely coal and iron ore. Many young men look to these risky jobs as a way to make fast money as they pay well but cause many health and relationship problems due to long hours in the nine cold months (feast or famine).

@[threetoe:37489]

Good morning to anyone who may read this:

I heard this song a while ago and found it compelling as I do for most of the Bon Iver music. Its well composed and is infused with a lot of complex music literary theory.

To understand any literary piece, the context of the writer(s) experience is key to understanding the conscious message and unconscious messages being delivered.

So as to that brief introduction I would begin:

1. Mid west life in the north is very difficult as weather conditions and origins of its people has dictated so blue collar work values hold strong to this region. However, due to this same experience work is limited to largely to the lower socioeconomic groups and lack of education. These conditions usually result in drug/alcohol use to cope with long winters and the hardships of blue collar life. Additionally these conditions usually lead to unhealthy family and perosnal relationship patterns.

Nonetheless, several themes run through this song to include the beat in the beginning which sounds like a heart monitor at a hospital. This Foreshadowing leads to several other songs with significance to same blue collar Wisconsin life and the hardships or long winters, innocence lost and destruction of family cohesiveness.

Examples:

“Back and forth with light” Daily ritual of mine work.

“Mind mind, mine sugar, heavy mind coal mine” - all plays in literature to add depth of context to psychological challenge and physical challenges being analogous.

“ Tall time” old language to imply absence of connection.

Talk your money up” to imply money represents happiness however we learn quickly that it does not as “mope” is then used to describe the blue best down or the reality of working long hours for money but still happiness is illusive. This leads to the drug references which take you the dark reality that the writer has personal experience with; however, quickly realizes that this is not the answer snd offers help. In the end, it is futile as the “tall” references grow darker in theme leading the conclusion that drugs are only an avoidance of the reality that innocence is gone and only the truth remains. The cold dark truth of coal mine metaphorically and figuratively.

The “vote” reference implies the person being referenced has a choice in the work but finds also that the choice itself they are a slave to and can’t escape.

This literary symbolism may all be metaphorical however the region and socioeconomics of the region are great physical representations of the human kind’s struggle to make sense of tragedy.

Reason:

by BonerDong 2y ago

@threetoe solid. Thanks for sharing.

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