Lyric discussion by Assateague 

Cover art for Swansea lyrics by Joanna Newsom

Hi, just in response to nbril, i thought Sadie was about her dog, but I guess not any more. I just read this, the link is below.

"After the performance of "Ys," Newsom returned for another solo stint, this time warming up a bit more to the crowd by setting the record straight. She revealed that the song "Sadie" was not about her dog but instead about a loved one who passed on."

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/film/reviews/article_display.jsp?&rid=8480

Really nice interpretations though, I think we all agree on the absolute magnificence of this song. Richard