This song references a period from Natalie's childhood. Stockton, New York is in Chautauqua County, near Jamestown where Natalie grew up and attended Jamestown Community College, where 10,000 Maniacs was formed.
It tries to evoke a time when here eyes were wide open and she was experiencing everything with a crystal clarity that only a child could achieve. She felt free and uninhibited. There is an intentional ambiguity in the words: In some cases she seems to be referring to another girl, a childhood friend. At other times, she seems to be reflecting on herself, looking back at herself in the past. and marveling at how unrestrained she was as a child.
Her lines "how I've learned to hide, how I've locked inside, you'd be surprised if shown" refer to the process of growing up. How as she matured, she had to give up her uninhibited nature, and suppress the exuberant side of herself. It speaks of conforming to society's expectations of demure and proper behavior. But it also touches on the reality of self-doubt and insecurity that everyone feels. That carefree girl would be shocked by the quieter and more restrained adult that she would become.
Natalie's onstage presence, her unselfconscious dancing and spinning seem to embody the lyrics of this song.
This song references a period from Natalie's childhood. Stockton, New York is in Chautauqua County, near Jamestown where Natalie grew up and attended Jamestown Community College, where 10,000 Maniacs was formed. It tries to evoke a time when here eyes were wide open and she was experiencing everything with a crystal clarity that only a child could achieve. She felt free and uninhibited. There is an intentional ambiguity in the words: In some cases she seems to be referring to another girl, a childhood friend. At other times, she seems to be reflecting on herself, looking back at herself in the past. and marveling at how unrestrained she was as a child.
Her lines "how I've learned to hide, how I've locked inside, you'd be surprised if shown" refer to the process of growing up. How as she matured, she had to give up her uninhibited nature, and suppress the exuberant side of herself. It speaks of conforming to society's expectations of demure and proper behavior. But it also touches on the reality of self-doubt and insecurity that everyone feels. That carefree girl would be shocked by the quieter and more restrained adult that she would become.
Natalie's onstage presence, her unselfconscious dancing and spinning seem to embody the lyrics of this song.