Joanna Newsom - '81
Joanna Newsom
“‘81”
I found a little plot of land
in the garden of eden
it was dirt and dirt is all the same
I tilled it with my two hands
and I called it my very own
There was no one to dispute my claim
Well, you’d be shocked at the state of things
The whole place had just cleared right out
It was hotter than hell, so I lay me by a spring
For a spell as naked as a trout
The wandering eye that I have caught
Is as hot as a wandering sun
But I will want for nothing more, in the garden
To start again
In the hardening of every new heart but one
Meet me in the garden of Eden,
Bring a friend, we are going to have a time
We have are going to have a garden party,
It’s on me, no sir-e, it’s my dime
We broke out hearts in the war between
St. George and the dragon
But both in equal parts are welcome to come along
To come along, I’m inviting everyone
Farewell, to loves that i have known
Even muddiest as waters run
Tell me what is meant by sitting alone in a garden,
Seceded from the Union in the year of ‘81?
The unending amends you made
Are enough for one life, be done
I believe in innocence, little darling, start again
I believe in everyone
I believe, regardless, I believe in everyone
I’m working on my 10Listens.com review of this album right now (it’s very hard!). Lemme give you a pro-tip. The official lyric sheet has the end of the penultimate stanza as ‘seceded from the union / in the year of A.D. 1?’ As in, the first year. As in, the title of the song is a pun on the phrase ‘A.D. 1.’ As in, the year 1981 is the year Joanna Newsom was conceived. As in, this is such a beautiful song about forgiveness, innocence, and starting over. As in, GOD THIS ALBUM IS LITERALLY PERFECT.
Go out and buy Have One On Me and read the lyrics and learn them. Sing along. You’ll get on board because it’s an infinitely generous album. It is inviting. It loves you and it wants you to love the world. You could do a lot worse than loving the world, couldn’t you?
