Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
Will Oldham (born 24 December 1970, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and musician. His music is often (perhaps inappropriately) placed under the genre of "alt-country". Oldham has recorded under many names, including Palace, Palace Music, Palace Brothers, and Bonnie Billy. He often plays and records with other musicians, including David Pajo and his brothers Ned and Paul Oldham, but is generally the chief creator of the music. Read Full BioWill Oldham (born 24 December 1970, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and musician. His music is often (perhaps inappropriately) placed under the genre of "alt-country". Oldham has recorded under many names, including Palace, Palace Music, Palace Brothers, and Bonnie Billy. He often plays and records with other musicians, including David Pajo and his brothers Ned and Paul Oldham, but is generally the chief creator of the music. He has also been involved in musical projects and bands such as Amalgamated Sons of Rest, The Anomoanon, The Boxhead Ensemble, Tortoise, and The Sundowners as well as releasing his first solo album in 1993. Oldham has said that the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy moniker has many references. These include 'Bonnie' Prince Charlie, an 18th century Jacobite; Billy the Kid, the 19th century American outlaw also known as William Bonney; and the American singer Nat King Cole. He has also appeared in several films, such as the 1987 film Matewan and most recently in Old Joy (released in late 2006). He is also the photographer of the cover image of the slint album Spiderland.
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I See a Darkness
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics
Well you're my friend
(It's what you told me)
And can you see
(What's inside of me?)
Many times
We've been out drinking
And many times
We've shared our thoughts
But did you ever, ever notice
The kind of thoughts I got?
Well you know I have a love
A love for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive
To live I won't let go
But could you see it's opposition
Comes a-rising up sometimes
That it's dreadful and position
Comes blacking in my mind
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And did you know how much I love you (and that I see a darkness)
Is a hope that somehow you (and that I see a darkness)
Can save me from this darkness?
Well I hope that someday, buddy
We have peace in our lives
Together or apart
Alone or with our wives
That we can stop our whoring
And pull the smiles inside
And light it up forever
And never go to sleep
My best unbeaten brother
This isn't all I see
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
And did you know how much I love you (and that I see a darkness)
Is a hope that somehow you, you (and that I see a darkness)
Can save me from this darkness?
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Will Oldham
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
I Provide Lyrics
[Intro]
Well you're my friend
(It's what you told me)
And can you see
(What's inside of me?)
[Verse 1]
Many times we've been out drinking
And many times we've shared our thoughts
But did you ever, ever notice
The kind of thoughts I got?
[Verse 2]
Well you know I have a love
A love for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive
To live I won't let go
[Pre-Chorus]
Could you see it's opposition
Comes a-rising up sometimes
That it's dreadful and position
Comes blacking in my mind
[Chorus]
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And did you know how much I love you
Is a hope that somehow you you
Can save me from this darkness?
[Verse 3]
Well I hope that someday, buddy
We have peace in our lives
Together or apart
Alone or with our wives
That we can stop our whoring
And pull the smiles inside
And light it up forever
And never go to sleep
My best unbeaten brother
This isn't all I see
[Chorus]
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
And did you know how much I love you
Is a hope that somehow you you
Can save me from this darkness?
Gael Camacho Angulo
Lyrics/ Letra
Lyrics
Well you're my friend
(It's what you told me)
And can you see
(What's inside of me?)
Many times
We've been out drinking
And many times
We've shared our thoughts
But did you ever, ever notice
The kind of thoughts I got?
Well you know I have a love
A love for everyone I know
And you know I have a drive
To live I won't let go
But could you see it's opposition
Comes a-rising up sometimes
That it's dreadful and position
Comes blacking in my mind
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And that I see a darkness
And did you know how much I love you (and that I see a darkness)
Is a hope that somehow you (and that I see a darkness)
Can save me from this darkness?
Well I hope that someday, buddy
We have peace in our lives
Together or apart
Alone or with our wives
That we can stop our whoring
And pull the smiles inside
And light it up forever
And never go to sleep
My best unbeaten brother
This isn't all I see
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
Oh no, I see a darkness
And did you know how much I love you (and that I see a darkness)
Is a hope that somehow you, you (and that I see a darkness)
Can save me from this darkness?
Letra
Bueno tu eres mi amigo
(Es lo que me dijiste )
Y puedes ver
(Que hay dentro de mi? )
Muchas veces hemos estado afuera bebiendo
Y muchas veces hemos compartido nuestros pensamientos
Pero tu alguna vez te diste cuenta
El tipo de pensamientos que tengo?
Bueno tu sabes que tengo un amor
Un amor por todos a quien conozco
Y sabes que tengo que recorrer
Para vivir, no lo dejare ir
Podrías ver su oposición
Viene saliendo a veces
Que es terrible y posición
Viene a oscurecer mi mente
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y sabias cuanto te amo
Es una esperanza que de alguna forma tu
Puedes salvarme de esta oscuridad?
Bueno espero que algún día, amigo
Tengamos paz en nuestras vidas
Juntos o aparte
Solos o con nuestras esposas
Para que podamos parar nuestra infidelidad
Y sacar las sonrisas dentro
Y encenderla por siempre
Y nunca ir a dormir
Mi mejor hermano invicto
Esto no es todo lo que veo
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y que veo una oscuridad
Y sabias cuanto te amo
Es una esperanza que de alguna forma tu
Puedes salvarme de esta oscuridad?
Aquí va la letra Charlie, Dano y para mi tata
Simon D
Really an absolutely miraculous reimagining of one of the bleakest songs ever written, just by upping the tempo, adding some drums and a couple backing vocals. What before was the distilled essence of forlorn and lonely has been transubstantiated into divinely hopeful, warm and redemptive.
sean semones
Very well put 🤘
Sethwick
@Christopher T As a depression sufferer this songs more shows what its like better than the original IMO. You hear and see joy, love, friendship, but despite that throughout it "there is a darkness." Reminds me of loved ones having a hard time understanding how I could "still" be depressed even though I was smiling and seemed to be having a good time, that I could simultaneously enjoy something and still feel, deep down, that being dead would be better.
Elias G
@Christopher T Late answer, but I have always found the song positive and redemptive, even the original. It's partly the chords in the chorus, and the lyrics itself. It's why I like this version the best, the original always had a kind of a weird dichotomy to it; it sounded super depressing and dark but it wasn't really.
John C
@Ian Barkham Nope... https://youtu.be/ElygSMtokAw
Ian Barkham
This IS the original....
Spiritryptamine
It's like he wrote this depressing song at night, went to bed and woke up in the morning thinking : "Hmm. Fuck it. It's joyless. Let's make things happy again."
Quite powerful !
Joshua Framke
Actually (I could be wrong on this but this is what I remember reading) he wrote it to be dark and sad and then Johnny cash covered it (and had him sing the backing to it (that’s just how cool Johnny cash is)) but after cash’s cover came out he decided to make it more upbeat because Cash’s version was not only more popular but arguably far darker
Nayf
"Hmm. Fuck it. it's joyless. Let's keep it that way" - johnny cash
limnificant
What I love about this song is it's about how important friendship is for these two guys as they deal with depression, addiction, loss, whatever.
Seriously, is there any other song that deals with this theme so well?