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Sprout and the Bean
Joanna Newsom Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

I slept all day
I woke with distaste
And I railed
And I raved

That the difference between
The sprout and the bean
It is a golden ring
It is a twisted string
And you can ask the counselor
You can ask the king
And they'll say the same thing
And it's a funny thing:

Should we go outside?
Should we go outside?
Should we break some bread?
Are y'interested?

And as I said
I slept as though dead
Dreaming seamless dreams of lead

When you go away
I am big-boned and fey
In the dust of the day
And in the dirt of the day

And the danger, danger, drawing near them was a white coat
And the danger, danger, drawing near them was a broad boat
And the water, water, running clear beneath a white throat
And the hollow chatter of the talking of the tadpoles

Who know th'outside
Should we go outside?
Should we break some bread?
Are y'interested?

Overall Meaning

In Joanna Newsom's song "Sprout and the Bean," the lyrics describe the singer's inner turmoil and indecisiveness about whether or not to go outside and engage with the world around her. The first stanza portrays the singer as having slept all day and waking up feeling dissatisfied and agitated. She is fixated on the difference between a sprout and a bean, symbolizing a golden ring and a twisted string that might evoke different things depending on who you ask. The next stanza poses the question of whether or not to leave the house, and also implies the singer feels disconnected or alienated from others who might have a stake in her decision.


The third stanza introduces a sense of danger, drawing near the singer in the form of a white coat and a broad boat. The mention of a "white throat" and "talking of tadpoles" conjures up images of a serene, natural setting disrupted by the presence of humans. The fourth and final stanza repeats the question of whether or not to go outside, with the added sense of urgency underscored by the repeated mention of danger. Throughout the song, the singer seems to grapple with the idea of taking action, oscillating between restlessness and the comfort of inertia.


Line by Line Meaning

I slept all day
I spent my entire day sleeping


I woke with distaste
I woke up feeling negatively


And I railed
I complained and expressed anger


And I raved
I spoke intensely and excitedly


That the difference between
The dissimilarity among


The sprout and the bean
The distinction between a young plant and a seed


It is a golden ring
It is a precious ring, as if worth its weight in gold


It is a twisted string
It is a tangled string, with no clear distinction


And you can ask the counselor
Even a professional can't offer a clear answer


You can ask the king
Even royalty can't offer a clear answer


And they'll say the same thing
They'll admit their confusion


And it's a funny thing:
It's ironic and amusing


Should we go outside?
Shall we venture outdoors?


Should we go outside?
Shall we venture outdoors?


Should we break some bread?
Shall we share a meal together?


Are y'interested?
Are you interested?


And as I said
As I previously mentioned


I slept as though dead
I slept so soundly that I felt like a lifeless corpse


Dreaming seamless dreams of lead
Dreaming hopeless and heavy dreams


When you go away
When you depart


I am big-boned and fey
I become plump and whimsical


In the dust of the day
In the midst of the day's chaos


And in the dirt of the day
And within the unpleasantness of the day


And the danger, danger, drawing near them was a white coat
And a threat, a danger, came in the form of a white coat


And the danger, danger, drawing near them was a broad boat
And a danger approached in the form of a large boat


And the water, water, running clear beneath a white throat
And the water flowed transparently beneath a white neck


And the hollow chatter of the talking of the tadpoles
And the meaningless chatter of young, immature speakers


Who know th'outside
Those who are aware of what the outside world is really like


Should we go outside?
Shall we venture outdoors?


Should we break some bread?
Shall we share a meal together?


Are y'interested?
Are you interested?




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joanna Newsom

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

slint69

I slept all day
Awoke with distaste
And I railed
And I raved

That the difference between
The sprout and the bean
Is a golden ring
It is a twisted string
And you can ask the counselor;
You can ask the king;
And they'll say the same thing;
And it's a funny thing:

Should we go outside?
Should we go outside?
Should we break some bread?
Are y'interested?

And as I said
I slept as though dead
Dreaming seamless dreams of lead

When you go away
I am big-boned and fey
In the dust of the day
In the dirt of the day

And Danger! Danger! Drawing near them was a white coat
And Danger! Danger! drawing near them was a broad boat
And the water! water! running clear beneath a white throat
And the hollow chatter of the talking of the Tadpoles

Who know th'outside!
Should we go outside?
Should we break some bread?
Are y'interested?



All comments from YouTube:

daydrmnation

My dad, when i lived with him as a twenty something but didn't quite connect, used to sing along to this when I'd play it... I remember him singing along outside my closed door where he sat in his living room, as a way to try to connect with me. Makes me miss him.

Henry Smith

rest in peace

daydrmnation

thank you all for your kind words. i didn't realize this would reach so many people😊

sumac

i’m glad i’m the only one that was brought to tears by this one
oh my
sorry for ur loss xoxo

Jessica

I haven't listened to this song in years and today I just had to hear it.
Your story made me cry, of the sweet sadness that is life. Your father gave you a gift of love in a way that he knew how.
That is so beautiful!

spook dog

SharkTank you must be fun at parties. You seem like a reeeaalll catch.

25 More Replies...

Nathan Hulsey

Heard this on The Strangers movie. Haven't stopped listening to it since 2008. Always will be an unknown legend. Played it to my 2 year old with our nice headphones. Her eyes got huge and she reached out and grabbed my thumb and held on tight for the whole song. Now she keeps singing "Should we go outside?" The lyric "The difference between the sprout and the bean is a golden ring, it is a twisted string" will always make me think of me (the bean) and her ( the sprout).

Brad Miller

Beautiful story. 😭

Petra Anna Berger

Es sind Stromkabel aus denen ich Ringe drehe. WELCOME TO MY WORLD. HALO

Ann Hitchcock

That’s beautiful. I began putting headphones on my belly when I was pregnant with my first son. Today, they are 29 and 30. They are both accomplished musicians. Music and music education will do a LOT for a child in every way. Please get your baby some piano lessons! It’s expensive and time consuming, but I don’t regret sacrificing anything for what they have now. Good luck and I hope God blesses you both.

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