In 2002, she released The Song They Sang... When Rome Fell. In 2003, she was a winner of the New Folk Competition, at the Kerrville Folk Festival. In 2004, her second album, Hymns for the Exiled, was released (Waterbug Records).
On 8 Dec 2006, Anaïs' 'folk opera' "Hadestown" débuted (written / produced in collaboration with composer Michael Chorney & director Ben T. Matchstick). On 13 Feb 2007, her third album, The Brightness was released (Righteous Babe).
Hadestown, a concept album based on the ancient Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, was released on March 9, 2010. It features contributions from Justin Vernon as Orpheus, Ani DiFranco as Persephone, Greg Brown as Hades, and Ben Knox Miller as Hermes; Anais herself sings the part of Eurydice.
Her album, 'Young Man in America' was released on Wilderland Records in the UK on February 13, 2012 and in the US on February 28, 2012.
1984
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a big database
With black and white photos
Of the side of your beautiful face
And your library records
And all your test scores
And an invitation to party
Like it's 1984
Baby don't look so nervous
They just want the facts
And it's all written out in the
USA Patriot Act
Cause we don't take no chances
In a nation at war
So tonight we're gonna party
Like it's 1984
Oh baby what did I tell you
About the house being bugged
They can hear us making breakfast
They can hear us making love
Excuse me a minute
Big Brother's at the door
And he's ready to party
Like it's 1984
You know you're my one and only
You always have been
Sure is gonna be lonely
After I turn you in
So I'll wait till tomorrow
To file my report
And tonight we can party
Oh tonight we're gonna party
Yeah tonight we can party
Like it's 1984
The above lyrics from Anaïs Mitchell's song "1984" can be understood as a commentary on government surveillance and the loss of privacy rights in the United States following the passing of the USA Patriot Act in 2001. The song's narrator describes a dystopian society in which the government has access to personal information including photos, test scores, and library records, and uses this information to monitor and control its citizens.
The lyrics evoke the imagery of George Orwell's novel 1984, which depicts a totalitarian government that uses propaganda, thought control, and mass surveillance to manipulate and subjugate its citizens. Mitchell's lyrics suggest that the government is using similar tactics in modern-day America, and that citizens' rights to privacy and freedom are being eroded in the name of national security. The song's title and refrain, "party like it's 1984," can be seen as a sarcastic nod to the year Orwell's novel was set, and a reminder of the dystopian realities that continue to threaten our society today.
Overall, "1984" is a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the dangers of government surveillance and the importance of protecting individual rights and freedoms. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggle to uphold these values in an increasingly complex and technology-driven world.
Line by Line Meaning
Down at headquarters
At the top of the government hierarchy
There's a big database
A large electronic storage of data
With black and white photos
Pictures in monochrome colors
Of the side of your beautiful face
Pictures of your lovely profile
And your library records
Details about your borrowing history
And all your test scores
Your results for all the examinations
And an invitation to party
A call to get together and celebrate together
Like it's 1984
In a manner similar to the story from George Orwell's 1984
Baby don't look so nervous
Don't appear to be scared
They just want the facts
They only require the truth
And it's all written out in the
It's all documented in the
USA Patriot Act
The US law passed after 9/11
Cause we don't take no chances
We take no risks
In a nation at war
In a country which is fighting
So tonight we're gonna party
This evening, we will celebrate
Oh baby what did I tell you
What did I advise you earlier
About the house being bugged
Regarding the place being monitored surreptitiously
They can hear us making breakfast
They can catch every word we say while preparing morning food
They can hear us making love
They can eavesdrop on when we are intimate
Excuse me a minute
Pardon me for a short moment
Big Brother's at the door
The superintending authority has arrived
And he's ready to party
And he's prepared to revel
You know you're my one and only
You realize you're my sole companion
You always have been
You were always that
Sure is gonna be lonely
It's surely going to be desolate
After I turn you in
After presenting you to the authorities
So I'll wait till tomorrow
I'll hold off until the following day
To file my report
To submit my statement
And tonight we can party
Meanwhile, tonight we can enjoy ourselves
Oh tonight we're gonna party
This evening, we will celebrate
Yeah tonight we can party
Surely this evening, we can revel together
Like it's 1984
In a manner similar to the story from George Orwell's 1984
Contributed by Riley M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.