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.
Any Way the Wind Blows
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In the season of the hurricanes
The flood will get you if the fire don't
Any way the wind blows
And there ain't a thing that you can do
When the weather takes a turn on you
Except for hurry up and hit the road
Sister's gone, gone the gypsy route
Brother's gone, gone for a job down south
Ain't nobody gonna stick around, when the dark clouds roll
Any way the wind blows
Oooh
Oooh
Oooh
Oooh
In the valley of the exodus
In the belly of a bowl of dust
Crows and buzzards flying low
Any way the wind blows
No use use talking of a past that's past
Set out walking and we don't look back
Where we're going there ain't no one knows
Any way the wind blows
Sister's gone, gone the gypsy route
Brother's gone, gone for a job down south
Gone the same way as a shanty town, and the traveling show
Any way the wind blows
The opening lyrics of Anaïs Mitchell's song "Any Way the Wind Blows" evoke a sense of chaos and uncertainty. The world is on fire, and hurricanes are raging. In such circumstances, one can never be sure what will happen next. The lyrics speak of the inevitability of change and how the wind can blow in any direction, taking people along with it, regardless of their intentions or plans.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "any way the wind blows," emphasizing the powerlessness people feel in the face of natural disasters and other uncontrollable events. No matter what people do, they cannot change the direction of the wind or the path of a raging hurricane. As the song progresses, the lyrics become more personal, as the singer speaks of family members who have left home, presumably due to the same sense of restlessness, uncertainty, and need for change that the song evokes.
The song's mood is accentuated by the sparse, haunting melody, which features acoustic guitar and layered vocals. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they seem to convey a sense of urgency and the need to keep moving forward, even if the way ahead is uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
In the fever of a world in flames
Amidst the intense chaos of a world on fire
In the season of the hurricanes
During the time of violent storms and hurricanes
The flood will get you if the fire don't
If the fire doesn't destroy you, then the flood will
Any way the wind blows
No matter what happens or what direction events take
And there ain't a thing that you can do
There is nothing you can do to change the situation
When the weather takes a turn on you
When circumstances suddenly change against your will
Except for hurry up and hit the road
The only option is to quickly leave and escape
Sister's gone, gone the gypsy route
My sister has left and decided to travel the world in a nomadic way
Brother's gone, gone for a job down south
My brother has left to work in the southern part of the country
Ain't nobody gonna stick around, when the dark clouds roll
No one will stay around when disaster is imminent
In the valley of the exodus
A location where many people have fled or left from
In the belly of a bowl of dust
In a place where dust is all around and the environment is harsh
Crows and buzzards flying low
Birds of prey circling around, perhaps sensing death
No use use talking of a past that's past
There's no point dwelling on something that has already happened
Set out walking and we don't look back
We are moving forward and not turning back
Where we're going there ain't no one knows
We have no idea where we're headed or what the future holds
Gone the same way as a shanty town, and the traveling show
My siblings have followed the same fate as those who live in poverty and those who move around to make a living
Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.