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.
His Kiss the Riot
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The devil take this Orpheus
And his belladonna kiss
Beautiful and poisonous
Lovely! Deadly!
Now it thickens on my tongue
Now it quickens in my lung
Now I? m stricken! Now I? m stung!
Dangerous this jack of hearts
With his kiss the riot starts
All my children came here poor
Clamoring for bed and board
Now what do they clamor for?
Freedom! Freedom!
Have I made myself their Lord
Just to fall upon the sword
Of some pauper? s minor chord?
Who will lead them?
Who lays all the best laid plans?
Who makes work for idle hands?
Only one thing to be done
Let them think that they have won
Let them leave together
Under one condition
Orpheus, the undersigned
Shall not turn to look behind
She? s out of sight!
And he? s out of his mind!
Every coward seems courageous
In the safety of the crowd
Bravery can be contagious
When the band is playing loud
Nothing makes a man so bold
As a woman? s smile and a hand to hold
But all alone his blood runs thin
And doubt comes, doubt comes in
In Anaïs Mitchell's song "His Kiss the Riot," Hades speaks of the danger that comes with Orpheus and his belladonna kiss. The kiss that embodies both beauty and poison comes from Orpheus, who had descended to Hades to retrieve his wife, Eurydice, only to lose her when he looked back at her while leading her out of the underworld. Hades speaks of his vulnerability to this kiss, noting how it thickens and quickens in him, leaving him both stricken and stung. He then goes on to address the issue of his own role as the ruler of the underworld, acknowledging how his power over the souls of the dead was once desirable among the living. However, he now realizes that all his subjects want is freedom. He finds himself in a precarious position, having to balance his leadership of the dead with the demands of the living world.
Hades then turns to the issue of leadership and power, questioning who lays all the best laid plans and makes work for idle hands. His solution is to let the living think they have won and to allow them to leave together, but only under the condition that Orpheus does not turn to look behind. In this way, Hades reveals how cowardice and bravery can be relative, as nothing makes a man so bold as a woman's smile and a hand to hold, yet all alone, doubt can easily set in. Hades' monologue in this song highlights the complexity of power dynamics and the fallibility of human nature.
Line by Line Meaning
The devil take this Orpheus
Hades is cursing Orpheus, wishing he would disappear
And his belladonna kiss
Hades is commenting on Orpheus' dangerous and alluring kiss, comparing it to poisonous belladonna
Beautiful and poisonous
Reiterating the idea that Orpheus' kiss is both dangerous and enchanting
Lovely! Deadly!
A summary of the previous line, repeating the contradictory nature of Orpheus' kiss
Now it thickens on my tongue
Hades is feeling the effects of Orpheus' kiss, perhaps regretting it
Now it quickens in my lung
Hades is experiencing the effects of the kiss, possibly becoming more passionate
Now I'm stricken! Now I'm stung!
Hades is fully affected by Orpheus' kiss
It’s done already!
Hades is acknowledging that he has been swept away by the kiss, even though it's over now
Dangerous this jack of hearts
Hades is commenting on Orpheus' dangerous and unpredictable nature
With his kiss the riot starts
Orpheus' kiss has the power to cause chaos and upheaval
All my children came here poor
Hades sees himself as a sort of father figure, overseeing the spirits in the underworld
Clamoring for bed and board
The spirits in the underworld are needy and desperate for basic necessities
Now what do they clamor for?
Hades is acknowledging that the spirits' desires have changed over time
Freedom! Freedom!
The spirits in the underworld now desire freedom, perhaps inspired by Orpheus' rebellious spirit
Have I made myself their Lord
Hades is questioning his role as ruler over the spirits in the underworld
Just to fall upon the sword
Hades is questioning the point of his power, if it just leads to his own downfall
Of some pauper's minor chord?
Hades is questioning the value of his power, comparing it to something minor and insignificant
Who will lead them?
Hades is feeling uncertain about his leadership abilities
Who lays all the best laid plans?
Hades is questioning who is really in control here, if anyone
Only one thing to be done
Hades is admitting that he needs to take action to maintain control over the spirits
Let them think that they have won
Hades is going to give the spirits the illusion of victory, to pacify them
Let them leave together
Hades is allowing the spirits to leave the underworld, perhaps as a reward
Under one condition
Hades' generosity comes with a catch
Orpheus, the undersigned
Orpheus is the one who must agree to Hades' condition
Shall not turn to look behind
Orpheus must resist the urge to look back at Eurydice as he leads her out of the underworld
She's out of sight!
Orpheus has successfully led Eurydice out of the underworld
And he's out of his mind!
Orpheus is beside himself with joy and relief
Every coward seems courageous
When in a group, even the most cowardly person can seem brave
In the safety of the crowd
People are emboldened by the sense of safety that comes from being part of a group
Bravery can be contagious
Courage can spread from one person to another, especially in a group setting
When the band is playing loud
The music is adding to the excitement and emotion of the moment
Nothing makes a man so bold
Being in the company of a woman can give a man a sense of courage and boldness
As a woman's smile and a hand to hold
The affection and support of a woman can have a profound effect on a man's confidence
But all alone his blood runs thin
When he is alone, a man's bravery may falter
And doubt comes, doubt comes in
Without the support of others, a person may begin to feel uncertain and doubtful
Contributed by Bentley B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.