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.
Orion
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On the floor of your apartment
You were dead, and your drum set stood there
Shining in the dark
Shining like stage lights
Shining like your eyes
Shining like Orion in the night
Where the drummers are all poor
You were rocking out this dive bar
There were bottles on the floor
And a couple lonely people
And the bartender and I
Remembered what it is to be alive
Hey Orion he's falling
Catch him if you can
Hey Orion he's calling
Amen, amen, amen
Were you dreaming of the big time
When you fell down all alone
Could you see the velvet curtain
And the silver microphone
Could you hear your own heart beating
Did you hear it getting slow
Could you hear your own heart playing rock and roll
Hey Orion he's falling
And you catch him if you can
Hey Orion he's calling
Amen, amen, amen
Gram Parsons in a hotel
Buddy Holly on a plane
And you in your apartment
With your drum set shining
Shining like stage lights
Shining like your eyes
Shining like Orion in the night
Hey Orion he's falling
And you catch him if you can
Hey Orion he's calling
Amen, amen
Hey Orion now he's falling
And you catch him if you can
Hey Orion he's calling
Amen, amen
Amen, amen, amen
The song tells a story about a drummer who is discovered dead in his apartment, with his drum set left shining in the dark. The lyrics of the song reflect on the life and dreams of the drummer, who seems to have been smalltime and played in dive bars. The comparisons to Gram Parsons and Buddy Holly suggest that the drummer had some artistic aspirations beyond his modest circumstances. The song raises questions about what might have become of the drummer if he had had more time and opportunities.
The repeated refrain of "Hey Orion he's falling, catch him if you can" adds to the poignancy of the song. Orion was a constellation in Greek mythology, representing a hunter. The reference to Orion falling could symbolize the drummer's aspirations and dreams falling away with his untimely death, and the plea to catch him if you can speaks to the idea of chasing unattainable goals or trying to hold onto lost potential. Ultimately, the song is a reflection on the fleeting nature of life and the importance of seizing every moment.
Line by Line Meaning
You were dead when they found you
The terrible news of your passing was revealed to everyone at the time of your discovery
On the floor of your apartment
You were found lifeless on your living room floor
You were dead, and your drum set stood there
When they discovered you, your precious drum set was still there next to you
Shining in the dark
Your drum set radiated a beautiful glow in the darkness of your apartment
Shining like stage lights
The beautiful radiance of your drum set was as bright as the stage lights at a concert
Shining like your eyes
The beautiful radiance of your drum set was as bright as the gleaming light of hope in your eyes
Shining like Orion in the night
Your beautiful drum set shone like the constellation of Orion in the night sky
You were small time back in Austin
You were not a major sensation in Austin's music scene
Where the drummers are all poor
The drummers in Austin's music scene have never been financially sound
You were rocking out this dive bar
You were energetically performing inside a low-end bar
There were bottles on the floor
Empty bottles were strewn around the floor
And a couple lonely people
A few people who seemed alone were present
And the bartender and I
Only the bartender and I attended the event
Remembered what it is to be alive
We were reminded of the vitality and beauty that come with being alive
Hey Orion he's falling
Orion, the constellation that represents you, is falling out of the sky
Catch him if you can
Try to save Orion from falling out of the sky
Hey Orion he's calling
Orion is summoning you
Amen, amen, amen
For this we pray
Were you dreaming of the big time
Did you ever imagine massive success for yourself?
When you fell down all alone
Did you expect to fall so low and die alone?
Could you see the velvet curtain
Could you see yourself on a grand stage?
And the silver microphone
Could you picture yourself singing into a shiny microphone?
Could you hear your own heart beating
Could you hear the rhythm of your heart and soul?
Did you hear it getting slow
Did your heartbeats slow down until they eventually stopped?
Could you hear your own heart playing rock and roll
Could you feel the passion in your heart to play rock and roll?
Gram Parsons in a hotel
Gram Parsons, another musician who passed away, was inside a hotel at the time
Buddy Holly on a plane
Buddy Holly, another legendary musician, was inside a plane at the time
And you in your apartment
You were alone in your apartment
Hey Orion he's falling (now he's falling)
Orion, the constellation that represents you, is falling out of the sky
And you catch him if you can
Try to save Orion from falling out of the sky
Hey Orion he's calling
Orion is summoning you
Amen, amen
For this we pray
Amen, amen, amen
For this we pray again and again and again
Writer(s): Anais Mitchell
Contributed by Aaliyah M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.