Orleanna
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics


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Riding on a sea of brass
And colored beads and broken glass
Behind a painted china mask
She might be looking at you
She's got her shade up to her chin
A dirty little bourbon grin
And all the saints go marching in
To try and get her number
Orleanna
Orleanna

She'll tell you what you want to hear
The secret thing to make you feel
Like you were part of something real
You were something special
And meanwhile you can try to hide
The big old hollow place inside
The ruins of your Yankee pride
You might as well surrender
To Orleanna
Orleanna

You'll be going home she knows
Tomorrow is another show
But you'll be broke before you go
She will be the richer
The little Cajun girl in there
Will run along and play somewhere
But you won't know and you won't care
You got just what you paid for




From Orleanna
Orleanna

Overall Meaning

Anaïs Mitchell's song "Orleanna" tells the story of a woman named Orleanna who is portrayed as a mysterious figure, riding on a sea of brass and colored beads and behind a painted china mask. She's described with a "dirty little bourbon grin," and seems to embody something of a musical siren; her charms are enticing and impossible to resist. She tells people what they want to hear, giving them the "secret thing" that will make them "feel like they were part of something real" and "something special." But beneath this surface-level flirtation, there is a sense of doom: the lyrics speak of the "ruins of your Yankee pride" and the "big old hollow place inside." There is a reckoning coming, and it is one that we must ultimately surrender to.


Line by Line Meaning

Riding on a sea of brass
Orleanna is full of pride and confidence as she performs her act.


And colored beads and broken glass
Orleanna uses flashy items as props to create illusions and captivate her audience.


Behind a painted china mask
Orleanna creates a facade that hides her true persona from her audience.


She might be looking at you
Orleanna knows how to engage her audience, making them feel special and loved.


She's got her shade up to her chin
Orleanna is hiding her true intentions, covering up her emotions with a tough attitude.


A dirty little bourbon grin
Her smile may communicate mischievousness and sarcasticness or just a life lived on the edge.


And all the saints go marching in
Orleanna is very charming, so her followers believe that they will get access to heaven if she blesses them.


To try and get her number
Orleanna has a lot of people trying to get closer to her, as they believe that being close to her can yield them great rewards or help them reach salvation


She'll tell you what you want to hear
Orleanna's charm is a tool she uses to make people feel like they matter or are part of something larger.


The secret thing to make you feel
Orleanna is an expert at manipulating people's emotions and desires to draw them closer to her.


Like you were part of something real
Orleanna's followers feel as though they are a part of her cause and are more special because of it.


You were something special
Orleanna's followers believe that she has the power to make them unique and to give significance to their lives.


And meanwhile you can try to hide
Orleanna's followers often have deep, painful emotions that they try to hide or cover up.


The big old hollow place inside
Orleanna knows that many people are suffering and that they turn to her to help fill the emotional void in their lives.


The ruins of your Yankee pride
Orleanna is aware that she is more popular with people from southern areas, particularly the Cajun people, rather than with northern people.


You might as well surrender
Orleanna's followers would sooner give in to their dependence on her than confront their inner demons and insecurity.


You'll be going home she knows
Orleanna recognizes that people come and go, and it doesn't matter if people leave her since she counts with many loyal followers who will continue to attend her shows.


Tomorrow is another show
People who enjoyed Orleanna's performance will come back for more, particularly those who are emotionally dependent on her.


But you'll be broke before you go
Orleanna takes money from her audience in exchange for her offering a product that they never will get.


She will be the richer
Orleanna earns her riches by taking advantage of people's vulnerability and luring them into her trap.


The little Cajun girl in there
There is a small part of Orleanna that is genuinely Cajun, but most of her personality is a facade.


Will run along and play somewhere
The Cajun girl in Orleanna is playful and carefree but isn't visible to her audience since it's not what they want to see.


But you won't know and you won't care
Orleanna's audience doesn't realize or care that most of what they see in Orleanna is fake and that the Cajun girl beneath the mask is who she is genuinely.


You got just what you paid for
Orleanna's audience realizes too late they gain nothing from what they paid for and that everything they saw in her performance was an illusion, leaving them unfulfilled and lost.




Contributed by Hudson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

SpaceKush

I dont understand why this doesnt have more than 1000 views. lol I like this band. And thanks for the vid I keep getting live versions -___-

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