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.
Out of Pawn
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm glad you got your heart out of pawn
I'm glad you got your king out of check
At least that's how things stood when I saw you last
It was New Orleans before the flood
You had just met a girl! You were falling in love!
She lived on the levee and knew the blues
In a neighborhood bar
In the middle of summer
Shoulder-to-shoulder
Setting like sister and brother
All of the sorrows you told each other
Rose like smoke from the room
The heat and the bourbon was in your head
You were talking in tongues! You were back from the dead!
And the girl and the city were one and the same
And last call never came
And I can see you swimming out into the street
I can hear you singing, "when I die, don't cry for me"
Hey uncle louie, the city is spinning
She sure is pretty. You sure are grinning
She's leading you home from the heat of the bar
To lie on the levee and look at the stars
You can hold her hand
You can kiss her face
Go slow if you can
Cause the world is a very sad place
And when she leaves she'll leave no trace
And the world will still be there
The sky is colored in purple and yellow
You lie on the levee with stones for pillows
And you and the girl and the city make love
With the harlequin sky up above
In Anais Mitchell's song "Out of Pawn," the singer addresses her Uncle Louie, expressing her joy that he has found love and happiness. The song takes the listener back to a moment in time before Hurricane Katrina, where Uncle Louie had just met a girl in New Orleans and was falling in love with her. The lyrics describe a night in a neighborhood bar where Uncle Louie and his new love interest were shoulder-to-shoulder, "setting like sister and brother," sharing their sorrows and experiences while "the heat and bourbon" were in their heads, and they were "talking in tongues." The singer paints a vivid picture of the love that has blossomed between her uncle and this girl he met in New Orleans.
The lyrics also convey a sense of bittersweetness, highlighting the beauty of their love while acknowledging that it might not last forever. The world is portrayed as a "very sad place," and the singer warns her uncle to "go slow if you can" because this girl he loves may "leave no trace," and the world will still be there. Despite this warning, there is still an overwhelming sense of joy in the song, with Uncle Louie and his love interest making love on the levee under a "harlequin sky." The lyrics are not only a testament to the beauty of young love but also an ode to the city of New Orleans.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey uncle louie, I wrote you a song
I have created a song that I want to dedicate to you, Uncle Louie.
I'm glad you got your heart out of pawn
I'm happy that you were able to free yourself from a difficult or stressful situation, Uncle Louie.
I'm glad you got your king out of check
I'm happy that things are going well for you now, Uncle Louie, and that you are no longer in a vulnerable position.
At least that's how things stood when I saw you last
When I last saw you, everything seemed to be going well for you, Uncle Louie.
It was New Orleans before the flood
This event took place in New Orleans before the catastrophic flood occurred.
You had just met a girl! You were falling in love!
You just met a girl whom you were attracted to, Uncle Louie, and you were beginning to feel feelings of love.
She lived on the levee and knew the blues
The girl you met lived on the banks of the levee and had a deep understanding of the blues.
And played harmonica better than you
Moreover, she played the harmonica better than you.
In a neighborhood bar
This event took place in a local bar.
In the middle of summer
This event took place during the summertime.
Shoulder-to-shoulder
You and the girl were standing closely to each other.
Setting like sister and brother
You and the girl were enjoying each other's company like siblings.
All of the sorrows you told each other
You both confided in each other with your life struggles.
Rose like smoke from the room
Your sorrows were shared openly like smoke that filled the air.
The heat and the bourbon was in your head
The heat of the summer combined with the alcohol you consumed made you feel dizzy.
You were talking in tongues! You were back from the dead!
You spoke excitedly, without control of your tongue, and you felt like you were revived.
And the girl and the city were one and the same
The girl and the city shared a deep connection in your mind.
And last call never came
The bar never closed, and you continued the night with the girl.
And I can see you swimming out into the street
I can envision you moving through the street like you were swimming.
I can hear you singing, "when I die, don't cry for me"
I can hear you singing a song that says "when I die, don't cry for me."
Hey uncle louie, the city is spinning
Hey, Uncle Louie, the city is vibrating and feels alive.
She sure is pretty. You sure are grinning
The city looks beautiful, Uncle Louie, and you're smiling happily.
She's leading you home from the heat of the bar
The girl is escorting you home from the warm bar.
To lie on the levee and look at the stars
You both will relax on the bank of the levee and gaze up at the constellation.
You can hold her hand
You can reach out to and grasp her hand, Uncle Louie.
You can kiss her face
You can express affection to her by planting a kiss on her face.
Go slow if you can
You should take your time, Uncle Louie, and savor the moment.
Cause the world is a very sad place
The world can be an upsetting and depressing location.
And when she leaves she'll leave no trace
When the girl leaves, she will do so in a way that doesn't leave a lasting impression.
And the world will still be there
The world will remain the same, regardless of your experience with her.
The sky is colored in purple and yellow
The sky has a color palette of purple and yellow.
You lie on the levee with stones for pillows
You and the girl recline on the levee, using stones as pillows.
And you and the girl and the city make love
You and the girl, in unison with the city's energy, share an intimate connection.
With the harlequin sky up above
The checkerboard sky looms over you, Uncle Louie.
Contributed by Peyton G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Bastiaan Domburg
amazing
Micka Lartin
Ta raison super dance hahaha