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.
Wait for Me
Anaïs Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll have to take the long way down
Through the underground, under cover of night
Laying low, staying out of sight
Ain't no compass, brother, there ain't no map
Just a telephone wire and the railroad track
Keep on walking and you don't look back
'Til you get to the bottomland
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me, I'm coming too
I'm coming too
River Styx is high and wide
Cinderbricks and razorwire
Walls of iron and concrete
Hound dogs howling round the gate
Them dogs'll lay down and play dead
If you got the bones, if you got the bread
But if all you got is your own two legs
You best be glad you got 'em
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me, I'm coming too
I'm coming too
You're on the lam, you're on the run
Don't give your name, you don't have one
And don't look no one in the eye
That town will try to suck you dry
They'll suck your brain, they'll suck your breath
They'll pluck the heart right out your chest
They'll truss you up in your Sunday best
And stuff your mouth with cotton
Wait for me, I'm coming
Wait, I'm coming with you
Wait for me, I'm coming too
I'm coming
Wait, wait, wait, wait
The song "Wait for Me" by Anaïs Mitchell tells the story of two people on a journey to Hadestown, a place commonly referred to as the underworld in mythology. The opening lines suggest that the journey requires a long and arduous path through an underground territory. The travel is fraught with danger, and the travelers must stay hidden and out of sight to succeed in their journey. The song speaks of the absence of a map and only a single telephone wire line and a railroad track for direction. They must keep walking straight, moving forward until they reach the bottomland.
As the song continues, the singer implores the other traveler to wait for them, assuring them that they will be there with them soon. The harsh and grim landscape of the underworld is described with walls made of iron and concrete, razor wire, and hound dogs always baying at the entrance of the river Styx. The only way to make it past everything is to have the right bones and bread, speak no name, and avoid eye-contacts. The song concludes with an urgent request to wait, underlining a strong bond of trust and reliance between the two travelers.
The song portrays the journey to Hadestown as an arduous one full of challenges, and the powerful lyrics urge people to trust their friends and acquaintances to make the path a bit easier. The song also emphasizes the importance of perseverance and hope, underlining the central message of endurance and struggle.
* “Wait for Me” is a song from Anais Mitchell’s successful folk opera “Hadestown,” which uses the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice to explore universal themes of love, poverty, and power.
* The opera tells the story of Orpheus's journey to the underworld to save his lover Eurydice, but in "Wait for Me," an unnamed character takes the lead and sings about their experiences while traveling to Hadestown.
* The song features vocals from the American folk-rock singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, frontman of the band Bon Iver.
* Before creating the album, Mitchell first staged the folk opera as a performance in Vermont in the late 2000s.
* Mitchell cited the influence of Indian music on Hadestown and how it influenced her songwriting.
* Anais Mitchell’s friend and fellow musician, Greg Brown, helped her turn “Wait for Me” into its final version.
* On June 7, 2019, a cast recording of the Broadway production was released, featuring Eva Noblezada, Reeve Carney, and Amber Gray.
* The hummed theme briefly heard in “Wait For Me” (and throughout Hadestown) is comprised of the notes A and G on a marimba, repeated multiple times.
* “Wait For Me” also features Rob Moose of Bon Iver, who helped to arrange the strings for the opera.
* In June 2020, the Good Morning America principal violinist, Jourdan Urbach, did a rendition of Wait For Me in support of Breast Cancer Research.
Chords: G, D, Am, Bm, C, G, D, C.
Line by Line Meaning
How to get to Hadestown
The directions to get to Hadestown will not be straightforward.
You'll have to take the long way down
The journey to Hadestown is not short; it involves a lengthy and challenging trek.
Through the underground, under cover of night
To avoid suspicion, one must travel underground, in secrecy, and in the darkness of night.
Laying low, staying out of sight
Remaining incognito and avoiding detection is essential.
Ain't no compass, brother, there ain't no map
There are no clear directions, and no guidance will be provided for this journey.
Just a telephone wire and the railroad track
The only tools at one's disposal for this trek are basic, such as the ability to follow a telephone wire and a railroad track.
Keep on walking and you don't look back
The only thing to do is to keep moving forward without getting distracted by anything that might be behind.
'Til you get to the bottomland
The ultimate destination is the bottomland, which can only be determined by intuition and the aforementioned tools.
Wait for me, I'm coming
The artist is asking someone to wait for them as they make this journey.
Wait, I'm coming with you
The artist is confirming that they will join the other person on the journey to Hadestown.
Wait for me, I'm coming too
The singer is emphasizing their desire to join in on the journey.
I'm coming too
The artist is expressing their determination to participate in this journey.
River Styx is high and wide
The river on the journey is a significant obstacle since it is broad and has a high water level.
Cinderbricks and razorwire
The surroundings are not only challenging but intimidating, with rough bricks and sharp metal designed to keep people out.
Walls of iron and concrete
The impediments continue and are comprised of indestructible materials.
Hound dogs howling round the gate
Not only are there physical obstacles, but there are also alert animals around to potentially raise the alarm.
Them dogs'll lay down and play dead
The dogs will cease to pose a threat if given a sufficient bribe.
If you got the bones, if you got the bread
To bribe the dogs, one needs the correct currency, which is either money or something of value.
But if all you got is your own two legs
If one is penniless, they will need perseverance and determination to complete this journey.
You best be glad you got 'em
Having one's legs is an advantage in this situation and should be appreciated.
You're on the lam, you're on the run
One is trying to evade capture and remain on the move while avoiding detection.
Don't give your name, you don't have one
Remaining anonymous is advised, which includes withholding one's identity if no name is available.
And don't look no one in the eye
Making eye contact could attract too much attention.
That town will try to suck you dry
The town they are trying to leave is dangerous and will drain one's resources and life force.
They'll suck your brain, they'll suck your breath
The town's inhabitants will try to take everything, including one's intellectual and physical qualities.
They'll pluck the heart right out your chest
The town will attempt to take one's emotional strength if it cannot take one's physical or intellectual resources.
They'll truss you up in your Sunday best
If one tries to resist the inhabitants of the town, they will be humiliated.
And stuff your mouth with cotton
The inhabitants will attempt to humiliate one further by putting material in their mouth to mock or silence them.
Wait, wait, wait, wait
The artist is urging patience and asking the other person to delay leaving without them further.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Anais Mitchell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind