Rich Wife Full of Happiness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy Lyrics
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One good effort made on its way
To take in a love and pass on a feeling
Of heart in chest slowly unpeeling
Lilly can take it with a smile and not a frown
In the room where she lives blessed I guess
She wears my favor and shows it around
Rules explode and we call her mine
And she has my baby and things are fine
She can't hold her eyes still or her voice
The way nooses hold necks still in excellent poise
Lilly can take it with a smile and not a frown
In the room where she lives blessed I guess
She wears my favor and shows it around
And in doing so I too get blessed
Jug holds a gallon and you hold my arm
And I hold a million in bottle and yarn
And gem isn't sacred when mother has breathed
You know - you told me that
A shark and a dog - now you're laughing
The dog licks the shark dry in your photographing
And I lick you dry until you're laughing
My finger is in your behind
I woke up fat and almost unhappy
But the bigger the laugh the bigger the belly
And I bellow out and the whole bed it shakes
And you smile at my laugh as it rocks you awake
The opening lines of Bonnie "Prince" Billy's song Rich Wife Full of Happiness suggest that the singer has made a conscious effort to love someone deeply and make a concerted effort to keep and display that feeling to others. The second and third line in particular emphasize that this is not simply a fleeting notion, but a lasting attempt to uncover the depths of emotion that lie beneath her surface. The following lines indicate that the person in question, Lily, is able to carry this love easily and with grace. She seems to be a happy individual who is able to share the love she receives from another person with all around her.
The next verse deviates somewhat from this theme by describing the suddenness of their romance; describing the ways in which the "rules having exploded" they are now together and have a child. In spite of this their love is strong, something which is evidenced by Lily's continued happiness and the way she shares her own love with others. The line about the noose around her neck but poised like a still life painting is a particularly poignant one, indicating that despite the difficulties of their relationship, they are still able to find beauty in the rough patches.
The final verse is perhaps the most poetic, with a series of images that seem to be designed to evoke for the reader the various emotions that come with a deep love knows no bounds - the idea of the jug holding a gallon while the singer holds all his emotions in a bottle of yarn, the sudden realization that what once felt like a precious gem now pales in comparison to the love felt by a mother. The final lines of the song are the perhaps the most humorous, with the singer seemingly bellowing out his laughter until it shakes the bed, enveloping Lily in the warm laughter of someone who loves her so deeply that they can't help but express it in the most joyful way possible.
Line by Line Meaning
All and all is one thing today
Today feels unified and whole
One good effort made on its way
There has been progress made towards something good
To take in a love and pass on a feeling
To receive love and share that feeling with others
Of heart in chest slowly unpeeling
Allowing oneself to slowly open up emotionally
Lilly can take it with a smile and not a frown
The woman named Lilly remains positive despite hardships
In the room where she lives blessed I guess
Her home is perceived as a happy place
She wears my favor and shows it around
Lilly proudly displays her affection for the singer
And in doing so I too get blessed
The artist feels blessed in return for Lilly's love
Rules explode and we call her mine
Expectations and traditions have been disregarded in their relationship
And she has my baby and things are fine
Despite breaking conventions, their relationship is healthy and they have a child together
She can't hold her eyes still or her voice
Lilly is overcome with emotion
The way nooses hold necks still in excellent poise
Her emotional state is like a person being hanged, completely still and poised for the end
Jug holds a gallon and you hold my arm
Comparing everyday objects and their relationship to the singer's lover holding him
And I hold a million in bottle and yarn
While the object is mundane, the possibilities of love and imagination are infinite
And gem isn't sacred when mother has breathed
The value of material possessions diminishes in comparison to the singer's love
You know - you told me that
The artist is reminded of their significant other's perspective
A shark and a dog - now you're laughing
Recounting a happy memory shared with the artist's lover
The dog licks the shark dry in your photographing
A playful image of a dog and shark in a photograph
And I lick you dry until you're laughing
The singer is willing to do whatever it takes to make their lover happy
My finger is in your behind
The artist is affectionate and playful with their lover
I woke up fat and almost unhappy
The artist's physical state doesn't affect their overall happiness
But the bigger the laugh the bigger the belly
Their laughter is a sign of their joy
And I bellow out and the whole bed it shakes
The singer's laughter is loud and exuberant
And you smile at my laugh as it rocks you awake
Their lover finds their laughter endearing and heartwarming
Contributed by Alyssa N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
John Moseley
Magic.
John Hawk
Guess which line makes me laugh every time I listen to this.