Will Oldham (born 24 December 1970, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American si… Read Full Bio ↴Will Oldham (born 24 December 1970, Louisville, Kentucky) is an American singer-songwriter, actor, and musician. His music is often (perhaps inappropriately) placed under the genre of "alt-country". Oldham has recorded under many names, including Palace, Palace Music, Palace Brothers, and Bonnie Billy. He often plays and records with other musicians, including David Pajo and his brothers Ned and Paul Oldham, but is generally the chief creator of the music. He has also been involved in musical projects and bands such as Amalgamated Sons of Rest, The Anomoanon, The Boxhead Ensemble, Tortoise, and The Sundowners as well as releasing his first solo album in 1993. Oldham has said that the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy moniker has many references. These include 'Bonnie' Prince Charlie, an 18th century Jacobite; Billy the Kid, the 19th century American outlaw also known as William Bonney; and the American singer Nat King Cole. He has also appeared in several films, such as the 1987 film Matewan and most recently in Old Joy (released in late 2006). He is also the photographer of the cover image of the slint album Spiderland.

A King at Night
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

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There is grime on my face
There is crust in my eye
There is no-one in the place
But no-one said goodbye
This is how I start another day in my kingdom

There is hate in my heart
This is how my day starts

There is blood on my hands
From the murder of a man
This is how I start another day in my kingdom

And where is my queen
She's as gone as can be
She was a fine looking lady
And she liked to go down on me
And I liked to go down on her too

In Indya there's the taj
On good times there was rog
And here-ee look and see
All there is is me
This is how I start another day in my kingdom
This is how I start another day in my kingdom

There are good times to be had
Only insane's really bad
The lord and I agree
It's not too off to be
What we are
As long as we're royalty

You fuck and what's to do (you fuck!)
It's not your kingdom too

Overall Meaning

The song "A King at Night" by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy is a haunting and introspective reflection of a person who may or may not be a king. The first few lines describe the physical state of the singer, with grime on their face and crust in their eye. They are alone in the place and have been left without a goodbye. This establishes a sense of loneliness and abandonment, which the rest of the song builds upon. The lyrics then reveal the hateful and violent nature of the singer, who has murdered someone and has blood on their hands. This is a stark contrast to the traditional image of a king, who is seen as benevolent and just. It is unclear whether the singer is actually a king or if they are just delusional.

The chorus of the song repeats the line "This is how I start another day in my kingdom", which suggests that the singer is at least viewing themselves as a king. However, the kingdom they describe is one of isolation, violence, and loneliness. The only other character mentioned is the singer's queen, who has left and is "as gone as can be". The chorus ends with the line "This is how I start another day in my kingdom", which emphasizes the cyclical nature of their life.

The song is a bleak portrait of a person who is trapped in their own delusions and violent tendencies, with no hope of escape. The imagery used in the lyrics, such as the grime and blood, add to the dark and somber tone of the song. The singer's bleak outlook on life is summed up in the line "Only insane's really bad", indicating that they see little hope for anything other than their current way of life.

Line by Line Meaning

There is grime on my face
I wake up dirty and unkempt

There is crust in my eye
Sleep dried in my eye

There is no-one in the place
My kingdom is empty

But no-one said goodbye
My subjects have left without permission or farewell

This is how I start another day in my kingdom
My routine for another day in my empty kingdom

There is hate in my heart
I wake up with anger in my soul

This is how my day starts
My day begins with feelings of hatred and negativity

There is blood on my hands
I have killed someone and have their blood on me

From the murder of a man
I have committed homicide

And where is my queen
I wonder where my spouse is

She's as gone as can be
My queen has disappeared without a trace