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.

After I Made Love to You
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Eloquent, I soon retire
To nothing else I may aspire
After I've made love to you

In the dark I see you glisten
To your breath I lay and listen
After I've made love to you

In your arms I'm softly resting
Memories of you undressing
And your lips my final blessing
I never knew
The embrace that I'd been lacking
Has been found with kisses smacking
And two bodies there attacking
I and you

Baby why don't we feel guilty
Why's it seem we're doing right
When we're doing something filthy
In a rented room tonight

I think it's 'cause we love the now
We love forever love, and how
And my life's your love, anyway
And your life's my love, everyday

You are mine o now forever
Think of you always wherever

After I've made love to you
After I've made love to you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's "After I Made Love to You" narrate the feelings and thoughts of a person lying beside their lover after they've just made love. The singer describes how elegantly they speak, yet they feel they have nothing more to aspire in life, as every other thing pales in comparison to the feeling of making love with their sweetheart. In the darkness, the singer sees their lover glisten while they listen to their breath. They talk about how comfortable and peaceful they feel while resting in their lover's arms with the memories of their lover's undressing and the blessing of their lover's kiss.

The singer then takes a moment to reflect on the embrace they have been lacking, which they have finally found with their lover in those moments of passion. They talk about the pleasure they derived from attacking each other's bodies and express their surprise at not feeling any guilt for indulging in something that society may deem 'filthy.' They explain that it could be because they both love the present moment and being in love forever. The singer concludes the lyrics by saying that their life is their lover's love, and their lover's life is their love, and they will always think of each other wherever they are or whatever they do.

Overall, the lyrics explore the intimacy and passion shared between two lovers after making love. It speaks of a feeling of contentment and bliss in each other's embrace, and how that moment becomes the sole aspiration of life for the singer.

Line by Line Meaning

Eloquent, I soon retire
I am eloquent in my speech but I retire soon after making love to you

To nothing else I may aspire
I have no other goal in mind than to make love to you

After I've made love to you
This line is repeated throughout the song and signifies the change in the singer's demeanor after making love to the person being addressed

In the dark I see you glisten
I can see you shining in the darkness after we have made love

To your breath I lay and listen
I am content to simply listen to you breathe after we have made love

In your arms I'm softly resting
I am calm and peaceful in your embrace after making love

Memories of you undressing
I fondly remember the moment of undressing before we made love

And your lips my final blessing
Your kisses are my final, blissful memory of our lovemaking

I never knew
The artist did not know they were lacking physical affection until now

The embrace that I'd been lacking
The artist had been missing the physical embrace that they have found with the person they made love to

Has been found with kisses smacking
The singer has found the desired embrace through the person's kisses

And two bodies there attacking
The two people aggressively pursued each other's bodies in the act of lovemaking

I and you
The singer and the person they made love to

Baby why don't we feel guilty
The singer wonders why they don't feel guilty for their actions

Why's it seem we're doing right
The singer feels like it's the right thing to do, despite potential societal judgment

When we're doing something filthy
The artist recognizes that their actions may be considered promiscuous or unclean by others

In a rented room tonight
The artist and the person they made love to are in a temporary location, emphasizing the fleeting nature of their physical connection

I think it's 'cause we love the now
The singer believes that their lack of guilt is due to their enjoyment of the present moment

We love forever love, and how
The singer and the person they made love to share a deep love for each other that extends beyond the physical moment

And my life's your love, anyway
The artist sees their life as intertwined with the love they share with the person they just made love to

And your life's my love, everyday
The person being addressed shares this view and sees their love as an everyday part of life

You are mine o now forever
The artist asserts their ownership of the person they made love to but also emphasizes the forever nature of their connection

Think of you always wherever
The singer will always think of the person they made love to no matter where they are

After I've made love to you
Once again, the artist emphasizes the change in their feelings and behavior after making love to the person being addressed

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY

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