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.

Deat In The Sea
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

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(The Ocean is blue)
(I love how it's blue)

Someday I must die
It ain't for me to know why
And I want to die in the sea

So, why not go now?

It's simple and how,
To put this end to me

Well, I don't really mind
If that's not how I die
So I'll put it off with a gleam in my eye

Ooh ooh

There's a hole in the sky
Through which I must fly
To get to my grave in the sea
To get to my grave in the sea

Ooh ooh

Overall Meaning

The song "Death in the Sea" by Bonnie 'Prince' Billy and Matt Sweeney is a contemplative ballad about death and the desire to die in the sea. The opening lines "The Ocean is blue /I love how it's blue" sets the tone for the rest of the song, which explores the singer's fascination with the sea and his desire to be buried in it. The singer acknowledges that someday he will die, but he doesn't know why, and this lack of understanding is represented by the line "It ain't for me to know why," which suggests a sense of resignation and acceptance of fate.

The singer then contemplates the idea of dying in the sea and asks himself why he shouldn't just go now to fulfill his desire. He acknowledges that it's a simple thing to do, but he hesitates, saying "Well, I don't really mind /If that's not how I die / So I'll put it off with a gleam in my eye." This suggests that although he desires to die in the sea, he is not ready to do it just yet, and he is content to put it off for the time being.

The final lines of the song are haunting and beautiful, with the singer describing a "hole in the sky / Through which I must fly / To get to my grave in the sea." This imagery suggests that death and the afterlife are mysterious and unknown, but also that the singer has a certain acceptance and understanding of the natural course of things. The repetition of the "ooh ooh" at the end of the song creates a dreamy, almost otherworldly atmosphere that emphasizes the song's ethereal quality.

Line by Line Meaning

Someday I must die
The inevitability of death is acknowledged

It ain't for me to know why
The reason and timing of death is beyond our understanding

And I want to die in the sea
The singer desires to pass away in the ocean

So, why not go now?
The suggestion to die presently is posed

It's simple and how,
The process of dying is portrayed as uncomplicated

To put this end to me
To put an end to one's life

Well, I don't really mind
The singer is indifferent to dying in the sea

If that's not how I die
The artist recognizes that one's preferred way of dying may not come to pass

So I'll put it off with a gleam in my eye
The artist will delay their demise with optimism

There's a hole in the sky
The idea of a gateway to death is referenced

Through which I must fly
The manner in which one inevitably passes through this gateway is theorized