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.

God's Small Song
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

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I will wake up tomorrow
I have tended to God's small song
And to love's small song
And closed my eyes to sleep so long

And tonight I'll go
Into all of the places that you love
That is my place here

To have been in those

I will wake up tomorrow
I have amended some of the things
That some actions bring
And closed the head to be with you

In each eye there is an apple
Buried there before the eye

And out of socket,s come the branches
And from the branches, dangle I

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's song God's Small Song can be interpreted as an expression of the singer's fulfillment and contentment with his life. The repetition of the line "I will wake up tomorrow" suggests a daily routine and a sense of purpose in the singer's life. He feels that he has tended to both God's small song and love's small song, which could be interpreted as taking care of his spiritual and interpersonal relationships.

The next stanza implies that the singer is going to all the places that the person he loves loves - this could be seen as a selfless act of devotion, showing that the singer is willing to follow his loved one's desires and passions. The last two lines of this stanza also suggest that the singer is grateful for having had the opportunity to experience these places with his loved one. The final stanza is more abstract, with imagery of an apple in each eye that grows into a tree with the branches containing the singer. This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's perspective on life, seeing the potential in each situation and growing from it.

Line by Line Meaning