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.

Knockturne
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Fire burned and blew out flowers
Showing me its comely powers
Still and all it would be hours
Before I would get burned

Someone mawed and put my cock in
Corner-eyed I saw it lock in
Twisters rolled but no-one walked in

And only love was learned

Now I truly love you wholly
No-one else coud e'er have stole me

And the world so far below me
For ye and me it turned

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's song "Knockturne" delve into themes of love, passion, and the power dynamics that can exist within relationships. The opening lines paint a vivid picture of fire burning and destroying beautiful flowers, symbolizing the intense and potentially destructive nature of love. The singer acknowledges the dangers involved in giving into such passion, recognizing that it could lead to being burned.

The second verse introduces a more disturbing image, with the mention of someone mawing and seemingly sexually assaulting the singer. Yet, despite this trauma, the singer learns important lessons about love and grows to love "wholly" the person addressed in the final lines. The singer seems to have found a transcendent love that lifts them above the concerns of the world below.

Line by Line Meaning

Fire burned and blew out flowers
The destructive force of fire was so great that it burned and destroyed even the most beautiful things, like flowers

Showing me its comely powers
Despite its destructive nature, fire can also possess an alluring and captivating beauty

Still and all it would be hours
Despite the dangers, it would take time before the fire could have a significant impact on the singer's life

Before I would get burned
The artist recognizes the potential harm of the fire and expresses a desire to avoid getting hurt

Someone mawed and put my cock in
An unknown figure or force forcefully intervened in the artist's life and put him in a compromising position

Corner-eyed I saw it lock in
The singer was able to see the situation unfolding from a different perspective, but was powerless to stop it from happening

Twisters rolled but no-one walked in
Despite the chaos and turmoil happening around the singer, no one was able or willing to help him out of the situation

And only love was learned
Despite the negative experiences, the artist was able to learn from the situation and gain a deeper understanding of love

Now I truly love you wholly
As a result of the experiences, the artist is able to love more deeply and completely

No-one else coud e'er have stole me
The artist is confident that no one else could ever take their love away or change his feelings

And the world so far below me
The singer's love is so strong that the world and its problems seem insignificant in comparison

For ye and me it turned
Their love has transformed the artist's worldview and brought meaning to their lives

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY

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