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.

What's Missing Is
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What's missing is
some kind of pillow
some loving willow
some care once denied
now dissolved inside

what's plenty is
one god

six tongues
five breathes
four lungs

what's rhythm is
plenty of things missing
steps taken, lips kissing
new harmony on an awesome scale

meat against meat
under sail

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's song "What's Missing Is" seem to describe a feeling of incompleteness or lack, represented by the need for a pillow and a willow to provide comfort and love. However, the next line suggests that this lack may be the result of past neglect or rejection, now transformed into a sense of dissolution or release. The song then turns to a list of present abundance, offering an unexpected contrast to the opening lines. The abundance includes a single reference to a god, but focuses primarily on physical bodies and their corresponding breaths and lungs. This shift suggests that the singer is either trying to balance their sense of loss with a sense of gratitude for what they still have, or is simply acknowledging that life is made up of both lack and plenty.

The final lines of the song return to the theme of loss or absence, but in a more optimistic and proactive way. The missing elements are now framed as possibilities or opportunities for new experiences and connections, represented by kissing lips and meat coming together. The phrase "under sail" suggests movement or transformation, perhaps indicating that the singer is ready to navigate new waters and explore new horizons.

Line by Line Meaning

What's missing is
There is a lack of something

some kind of pillow
A pillow to rest one's head

some loving willow
A comforting figure like a willow tree

some care once denied
Care that was previously withheld

now dissolved inside
Now present within oneself

what's plenty is
There is an abundance of something

one god
One higher power or deity

six tongues
Possibly referring to diverse cultures or languages

five breathes
Five instances of inhaling and exhaling

four lungs
Possibly referring to a double lung transplant or having extra pairs of lungs

what's rhythm is
What is present is a sense of rhythm