Her studio album My Better Self finds Dar at an unequivocally brazen crossroads. Reflecting on American politics, the disillusionment and apathy of youth, and the female experience, Dar makes no apology for her outspoken beliefs.
Her 2008 album, entitled Promised Land. indieduck.com notes that "Williams turns over relationships in all their misunderstood, misconnected glory, and embraces religion, gender and other complications in her very wise songs. Promised Land draws in themes of nature, as well, and on the whole is a pretty piece of work that ends up feeling upbeat despite itself."
Her most recent album, 2012's In The Time Of The Gods, has a theme of Greek mythology running through it. The You Will Ride With Me Tonight Songfacts reports that Williams got the idea whilst driving on an isolated highway, during a trip from New York to Ontario.
Anthem
Dar Williams Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a football field, it was a long daydream.
All my high school spent in faithful disbelief
I know that he looks dumb, but he's smart underneath.
They say I'm a bright kid, and I have a future,
With the Puritan blessing of Work to be done,
But to see him cradling that beer is all that I'm seeing.
With my list of books to read and that self-important tone
And my parents, I read them like the news
I know where they went wrong and they're not friends I would choose.
And there's a sunset over the mountains
I shout my scorn to the splendorous sky,
For how does this light compare to all the world suffering?
But now it's a working day, I've lain those gloves to rest.
And now I'm hanging over the sink with a pregnancy test.
You can relax, babe, results are negative.
Oh but how I thought of kids, who they'd be, about where we'd live.
And I saw them climbing up Break Neck Ridge.
They found the neighbors' woods for to make them their own,
And I'll see them dancing across the lawns of my homeland.
We found the town in sixteen forty-one,
For to farm and to pray and Metro North to run.
We took the fields, the marsh and the moon and the sun
We got to work before the day was done.
And I'll see them dancing across the lawns of my homeland.
I am an American.
From the fourth grade turkey pageant to the protest march I stand.
I am an American.
I know there's blood in the pavement and we've turned the fields to sand.
Hey I know where I come from, but I have a question,
Shall we the people never come home?
For after all that we've been are the dreams to come after.
The song "Anthem" by Dar Williams tells the story of a woman's journey from adolescence to adulthood, and her evolving understanding of what it means to be American. The first verse depicts her high school crush on a seemingly unintelligent football player, and her realization that her esteemed academic future pales in comparison to the simple pleasure of being with him. In the second verse, she critiques her parents for their misguided values and lack of empathy, and reflects on the beauty of a sunset that seems to mock the suffering of the world. In the third verse, she confronts the possibility of pregnancy and the desire to have children, imagining them enjoying nature and dancing on the lawns of her homeland. Finally, in the last verse, she acknowledges her roots as an American and her participation in both banal and significant events that shape the nation. However, she poses the question of whether American identity and dreams should be limited to what has already been achieved or if there's always room for more.
The song highlights the tension between personal desires and societal expectations, as well as the paradox of celebrating the achievements of a nation while acknowledging the injustices it has inflicted. Dar Williams's poignant lyrics and melodic voice convey a sense of longing for a world that is both more compassionate and more free.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh I fell in love, like they do in the magazines,
I fell in love with someone who appears perfect, like how those in magazines appear perfect.
On a football field, it was a long daydream.
I daydreamed about being in love while on a football field for a long time.
All my high school spent in faithful disbelief
Throughout high school, I couldn't believe that I found someone I loved.
I know that he looks dumb, but he's smart underneath.
Although he may not look smart, I know that my loved one is intelligent.
They say I'm a bright kid, and I have a future,
Others believe I am intelligent and have potential for the future.
With the Puritan blessing of Work to be done,
I was raised with a strong work ethic inspired by Puritan beliefs.
But to see him cradling that beer is all that I'm seeing.
Despite all of his good qualities, seeing my loved one drink beer is what stands out to me.
But now it's college days, and now I'm driving home
I'm driving home from college and reflecting on my life.
With my list of books to read and that self-important tone
I have a list of books to read and a sense of self-importance.
And my parents, I read them like the news
I know my parents so well that I can anticipate their actions and thoughts.
I know where they went wrong and they're not friends I would choose.
I can identify where my parents made mistakes, and I wouldn't choose them as friends if they weren't my family.
And there's a sunset over the mountains
There is a beautiful sunset over the mountains.
I shout my scorn to the splendorous sky,
Despite the beauty of the sunset, I still feel angry and unsatisfied with the world.
For how does this light compare to all the world suffering?
How can this sunset compare to all of the suffering in the world?
But now it's a working day, I've lain those gloves to rest.
I'm no longer working with gloves on and have moved on to a different stage of life.
And now I'm hanging over the sink with a pregnancy test.
I'm taking a pregnancy test while hanging over the sink.
You can relax, babe, results are negative.
I receive negative results and can tell my partner who can relax.
Oh but how I thought of kids, who they'd be, about where we'd live.
Even though I received negative results, I still thought of having children, where we would live, and what they would be like.
And I saw them climbing up Break Neck Ridge.
I imagined my children climbing Break Neck Ridge.
They found the neighbors' woods for to make them their own,
My children found and made the neighbors' woods their own.
And I'll see them dancing across the lawns of my homeland.
I imagine seeing my children dancing across the lawns of my homeland.
We found the town in sixteen forty-one,
My family and I founded the town in 1641.
For to farm and to pray and Metro North to run.
We farmed, prayed, and used Metro North in our town.
We took the fields, the marsh and the moon and the sun
We claimed and used the fields, marsh, moon, and sun in our town.
We got to work before the day was done.
We had a strong work ethic and completed work before the day was finished.
And I'll see them dancing across the lawns of my homeland.
I imagine seeing my children dancing across the lawns of our hometown.
I am an American.
I am an American, proud of my heritage and identity.
From the fourth grade turkey pageant to the protest march I stand.
I have participated in both the pageantry of a fourth grade turkey event and the protest marches of activism.
I am an American.
I am an American, with all of the privileges and struggles that come with it.
I know there's blood in the pavement and we've turned the fields to sand.
I recognize the violence and destruction that has happened on our society's streets and land.
Hey I know where I come from, but I have a question,
I understand my origins and heritage, but I have a question to ask about our future.
Shall we the people never come home?
Will the people of our nation never truly feel at home and accepted?
For after all that we've been are the dreams to come after.
After all of the struggles we have been through, will our future dreams ever come true?
Contributed by Addison V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Grandmaster Pax
Lyrics~
Who's afraid of the sun?
Who'd question the goodness of the mighty?
We who banish the threat,
When your little ones all go nighty-nighty.
Well, there's no time for doubt right now
And less time to explain.
So get back on your horses,
Kiss my ring, join our next campaign.
And the empire grows with the news that we're winning.
With more fear to conquer
And more gold thread for spinning.
Bright as the sun, shining on everyone.
Some would say that we forced our words
And we find that ingenuously churlish.
Words are just words.
Don't be so pessimistic, weak and girlish.
We like strong, happy people
Who don't think there's something wrong with pride,
Work makes them free
And we spread that freedom far and wide.
And the empire grows,
The seeds of its glory,
For every five tanks,
Plant a sentimental story,
Till they worship the sun,
Even Christ-loving ones.
And we'll kill the terror who rises
And a million of their races.
But when our people torture you
That's a few random cases.
Don't question the sun
It doesn't help anyone.
But the journalist cried out
When it was too late to stop us.
Everyone had awakened
To the dream they could enter our colossus.
And now I'm right,
Here you said I'm right,
There's nothing that can harm me.
Cause the sun never sets
On my dungeons or my army.
And the empire fell
On it's own splintered axis.
And the emperor wanes
As the silver moon waxes.
And the farmers will find our coins
In their strawberry fields
While somebody somewhere
Twists his ring as someone kneels.
Oh where is the sun, shining for everyone.
Oh where is the sun, shining for everyone.
Skeleton Wizard
Me In Real Life: Colonialism is responsible for every single problem facing us right now.
Me in Grand Strategy: THE SUN NEVER SETS ON MY DUNGEONS OR MY ARMIES.
Grandmaster Pax
Lyrics~
Who's afraid of the sun?
Who'd question the goodness of the mighty?
We who banish the threat,
When your little ones all go nighty-nighty.
Well, there's no time for doubt right now
And less time to explain.
So get back on your horses,
Kiss my ring, join our next campaign.
And the empire grows with the news that we're winning.
With more fear to conquer
And more gold thread for spinning.
Bright as the sun, shining on everyone.
Some would say that we forced our words
And we find that ingenuously churlish.
Words are just words.
Don't be so pessimistic, weak and girlish.
We like strong, happy people
Who don't think there's something wrong with pride,
Work makes them free
And we spread that freedom far and wide.
And the empire grows,
The seeds of its glory,
For every five tanks,
Plant a sentimental story,
Till they worship the sun,
Even Christ-loving ones.
And we'll kill the terror who rises
And a million of their races.
But when our people torture you
That's a few random cases.
Don't question the sun
It doesn't help anyone.
But the journalist cried out
When it was too late to stop us.
Everyone had awakened
To the dream they could enter our colossus.
And now I'm right,
Here you said I'm right,
There's nothing that can harm me.
Cause the sun never sets
On my dungeons or my army.
And the empire fell
On it's own splintered axis.
And the emperor wanes
As the silver moon waxes.
And the farmers will find our coins
In their strawberry fields
While somebody somewhere
Twists his ring as someone kneels.
Oh where is the sun, shining for everyone.
Oh where is the sun, shining for everyone.
CelestiaLily
I know this song was probably meant for contemporary US politics, but "the sun never sets on my dungeons or my army" sounds very close to the famous phrase "the sun never sets on the British Empire" which reflects their history of imperialism and colonialist expansionism. This song could easily apply to older empires as well as newer ones, because they can have similar characteristics of their reign throughout world history.
Claire E
The Roman empire "kiss my ring and join my next crusade" "and the farmers will find old coins in their strawberry fields"
The Japanese Empire "Bright as the sun, shining on everyone" - because Japan was the "Empire of the Sun", but yes "the sun never sets on the British Empire" - I didn't get that take on it and I'm British (part Irish)
The Nazis "work sets you free"
Not sure what "for every five tanks plant a sentimental story" refers to?
I suppose it’s a compare and contrast rather than saying that these were all the same as one another.
She did one about nationalism which I think is kind of the other side to this - called "Beautiful Enemy"! Also a really good song with a lot of truth to it. :-)
Kenya Lewis
@Claire E Every five tanks is the US, for how we like to create sentimental stories while we're invading to justify what's happening
Claire E
@Kenya Lewis OK. Thanks. Thought it might have been about the Soviet Union. All countries do this sentimentalism about "our boys" I suppose. We've just had Rememberence Sunday, where we hug squaddies in supermarkets and forget any wrongs done by the British military! Anybody not buying into poppy mania is very suspicious and probably a terrorist! OK, I over exaggerated somewhat! ;-)
Rajaat
I think it is meant to criticize many empires and compare their logic. Lot of symbols from many cultures and comments from Nazi camps as well. It's interesting.
ravenouscolonelhart
"the sun never sets on my dungeons or my armies." my god can't we as a species do better than this.
Cynthia Manning
Sadly we're a very murderous species.
Octoberfurst
Wonderful song!