The band began when McCarthy left the bands and sideshows of New York City, traveling abroad and singing solo. With an open ticket and two phone numbers in her purse, she set out hoping to find her voice and new inspiration to write from. The songwork from this time period was captured on the first Faun Fables CD EARLY SONG (1999), and captured the attentions of Nils Frykdahl (Sleepytime Gorilla Museum), a musician and voice artist whose work she'd admired in a theatrical rock show called 'Idiot Flesh.' They began collaborating in 1998, sharing an instinct to weave theater into music and learning from each other's contrasting approaches to songmaking.
Since that time, the couple has built an eclectic following circling the roadways of North America in a sturdy pickup truck and touring abroad on foot, train and plane. The culmination of their longstanding partnership --a work that combines their writing and showcases their range of character-- is Faun Fables' new & sixth full-length album, LIGHT OF A VASTER DARK, released by Drag City in the winter of 2010. Previous releases include THE TRANSIT RIDER, MOTHER TWILIGHT (2001), FAMILY ALBUM (2004), and A TABLE FORGOTTEN (an EP).
In addition to Frykdahl, McCarthy has also collaborated with several other musicians, namely Will Oldham, multi-instrumentalist Kirana Peyton, violinist/thereminist Meredith Yayanos, reed player Cornelius Boots, harmonica player Mark Stikman, and Dawn's sister, Sheila McCarthy.
Captured by the heart of oral tradition, McCarthy draws inspiration from anywhere: Polish art songs, Icelandic volcanoes, The Singing Nun, recovery theater, etc. Recent studies include Wlodziemierz Staniewski's Gardzienice Theater, Cassie Terman's action theater training, narration work with Elaine Clark and a primitive technology workhop called Rabbitstick.
In 2004, Faun Fables signed to Drag City records and finally climbed Hanging Rock in Australia. They are currently based in northern California.
Subsequent albums include The Transit Rider (2006), Light of a Vaster Dark (2010), Born of the Sun (2016)
Bliss
Faun Fables Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
La, la, la, ya hoo, la, la, la, ya hoo
With it I draw the stars to the ground
La, la, la, ya
With it I draw the stars to the ground
La, la, la, ya
What bliss!
La, la, la, ya
Bliss is within you stare
La, la, la, ya hoo, la, la, la, ya hoo
With it I draw the stars to the ground
La, la, la, ya
With it I charge the very air
La, la, la, ya
What bliss!
La, la, la, ya
With it I charge the very air
The lyrics to Faun Fables’ song “Bliss” describe an overwhelming feeling of joy and contentment that surrounds the singer. In the first stanza, the singer sings about how bliss is around them and they can draw the stars down to the earth with it. This could be interpreted as the singer feeling so happy that they can make anything happen. The repetition of “la, la, la, ya hoo” adds to the playful and childlike tone of the song.
In the second stanza, the singer sings about how bliss is within the listener’s stare and with it, they can also draw the stars to the ground and charge the air. This could be interpreted as the singer encouraging the listener to find happiness within themselves and use it to create positivity around them. The use of the word “charge” adds a sense of power to the lyrics, emphasizing the idea that happiness has the ability to affect the world around us.
Overall, the lyrics to “Bliss” are uplifting and encourage the listener to find joy and positivity in their lives, no matter what is going on around them.
Line by Line Meaning
Bliss is all around me now
I am currently surrounded by pure happiness
With it I draw the stars to the ground
This feeling empowers me to accomplish great feats
What bliss!
I am overwhelmed with joy
Bliss is within you stare
Others around me can also feel this happiness within themselves
With it I charge the very air
I am able to uplift and energize the environment around me
La, la, la, ya hoo, la, la, la, ya hoo
Nonsensical sounds used to express pure emotion and excitement
Contributed by Colin F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.