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)
Girl That Said Goodbye
Faun Fables Lyrics
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A girl that I once knew had to say goodbye
This girl I knew never had a thing to say
But she made me happy in her way
She knew this if she left I might change
And become dull, pitiful and empty
Of youth
My youth
My youth
I buried her in every mirror I could
But what a dunce, I no longer see her in my mind
O, won't you come back to me
These lyrics from Faun Fables's song "Girl That Said Goodbye" tell the story of a girl who once sang a lullaby but ultimately had to part ways with the singer. The girl did not talk much, but her presence made the singer happy. However, the singer feared that without her, he may become dull and empty of youth. He even tried to bury her memory, but he can no longer see her in his mind. The final line is a plea for her to come back to him.
The song is a poignant reflection on the impact that people can have on one another, even when they do not say much. It is also an exploration of the fear of losing one's youth and energy, as well as the longing for a lost love. The haunting melody and sparse instrumentation only add to the emotional weight of the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
A girl that I once knew live a lullaby
There was a girl I knew who lived her life peacefully and calmly
A girl that I once knew had to say goodbye
Unfortunately, this girl I knew had to leave and say goodbye
This girl I knew never had a thing to say
The girl I knew was quiet and reserved, and rarely spoke
But she made me happy in her way
Despite her quiet nature, this girl had a unique way of making me happy
She knew this if she left I might change
The girl knew that if she left me, I may change my personality or behavior
And become dull, pitiful and empty
If I changed after her departure, I may become dull, pathetic, and without joy
Of youth
I may lose my youthful spirit and energy as a result
My youth
I am concerned about losing my youthful vigor and passion
I buried her in every mirror I could
I tried to forget about her by avoiding seeing her reflection in anything I came across
But what a dunce, I no longer see her in my mind
I realize now that it was foolish to think I could forget about her, but I no longer see her image in my thoughts
O, won't you come back to me
At the end of the song, the singer pleads for the girl to come back to him, even though he knows it's impossible
Contributed by Camilla W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.