When I Was A Young Girl
Feist Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When I was a young girl I used to seek pleasure
When I was a young girl I used to drink ale
Out of the ale house down into the jail house
My body's outdated and hell is my doom

Come mama come papa and sit you down by me
Come sit you down by me and pity my case
My poor head is aching my sad heart in breaking
My body's outdated and hell is my doom

Please send for the preacher to come and pray for me
And send for the doctor to heal all my wounds
My poor head is aching my sad heart in breaking
My body's outdated and I'm bound to die

One morning one morning one morning in May




I saw this young lady all wrapped in white linen
All wrapped in white linen and called out the plague

Overall Meaning

Feist's song "When I Was a Young Girl" is a haunting portrayal of a woman reflecting on her hard life. The first few lines reveal that she used to seek pleasure and drink ale when she was younger, leading to her eventual imprisonment. She laments that her body is now outdated and her fate is hell. The woman then makes a plea to her parents, asking them to sit by her and pity her case. She is in pain both physically and emotionally, and her body is deteriorating. She asks for a preacher to pray for her and a doctor to heal her wounds, knowing that her time is running out. Finally, she recalls a morning in May when she saw a young lady dressed in white - a sign of the plague that would eventually claim her life.


The lyrics are incredibly evocative, painting a vivid picture of a woman who has led a difficult life and now faces death. The repetition of "my body's outdated and hell is my doom" highlights the woman's physical and emotional suffering, and her plea for help is a heartbreaking insight into the desperation she must be feeling. The reference to the young lady in white brings a sense of inevitability and finality to the song, underscoring the woman's acceptance of her own mortality.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was a young girl I used to seek pleasure
During my younger days, I was fond of having fun and indulging in activities that brought me joy.


When I was a young girl I used to drink ale
In the past, I was known to drink alcoholic beverages such as ale.


Out of the ale house down into the jail house
My love for drinking alcohol often led me to find trouble and end up in jail.


My body's outdated and hell is my doom
Now that I am older, my physical body is no longer in good shape and I fear eternal damnation after death.


Come mama come papa and sit you down by me
I plead to my parents to come and be with me during my time of need.


Come sit you down by me and pity my case
I ask my parents to sit by me and show compassion towards my current predicament.


My poor head is aching my sad heart in breaking
Both physically and emotionally, I am in a state of immense pain and distress.


My body's outdated and hell is my doom
My body has aged and is no longer in good health, making me fear eternal condemnation after death.


Please send for the preacher to come and pray for me
I request for a minister to come to me and offer prayers on my behalf.


And send for the doctor to heal all my wounds
In addition to prayers, I also request for a doctor to attend to my physical injuries and illnesses.


My poor head is aching my sad heart in breaking
Both physically and emotionally, I am in a state of immense pain and distress.


My body's outdated and I'm bound to die
Due to my advanced age and poor physical health, I am certain that my time of death is approaching.


One morning one morning one morning in May
On a specific day in May, I witnessed the following event.


I saw this young lady all wrapped in white linen
I observed a young woman who was entirely covered by white cloth or clothing.


All wrapped in white linen and called out the plague
Her peculiar clothing led people to believe that she was infected with a deadly disease called the plague.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dp Traditionnal, Jason Charles Beck, Leslie Feist

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@HansOvervoorde

First time ever I hear this song. That singing is just wow, magnificent. The singing voice very appealing to my ear.

@raineaye

I was obsessed this song way back and I kept singing it out of the blue the last six months. Took me a minute to remember who sung it. Ahhhh so good.

@spookyboots3794

Lorraine Wise This is a cover of an old folk song- check out Nina Simone and Barbara Dane’s versions! (:

@garyslaffs9702

Same but now

@sesa1076

Check out Radie Peat's version. And her band Lankum...Irish gold they are.

@jimmygravelet1293

@Spooky Boots or the original first recording by Texas Gladden in '42 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVeC1Uzadoo&fbclid=IwAR0dSUZFnudW5sC--uND8gKqK78fiAtPGRgju4ty-8-GZbne58gx9KdZIj4

@sailorchriscam

Of course Nina Simone but Marlon Williams …… that’s a version of this song that just will rock your soul

2 More Replies...

@meloland5649

She has a wonderful voice...

@EonsOfReflection

2018 and swinging !

@wiki11351

Mmmm one morning one morning I used to listen this

More Comments

More Versions