Heynderickx's music features a fingerstyle acoustic guitar technique inspired by Leo Kottke and John Fahey paired with introspective lyrics punctuated with "well-timed levity".
Jo
Haley Heynderickx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are alone
Your kindness
The sweetest that I've ever known
Like honeycomb
Holding the bee in the folds
Be good
Oh I slept like a baby
With you in my arms
Oh I slept like a baby
With you in my arms
Out of harm
Be well
Bring our upsells
And you tended your garden
Like heaven and hell
And you built the birds' houses
To see if it helped at all
And be known
Lover of song
And I still watch the fig tree
You planted all grow
And it's fruit is the sweetest
That I've ever known
Like honeycomb
Holding the bee in the folds
Like honeycomb
Holding the bee in the folds
Like honeycomb
Holding the bee in the folds
The song "Joan" by Haley Heynderickx is a tribute to a person named Joan who seems to have been an exceptionally kind and loving individual. The opening lines suggest that Joan may have been lonely at times, but her kindness was unmatched. The metaphor of honeycomb holding a bee in its folds represents Joan's nurturing personality and how she had a way of making people feel safe and secure.
The chorus of the song, "Be good or be gone," is a reminder that despite Joan's kindness, she was not someone to be taken advantage of. The singer sings about sleeping like a baby with Joan in their arms feeling protected from harm. The second verse suggests that Joan was someone who liked to tend to her garden and built birdhouses to help nature. Her deep connection to the world around her and love for nature is shown in the metaphor of heaven and hell.
The final verse of the song is a tribute to Joan's legacy. She is referred to as a lover of song, and the singer watches a fig tree she planted grow and bear fruit. The sweetness of the fruit is compared to honeycomb, holding a bee in its folds, just like Joan's kind nature held those around her. Overall, "Joan" is a heartfelt tribute to a person who deserves to be remembered for their love, kindness, and generosity.
Line by Line Meaning
Joan
Addressing someone named Joan
You are alone
Acknowledging the person's solitude
Your kindness
Recognizing the person's trait of being kind
The sweetest that I've ever known
Describing the person's kindness as incredibly sweet
Like honeycomb
Comparing the sweetness to that of honeycomb
Holding the bee in the folds
Illustrating how the sweetness is captured and protected like a bee held in a honeycomb's folds
Be good
Advising to act in a good manner
Be good or be gone
Suggesting that being unkind will not be tolerated and that one should leave if they can't be good
Oh I slept like a baby
Expressing feeling content and secure
With you in my arms
Acknowledging the presence of the person mentioned earlier
Out of harm
Being safe and secure
Be well
Wishing to be healthy and happy
Bring our upsells
Bringing something positive to the world
And you tended your garden
Describing how the person takes care of their garden
Like heaven and hell
Describing how much care and attention is given to the garden
And you built the birds' houses
Illustrating how the person even takes care of birds by building their houses
To see if it helped at all
Trying out something to see if it makes a difference
And be known
Wanting to be recognized for something positive
Lover of song
Describing how the person enjoys music
And I still watch the fig tree
Still remembering the person's fig tree
You planted all grow
Observing how the tree that was planted has grown
And it's fruit is the sweetest
Noting how the fruit from the tree is very sweet
That I've ever known
Comparing the sweetness to things previously experienced
Like honeycomb
Comparing the sweetness to that of honeycomb (Again)
Holding the bee in the folds
Illustrating how the sweetness is captured and protected like a bee held in a honeycomb's folds (Again)
Like honeycomb
Comparing the sweetness to that of honeycomb (Again)
Holding the bee in the folds
Illustrating how the sweetness is captured and protected like a bee held in a honeycomb's folds (Again)
Contributed by Camden L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.