Oh Sister
Jeff Mangum Lyrics

Oh sister, don't be afraid of me
The singer is asking the sister to trust him and not be fearful.

I won't be nailing you down in the nursery
The singer will not be controlling or restricting the sister's freedom.

Just like the rest of them did
Many others before have controlled and restricted the sister's freedom.

With those watery, wandering fingers that slipped
The controlling actions were clumsy and ineffective.

That were supposed to be glorious and fine
The previous controlling actions were supposed to be good for the sister but were not.

Oh sister, won't you believe in me
The singer is asking the sister to have faith in him.

I only wanted to be hard on your family
The singer wanted to provide discipline and guidance for the family.

Here with you now in the zillionth infirmary
The artist is currently with the sister in a hospital or care facility.

A mother makes frantic and drunk calls from Germany
The artist and the sister are dealing with a difficult family situation involving a mother who is not present and is intoxicated.

All of the time
The mother makes these calls frequently and persistently.

And oh sister, sweet brown and comely
The singer addresses the sister affectionately and admires her beauty.

I will be be milking with you making fun of me
The artist will be engaged in a mundane or unpleasant task with the sister and will make light of it.

Now that my moods are not what they used to be
The singer is not feeling as emotionally stable as in the past.

there is but no one alive laying next to me
The singer is currently alone without any companionship.

for such a long time
The singer has been alone for an extended period.

And oh sister, sweet brown and beulahry
The artist addresses the sister affectionately and admires her beauty.

Milk from your blisters on your grandmother's jewelry
The artist is engaged in a possibly painful or difficult task with the sister and signifies the importance of family.

There in the parlor all naked in front of me
The singer and the sister are in an intimate or vulnerable setting.

Watching the lights from the cracks making archery
The singer and the sister are observing patterns of light and shadow.

Animal designs
The patterns of light and shadow are reminiscent of animal shapes and forms.

Rose Wallace Goldeline just moves her mouth over anything
Rose Wallace Goldeline is promiscuous and willing to engage in sexual acts with anyone.

Fleshy free and flowering with oranges out in the open
Rose Wallace Goldeline is sexually liberated and expressive in her desires.

But don't you waste your sins again
The singer warns against repeating past mistakes or negative behaviors.

She don't need you
Rose Wallace Goldeline does not require the artist's help or attention.

or won't fuck your friends
Rose Wallace Goldeline is not interested in the singer's social circle or connections.

And you, you're American, so important boiling over
The singer is emphasizing the importance of American identity and power.

To prove that she must still exist
The singer desires to demonstrate the continued existence of Rose Wallace Goldeline.

she moves herself about her fist
Rose Wallace Goldeline is self-sufficient and independent.

and never ever ever give a shit
Rose Wallace Goldeline is unconcerned with the artist's opinions or feelings.

about all those words you're wasting again
The singer's speech is viewed as pointless and ineffective by Rose Wallace Goldeline.

Some pretty bright and bubbly wondrous dream
The singer is reflecting on a positive or idealistic vision of life.

You'd like to kill and claim
The artist wishes to possess or dominate this positive vision of life.

And claim her as your own
The artist desires ownership or control over this positive vision of life.

But don't you worry
The artist reassures the audience not to be anxious about this desire for control.

All those dainty and dirty emotions just go away
The singer suggests that negative emotions will eventually dissipate and become less of a concern.

and fade out on their own
Negative emotions will naturally subside without intervention.

Sister, now that we're grieving
The singer and the sister are experiencing a difficult emotional time together.

Our fingers will falter
The singer's and sister's physical abilities are weakened due to emotional distress.

Our lungs will be leaking
The singer and sister are struggling to breathe due to their emotional state.

All over each other and without even speaking
The artist and sister are sharing this difficult experience without communicating verbally.

We'll know that it's over and smiling or greeting
The artist and sister will eventually recover from this emotional time and resume a normal appearance.

Whatever comes next
The singer does not know what will happen in the future.

You're getting married with some angry twister
The sister is preparing to marry someone who is angry or aggressive.

That you'll have to carry home drunk every evening from the cemetery
The sister will have to deal with the negative behavior of her spouse and its consequences.

And if he makes it back half alive you can bury him
If the spouse survives his poor behavior, the sister can take revenge on him by burying him.

Under your sheets
The burial of the spouse would take place in the bed that the sister shares with him.

now that we're leaving
The singer and sister are departing from their current situation.

I can not imagine there is any meaning
The artist cannot find any meaning or purpose in their current situation.

forgetting you ever could once had the feeling that made you keep on
The singer suggests that the sister should forget the positive feelings that motivated her to continue in a previous situation.

And pretend you were breathing
The sister should feign or fake breathing, suggesting a need for emotional numbness or detachment.

of all of this world
The singer does not see much value or importance in the world around them.

In an age of empty rings
The current time period is devoid of meaning or significance.

I don't want to feel a thing
The artist desires to avoid experiencing any strong emotions.

Rose Wallace Goldeline
The singer repeats the name of the character who was previously mentioned.

don't you ever die on me
The singer desires that Rose Wallace Goldeline continue to exist and be a part of their life.

all the way it goes and flows
The artist is acknowledging the unpredictable and chaotic nature of life.