Foucault is married to fellow singer/songwriter Kris Delmhorst.
No Depression Magazine describes him as: "the bard of small-town anywhere... his poetry rich with details ... his worn-in voice like an old down jacket... frayed... gritted... plaintive poetry in the troubadour tradition... delivery so raw and real it fairly throbs."
His 2001 debut album, Miles from the Lightning, won much praise from critics and helped to kick-start a career of tours across the United States, Canada, and Europe. MOJO praised Miles as "A striking debut. [Foucault] comes out sounding like the love-child of Chris Whitley and Kelly Joe Phelps... strong songs, a voice and blues guitar that sound wiser than his years." Along the way, he has played with such artists as Guy Clark, Greg Brown, Gillian Welch, Todd Snider, Chris Smither, and Rosanne Cash.
In 2003, Foucault, Delmhorst, and Peter Mulvey released an album entitled Redbird. Foucault's 2004 album, Stripping Cane, was produced by David "Goody" Goodrich, and included collaborations with Redbird's Mulvey and Delmhorst.
In 2006, Foucault released his third solo album, Ghost Repeater. Produced by Bo Ramsey, the album includes guest appearances by Dave Moore on harp and accordion and Son Volt's Eric Heywood on pedal steel.
In 2009 he released his tribute to John Prine: "Shoot the Moon Right Between the Eyes: Jeffrey Foucault Sings the Songs of John Prine"
In 2010 Foucault released "Cold Satellite"; and in 2011 "Horse Latitudes".
www.jeffreyfoucault.com
Mayfly
Jeffrey Foucault Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dying to get born
Mayfly mayfly
Dying to get born
Oh mayfly
Your wings are tired
And they're torn
Only last a while
Mayfly mayfly
Only last a while
Oh mayfly
You take your little cup
And drink it dry
Mayfly born in the springtime baby
Never gonna see the fall
One sweet night on silver wings
And never come back at all
Mayfly born in the midnight darling
Never gonna see the day
Take a little time to fall in love
And then he goes on his way
Mayfly mayfly
Life's a sweet little thing
Mayfly mayfly
Life's a sweet little thing
Oh mayfly
Barely time enough to sing
The song "Mayfly" by Jeffrey Foucault is a reflection on the ephemeral nature of life. The titular mayfly is a symbol for human life, as the insect is born, lives its life for a very short while and then dies. This repetition of "dying to get born" suggests that new life is always seeking to emerge, but it is always limited in its duration. The mayfly is used as a metaphor for how life is short, and we should make the most of the time we have.
The second verse talks about how short the mayfly's life is, they only last a while, and they take their little cup and drink it dry. This can be interpreted as a reference to the brevity of life and the need to make the most of the limited time we have. The third verse expands on this idea, talking about how the mayfly is born in the springtime and will never see the fall, and that it will only have one sweet night on silver wings before it's gone forever.
Overall, "Mayfly" is a beautifully simple and evocative song that uses the imagery of a mayfly to remind us that life is precious and fleeting.
Line by Line Meaning
Mayfly mayfly
The repetition of 'Mayfly' emphasizes the fleeting nature of life that the song is about.
Dying to get born
The mayfly's life cycle, from egg to adult, is complete within a single day, so it is born just to die.
Oh mayfly
Your wings are tired
And they're torn
The mayfly's brief existence takes a physical toll, as its wings deteriorate quickly, leaving it unable to fly for long.
Only last a while
The mayfly's life is incredibly short - only a day - making it a poignant symbol for the transience of human experience.
You take your little cup
And drink it dry
The mayfly lives its entire life in a single day, so it has a short time to do what it needs to do - in this case, drink sufficient amounts of water.
Mayfly born in the springtime baby
Never gonna see the fall
One sweet night on silver wings
And never come back at all
The mayfly's life is condensed into a single day, so it never gets to experience autumn, flying on its iridescent wings for one night only before succumbing to death.
Mayfly born in the midnight darling
Never gonna see the day
Take a little time to fall in love
And then he goes on his way
The mayfly is born at midnight and must beget offspring quickly before dying; this brief act of procreation represents the mayfly's only time to 'fall in love.'
Life's a sweet little thing
The fleeting nature of the mayfly's life is shown through a bittersweet lens - it is sweet because it is all the mayfly has, but its brevity is also tragic.
Barely time enough to sing
The mayfly's brief lifespan gives it barely enough time to do anything beyond its basic survival needs, let alone anything as elaborate as singing. This line underscores the poignant melancholy of the song's overall theme.
Contributed by Joshua F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.