After recording and self-releasing two EPs in 2002, Newsom was signed to the independent label Drag City. Her debut album, The Milk-Eyed Mender, was released in 2004 to critical acclaim and garnered Newsom an underground following. She would receive wider exposure with the release of Ys (2006), which charted at number 134 on the Billboard 200.
She released two further albums: Have One on Me (2010) and Divers (2015), the latter of which outsold all of her previous albums. Newsom has been noted by critics for her unique musical style, sometimes characterized as psychedelic folk, and for her prominent use of harp instrumentation. She has also appeared as an actress with roles in the television series Portlandia and in the 2014 film Inherent Vice.
-En Gallop-
Joanna Newsom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I am already gone
And the halls were lined
With the disembodied
And the dustly wings
Which fell from flesh
Gasplessly
Where the trees go
And I walk
From a higher education
For now and for hire
It beats me
But I do not know
And it beats me
But I do not know
It beats me
But I do not know
I do not know
Palaces and stormclouds
And the rought, straggly sage, and the smoke
And the way it will all come together
In quietness and in time
And you laws of property
Oh you free economy
And you unending afterthoughts
You could've told me before
Never get so attached to a poem
You forget truth that lacks lyricism
And never draw so close to the heat
That you forget that you must eat
"En Gallop" by Joanna Newsom is a hauntingly beautiful and poetic song that explores themes of mortality, letting go, and the complex nature of time. The opening lyrics set the mood, with Newsom describing the setting as "damp and ghostly" and confessing that she is "already gone." She then goes on to describe the hallways as being filled with disembodied dustly wings, creating a sense of otherworldliness and the unknown.
Throughout the song, Newsom continues to explore these themes, including references to higher education, the free economy, and unending afterthoughts. The line "And I go where the trees go" speaks to the cyclical nature of life and death, while the final verse serves as a reminder not to get too caught up in romanticizing the beautiful, poetic aspects of life while forgetting the practical necessities.
Line by Line Meaning
This place is damp and ghostly
The location is dark, dank, and eerie.
I am already gone
The singer is mentally absent or detached from the situation.
And the halls were lined
With the disembodied
And the dustly wings
Which fell from flesh
Gasplessly
The halls were filled with remnants of the dead and decaying life.
And I go
Where the trees go
And I walk
From a higher education
For now and for hire
The artist follows nature and intuition, rejecting formal education for a practical purpose.
It beats me
But I do not know
And it beats me
But I do not know
It beats me
But I do not know
I do not know
The artist is confused about a particular situation and doesn't have any answers.
Palaces and stormclouds
And the rought, straggly sage, and the smoke
And the way it will all come together
In quietness and in time
The singer observes a variety of elements that will ultimately merge into a unifying whole, eventually.
And you laws of property
Oh you free economy
And you unending afterthoughts
You could've told me before
The singer criticizes the societal systems that value materialistic accumulation and encourages hindsight instead of proactive advice.
Never get so attached to a poem
You forget truth that lacks lyricism
And never draw so close to the heat
That you forget that you must eat
It is important to avoid getting so caught up in art that one forgets about practical concerns.
Contributed by Samantha H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Eric Doce
Love when you react to Newsom, dude! Here are the instruments listed in the liner notes of the LP:
“Leaving the City”
Joanna Newsom
Harp, Piano, Marxophone, Mellotron M400, Vocals
Peter Newsom
Drums
sóley wolfgangsdóttir
imagine being her, playing a whole concert and you have to remeber all those epically long lyrics. that's what impresses me the most about her music.
InVinoVinyl
I am loving your reactions. You’re so true and honest and I really appreciate that. If you love Joanna and want to do more of her stuff, may I suggest her performance of Baby Birch from Melkweg. It is haunting and one of the most beautiful songs you will ever listen to— but also one of the saddest. If you like to dissect lyrics and love her harp performances, I could not recommend this performance more. Here is a link: https://youtu.be/jKrpokfVR0E
Honestly you don’t even have to react to it (though, that would be amazing), but just watch and listen for your own sake. It’s achingly, amazingly beautiful in the way only Joanna can do.
Again, thank you for what you do, you are a true gem in a sea of reactors. All the best to you.
Deep Thought
I'm get so happy watching people enjoy Joanna's music! And thank you so much for getting to my request!
Gayle
This was hypnotically chaotic, but her voice is so unusual, you’re just compelled to keep listening while it picks up speed. I know the feeling it evokes in me, but I really can’t tell you whether it’s what she intended or not, hehe.
sóley wolfgangsdóttir
finally another joanna reaction, thats fantastic. nice choice. i like music that needs time to dive into it. time has become so quick that we barely take some time to really actively enjoy music.
mike, you still have some homework to do, remember? ;)
Eric Doce
Love when you react to Newsom, dude! Here are the instruments listed in the liner notes of the LP:
“Leaving the City”
Joanna Newsom
Harp, Piano, Marxophone, Mellotron M400, Vocals
Peter Newsom
Drums
Ihvdsqsvy Jvsq4ubx
More joanna reactions plz!!! I'd recommend Time as a Symptom or Baby Birch
ghostsdoexist
I remember when "Leaving the City" dropped on Youtube before the album Divers came out. Very thrilling to hear for the first time as a fan of Newsom's previous work! Your reaction to the instrumentation of the album version (almost overwhelming in its complexity) mirrors that of my own first listen back then. You clearly appreciate Newsom's artistry and craft, and I would love to see you react to her song "Make Hay" which (unfortunately) did not make it onto the last album and gets (sadly) little love.
Lori Phillips
Definitely react to more Joanna. You’ve only hit the tippy tip of the iceberg.
As for instrumentation, the other four song on Y’s (pronounced Eees) that Sawdust and Diamonds is on are actually backed by a full orchestra composed by Van Dyke Parks. It’s one of the best albums ever written, period.
po marotte
Thank you for that vidéo !We need more joanna newsom reaction from ys (emily or only skin) or have one one me (baby birch, self titled, go long, kingfisher, good intention pavement Co, etc) :D