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.
Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie
Joanna Newsom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I come from
I am cold, out waiting for the day to come
I chew my lips oh, and I scratch my nose
Feels so good to be a rose
Oh don't, don't you lift me up
Just give it up
There are bats all dissolving in a row
Into the wishy-washy dark that cannot let go
And I cannot let go
So I thank the lord
And I thank his sword
Though it be mincing up the morning, slightly bored
O, morning without warning like a hole
And I watch you go
There are some mornings when the sky looks like a road
There are some dragons who were built to have and hold
And some machines are dropped from great heights lovingly
And some great bellies ache with many bumblebees
And they sting so terribly
I do as I please
Now I'm on my knees
Your skin is something that I stir into my tea
And I am watching you
And you are starry, starry, starry
And I'm tumbling down, and I check a frown
It's why I love this town
Well, just look around
To see me serenaded hourly, celebrated sourly
Dedicated dourly, waltzing with the open sea
Clam, crab, cockle, cowrie
Will you just look at me?
The first lines of the song "Clam Crab Cockle Cowrie" tell us that the singer comes from a place where she feels cold and is waiting for the day to come. She then goes on to describe how she chews her lips and scratches her nose, finding it soothing to be like a rose. As the song progresses, she speaks of bats dissolving into the dark and dragons built to have and hold, before proclaiming that she does as she pleases, but now she is on her knees watching someone whose skin she stirs into her tea. The song ends with the singer feeling celebrated and waltzing with the open sea, asking the listener to just look at her as she says the words 'clam, crab, cockle, cowrie'.
While it is not 100% clear what the song is about, some believe it could be about wanting to be seen and celebrated for your unique qualities, as evidenced by the singer's final words. It could also be about the beauty in everyday things, like the stars in the sky, the waves of the sea, or even the small creatures like clams, crabs, cockles, and cowries. There is a sense of whimsy and wonder throughout the lyrics, as the singer observes the world around her and muses on its meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
That means no
A simple refusal or denial.
Where I come from
A statement referring to the place of origin.
I am cold, out waiting for the day to come
A description of a lonely and cold waiting for something yet to happen.
I chew my lips oh, and I scratch my nose
Feels so good to be a rose
An expression of one's physical pleasure and self-awareness.
Oh don't, don't you lift me up
Like I'm that shy, no no no no no
Just give it up
A plea to be left alone and not forced to do something they don't want to.
There are bats all dissolving in a row
Into the wishy-washy dark that cannot let go
And I cannot let go
So I thank the lord
And I thank his sword
Though it be mincing up the morning, slightly bored
An allegory of something that cannot escape its fate, and an expression of gratitude for whatever helps us cope and carry on, no matter how mundane or destructive.
O, morning without warning like a hole
And I watch you go
An observation of the suddenness and inevitability of change and loss.
There are some mornings when the sky looks like a road
There are some dragons who were built to have and hold
And some machines are dropped from great heights lovingly
And some great bellies ache with many bumblebees
And they sting so terribly
A poetic description of the diversity and randomness of life, and the pain that often comes with it.
I do as I please
Now I'm on my knees
Your skin is something that I stir into my tea
And I am watching you
And you are starry, starry, starry
And I'm tumbling down, and I check a frown
It's why I love this town
Well, just look around
To see me serenaded hourly, celebrated sourly
Dedicated dourly, waltzing with the open sea
Clam, crab, cockle, cowrie
Will you just look at me?
A personal reflection on the joy and distress of living, and the need for connection and recognition that drives us all, however absurd or futile it may seem.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joanna Newsom
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind