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.
Erin
Joanna Newsom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Errin' across America
Do now cheer me on
Can you hear the song for you?
Quick, now, caramel dip
Give it up to the runaway ship
Hail, now, hail to the bitch
The hairy literary with the nervous, nervous twitch
Shy, your light pops out
And we stand there astounded
And we pound our heads and shout
We shout 'alleluia'
Well, look what it did to ya
Oh, a horrible mess
And we're eatin' by the river in the sunday dress
Oh, serenade me
Eatin' the biscuits and gravy
You are missin' from me
As you juggle with your uncle in the red, red sea
I will wait, or will
Knock my knees and talk, you oh so still
Oh, Shenandoah
We just crossed the wide Missouri
You are so...
Bonny, shhhhhh, do not worry
Quick, now, caramel dip
Give it up to the runaway ship
Life's so sweet and so low
Buried in the water, yeah, buried in the snow
So dear, deep and so dark
Sleepin' under papers in the central park
Twentieth floor balcony houses what is home to me
Twentieth floor balcony houses what is home to me
Twentieth floor balcony houses what is home to me
The song "Erin" by Joanna Newsom is a complex piece with a mix of imagery and cryptic lyrics, making it challenging to interpret. The first verse, "Erin, Erin, Erin! Errin' across America," seems to echo the Irish folk song "Erin go Bragh," which translates to "Ireland Forever." However, instead of referencing Ireland, Newsom's Erin transcends physical boundaries and travels across America. The following lines, "Can you hear the song for you? Quick, now, caramel dip/Give it up to the runaway ship," suggest that Erin might represent an idea or a person unknown to the audience. The "runaway ship" could symbolize the fleeting or unpredictable nature of the subject's journey.
In the second verse, Newsom mentions a "hairy literary" figure with a "nervous twitch," which could allude to a writer or artist. The lines "Shy, your light pops out/And we stand there astounded" suggest that despite the subject's meek presence, they radiate creative energy. The chorus, "Quick, now, caramel dip/Give it up to the runaway ship/Life's so sweet and so low/Buried in the water, yeah, buried in the snow," repeats the idea of relinquishing control to something or someone elusive. It also implies that life can be cyclical, with sweetness and bitterness intertwined.
As for the third verse, the line "Oh, Shenandoah/We just crossed the wide Missouri" refers to two famous American rivers. The following line, "You are so.../Bonny, shhhhhh, do not worry," is, according to Newsom, a nod to the Scottish folk song "Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond." The final lines, "Twentieth floor balcony houses what is home to me," suggest that despite the subject's travels across America, they find comfort and solace in a specific place.
Overall, "Erin" is an abstract piece that encompasses various themes such as displacement, creativity, and the uncertainty of life. The song's open-endedness and the blend of modern and traditional references make it both intriguing and challenging to decipher.
Line by Line Meaning
Erin, Erin, Erin!
Calling out the name of the person Erin with enthusiasm and excitement
Errin' across America
Erin is traveling across America
Do now cheer me on
Encouraging someone to cheer for the singer
Can you hear the song for you?
Asking if the person can hear the song written for them
Quick, now, caramel dip
Urging to quickly enjoy a sweet caramel dip
Give it up to the runaway ship
Letting go and giving in to life's journey
Hail, now, hail to the bitch
Celebrating and acknowledging a powerful and talented woman
The hairy literary with the nervous, nervous twitch
Describing the woman as both intelligent and anxious
Shy, your light pops out
The person's confidence unexpectedly shines through their shyness
And we stand there astounded
Others are amazed and impressed by the person's talents
And we pound our heads and shout
People are so excited they start pounding their heads and shouting
We shout 'alleluia'
People shout a word of praise and excitement
Well, look what it did to ya
Reflecting on the person's success and impact on others
Oh, a horrible mess
Describing a chaotic situation
And we're eatin' by the river in the sunday dress
Eating by the river on a Sunday while wearing a dress, despite the mess
Oh, serenade me
Asking to be serenaded with music
Eatin' the biscuits and gravy
Enjoying a meal of biscuits and gravy while being serenaded
You are missin' from me
Acknowledging missing someone
As you juggle with your uncle in the red, red sea
Imagining the person juggling with their uncle in the imaginary 'red sea'
I will wait, or will
Uncertainty in waiting for the person, despite missing them
Knock my knees and talk, you oh so still
Feeling nervous and talking while knees tremble
Oh, Shenandoah
Referencing a folk song about the Shenandoah River
We just crossed the wide Missouri
Traveling across the Missouri River
You are so...
Starting to describe the person, but not finishing the thought
Bonny, shhhhhh, do not worry
Addressing the person as 'Bonny' and calming any worries they may have
Life's so sweet and so low
Life is both sweet and difficult
Buried in the water, yeah, buried in the snow
Feeling overwhelmed and lost in life's challenges
So dear, deep and so dark
Describing a place that is significant and intense
Sleepin' under papers in the central park
Sleeping outside in Central Park under newspapers
Twentieth floor balcony houses what is home to me
Describing the singer's home on the 20th floor of a tall building
Contributed by Sadie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Quattro Bajeena
Haven’t listen to this song in years. Reminds me of a weird time in my life I don’t think I can come here for A while again. What an amazing song
leftpain
just want to say this is comment is the only beautiful thing I have ever seen said on youtube
Angela
I could fall asleep on a rainy afternoon listening to her music. It's so soothing and surreal and fabulous. I love it.
Pareeckle
i love this song opposed to others by newsom. it sounds so cute. and i think its just me, but i think her voice has a major contrast with the melody. but it seems to be so appropriate and i dont think there are many that can pull off that technique other then newsom. i wish i had the album.
elfin
I love this song! If she re-recorded this on some future album, I would just die from joy... *o*
r0ygbiv24
automatic tears with this one for me. Just so beautiful
Sara Cruz
This is my new favorite JN song. They're all my favorite, but I'm partial to this one. I love her voice! I hope she goes back to this style, her wisper-singing off her new album is nice, but this is more "signature" Joanna. I want to meet her so badly! BIGGEST FAN. LOVEEE HEEERRR!!!!!!! :D
Banged Minsoo
-Such a good song. I love joanna. She is so beautiful:) her harp just adds to the beauty
Chloe S
Is this joanna's most underrated song?
gibberconfirm
It's pretty good. Paul McCartney couldn't write a song for shit after he hit 30 and every other songwriter ever shares that general arc, somewhat. She might genuinely think this song is shit, but it's not.