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.
No Provenance
Joanna Newsom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I have died happy and lived
To tell the tale to you
I have slept for forty years
And woke to find me gone
I woke safe and warm in your arms
In your arms
Your arms, in your arms
Not informed of the natural law
Squatting, lordly, on a stool, in a stall
We spun gold clear out of straw
And, when our bales of bullion were stored
You burned me like a barn
I burned safe and warm in your arms
In your arms
Your arms
I'm afraid of the Big Return
There's a certain conversation lost
And that loss incurred
With nobody remaining
To register who had passed this way in the night
In the middle of the night
Negating their grace and their sight
Till only I remember, or mark
How we had our talk
We took our ride
So that there was no-one home
And the lights of Rome
Flickered and died
And, what's more, I believe that you knew it, too
I think you saw their flares
And kept me safely unawares
In your arms
Your arms, in your arms
The grass was tall
And strung with burrs
I essayed that high sashay which in my mind, was my way
You hung behind, in yours
Anyhow, she did not neigh, I do not know
What drew our eyes to hers
That little black mare did not stir
Till I lay down in your arms
Poor old dirty little dog-size horse
Swaying and wheezing
As a matter of course
Swaying and wheezing
As a matter of pride
That poor old nag, not four palms wide
Had waited a long time
Coated in salt
Buckled like a ship
Run foul of the fence
And in the middle of the night
She'd sprung up, no provenance
Bearing the whites of her eyes
And you, with your
Arrangement with Fate
Nodded sadly at her lame assault
On that steady old gate
Her faultlessly etiolated fishbelly-face
The muzzle of a ghost
And, pretty Johnny Appleseed
Via satellite feed
Tell us, who was it
That you then loved the most?
Pretty Johnny Appleseed
Leave a trail that leads
Straight back down to the farm
Lay me down safe and warm
In your arms
In your arms
The song No Provenance by Joanna Newsom tells a story of a journey through time, space, and love. The chorus of the song, "Allelu, allelu. I have died happy and lived to tell the tale to you," suggests that the singer has gone through a life-altering experience that has led them to find peace and happiness in the present. The idea of sleeping for forty years and waking up to find oneself gone is a metaphor for the transformative power of time. This is further explored when the singer states their fear of the Big Return, thereby calling attention to the inevitable passage of time and the fear of losing oneself in it.
The verses of the song contain vivid and poetic descriptions of the singer's experiences. In the first verse, the singer talks about spinning gold clear out of straw, using "bullion" as a metaphorical reference to emotional treasures that were stored away. However, the singer was then burned, like a barn, hinting at the pain that comes with the destruction of things that were once held dear. The second verse includes a description of taking a ride, where the singer sees the lights of Rome flicker and die. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the fall of empires and the transient nature of power. The verse also talks about a little black mare who springs up unexpectedly, without any provenance, suggesting the triumph of the unexpected over the known.
Overall, the song is a deeply introspective exploration of themes like time, love, and loss. The lyrics masterfully use metaphor and imagery to create a vivid tapestry of human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
Allelu, allelu
Hallelujah, hallelujah
I have died happy and lived
I have lived a fulfilling life and am at peace with dying
To tell the tale to you
To share my life experiences with you
I have slept for forty years
I have been dormant or stagnant for a long time
And woke to find me gone
And found that I have changed or evolved during that time
I woke safe and warm in your arms
I found comfort and security in your arms
Not informed of the natural law
Unaware of the laws governing nature or life
Squatting, lordly, on a stool, in a stall
Feeling powerful and important in a confined space
We spun gold clear out of straw
We created something valuable or precious out of something seemingly worthless
And, when our bales of bullion were stored
When we accumulated wealth or riches
You burned me like a barn
You destroyed me or betrayed me in a catastrophic way
I'm afraid of the Big Return
I fear the consequences of past actions or decisions catching up to me
There's a certain conversation lost
There's an important discussion that we failed to have
And that loss incurred
And that failure resulted in a negative outcome
With nobody remaining
With no one left to remember or acknowledge what happened
To register who had passed this way in the night
To record or acknowledge who was there during a significant event
Negating their grace and their sight
Disregarding their presence or importance
Till only I remember, or mark
Until only I am left to bear witness or remember what happened
How we had our talk
Our conversation or interaction during that time
We took our ride
We went on a journey together
So that there was no-one home
So that there was no one to interrupt or disturb us
And the lights of Rome
And the symbols of civilization or power
Flickered and died
Lost their significance or power
And, what's more, I believe that you knew it, too
And I suspect that you were aware of this change or decline
I think you saw their flares
I believe you were aware of their presence or importance
And kept me safely unawares
And intentionally shielded me from this knowledge or realization
The grass was tall
The environment was overgrown or untamed
And strung with burrs
And full of thorns or obstacles
I essayed that high sashay which in my mind, was my way
I attempted a difficult or ambitious task in the way that I believed was right
You hung behind, in yours
You approached the task in your own way or at your own pace
Anyhow, she did not neigh, I do not know
The horse did not make any noise, and I'm not sure why
What drew our eyes to hers
What caused us to notice or pay attention to the horse
That little black mare did not stir
The horse remained motionless or unresponsive
Till I lay down in your arms
Until I found comfort and security in your arms
Poor old dirty little dog-size horse
A small, unimpressive horse that is also somewhat pathetic or pitiful
Swaying and wheezing
Moving and breathing with difficulty or effort
As a matter of course
As something that is expected or normal
That poor old nag, not four palms wide
That unfortunate, undersized horse
Had waited a long time
Had endured or persevered for a significant period
Coated in salt
Covered in sweat or hardened by exposure
Buckled like a ship
Bent or twisted like a damaged or unstable vessel
Run foul of the fence
Collided or tangled with an obstacle
And in the middle of the night
And under the cover of darkness or secrecy
She'd sprung up, no provenance
She had suddenly appeared without explanation or origin
Bearing the whites of her eyes
Expressing fear, panic, or agitation
And you, with your arrangement with Fate
And you, with your understanding or agreement with destiny
Nodded sadly at her lame assault
Acknowledged or sympathized with her weak or pitiful attempt
On that steady old gate
On the reliable or unchanging barrier or boundary
Her faultlessly etiolated fishbelly-face
Her flawlessly pale or sickly appearance
The muzzle of a ghost
The face or expression of a haunting or supernatural entity
And, pretty Johnny Appleseed
And, addressing or referring to someone affectionately
Via satellite feed
Through a modern, technologically advanced method of communication
Tell us, who was it
Tell us, to whom or what are you referring
That you then loved the most?
That you valued or cared for more than anything else
Leave a trail that leads
Create a path or legacy that others can follow or learn from
Straight back down to the farm
Leading back to the simple, rural or pastoral lifestyle
Lay me down safe and warm
Provide me with security, safety, and comfort
In your arms
Ultimate refuge or safety net
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: Joanna Newsom
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lucas Hirata Mizuguchi
There are moments of quietude in this song where Joanna really captures the sublime—e.g., that moment of almost silence after she sings "not informed" at 00:57, or the lone chord at 2:18. It's not enough to speak of her merely as a songwriter or composer in a music business context, or to compare her to other musicians. She's truly a great artist, a genius.
sidney collier
Such an old earth tone within her storytelling melodies...warm and familiar to me...so very very beautifully written and sung.
I am blessed to be saved by this particular song.
Caitlin Rose Blaney
I just can never get enough of this song. Been loving it for years... <3 So majestic and full of images of wildlife, and yet so halcyon somehow. It sounds ancient somehow - a friend I played it for just wouldn't believe it was an original song of Joanna's. Beautiful
Laura Berkholtz
Anyone who can work in the phrase "No Provenance" in a song is a genius.
Milena Reindel
Essa música é amor... <3
dead chic
this song is so metal
lofi1980
God how I love this song
mycoldek
MASTERPIECE!
melissa comstock
very nice i love it
wings4marie
Wonderful. :)