Ribbon Bows
Joanna Newsom Lyrics

There is a spring not far from here
Joanna is referring to a nearby natural water source.

The water runs both sweet and clear
The water is of good quality and easy to see through.

Both sweet and clear, and cold
Joanna emphasizes the water's sweetness and clarity, and mentions how cold it is.

Could crack your bones
The water's extreme cold temperature is powerful enough to split bones.

With veins of gold
Joanna describes the water's beauty and value, like the veins of gold that flow through it.

I stood, a-wagging, at the tap
Joanna stood and waited eagerly for the flowing water to come out of the tap.

Just a-waiting on the lagging, rising sap
The water is described as having the delay of a tree's sap rising.

I held the cold tin ladle to my lip
Joanna used a tin ladle for drinking the cold water.

At the Shrine of the Thousand Arms I lowered my eyes to sip
Joanna mentions a religious site where she sips the water.

What a beautiful day to catch my drift
Joanna is enjoying the beautiful day & trying to go with the flow.

Or be caught up in it
She's happy to be a part of it or enjoy it.

You want your love, Love?
A potential lover, saying Love (or maybe just starting a sentence in a flowery way).

Come and get your love
Joanna is encouraging someone to come and get the love they want.

I only took it back
Joanna took back something from her lover.

Because I thought you didn't
She was mistaken about her lover's feelings.

How my ears did ring
Joanna's ears are ringing.

At the municipal pound
She's at the city's pound.

From that old hangdog
She's describing a sad & depressed dog.

To which I was bound
She was emotionally attached or responsible for the dog.

Curled 'round the bottom rung
The dog just sits there curled up around something.

Doesn't anybody want you?
Joanna is considering adopting or caring for the dog.

Well, come on, darlin'
Joanna is encouraging the dog to come with her.

I could use someone like you around
She could actually use someone like the dog.

I am not like you
Joanna is different than the dog.

I ain't from this place
She's not from the place where this conversation is taking place.

And I do reserve the right to repeat all my same mistakes
She's admitting & acknowledging the possibility that she might repeat the same mistakes she had made before.

And, in the night, like you
In the night, she and the dog might experience the same things.

I certainly bite and chew
Joanna bites & chews just like the dog.

What I can find
They might scavenge for things together and Joanna would eat whatever she finds.

And never seem to lose the taste
She'll never lose the taste for something even if it's been a while since she last had it.

What a horrible face
Joanna is trying to describe an awful expression she keeps making.

I feel me make
She has this weird feeling of making this expression on her face.

For Pete's sake
She's saying this expression is similar to an expression an annoyed Pete would make.

What you have told me, I cannot erase
Joanna is recalling something important someone had told her which is impossible to forget.

Though I keep on saying and I do believe
She wishes to believe something else that contradicts the information.

It is not too late
Joanna is hopeful but also uncertain about what she believes.

All day, you're hassling me with trifles
Someone is disturbing or harassing Joanna about trivial & unimportant things.

Black nose of the dog as cold as a rifle
She's describing the dog's nose as cold as the metal of a rifle.

Indicating, with a nudge
The dog is trying to communicate something to Joanna.

God, no God, God, no God
The dog is either indicating some spiritual belief or simply making sounds.

Sweet, appraising eye of the dog
The dog is examining Joanna adorably.

Blink once if God, twice if no God
The dog is actually communicating with Joanna through blinking (maybe saying yes once or twice no).

My mama may be ashamed of me
Joanna fears that her mom might be ashamed of her actions.

With all of my finery
Joanna might be overdressed or portraying herself in a proud manner.

Carrying on
Joanna is simply carrying-on with her activities.

Whooping it up till the early morn'
She's having a great time past midnight.

Lost and lorn among the madding revelry
She's feeling lonely & alone in a crazy celebrating crowd.

Sure, I can pass
She can clearly blend in.

Honey, I can pass
She's telling someone who she might secretly admire to not worry as she can fit in fine with the society.

Particularly when I start to tip my glass
Especially when she gets drunk, she can effectively blend in with others.

I'll be a sport
She's ready to participate willingly.

And have a go at that old song singing unabashed
She wants to sing the old song loudly & confidently.

'Bout them city girls with their ribbon bows
The lyrics of the old song are about the fashion of city girls.

But, though I get so sad
Joanna admits having moments of sadness.

Could swear the night makes a motion to claim me
She feels like the night might swallow her up.

Around that second verse
She specifically points out the moment where this feeling starts to occur.

I reckon and I've felt worse
She thinks this might not be so bad compared to other similar experiences.

And still held fast
She's holding up in spite of everything happened.

But, later on, when I am alone
Later on when she is by herself.

Alone at last
Joanna is excited to be alone now.

Well I take my God to task
She's talking to God about all the problems she's facing.

I take my doggone God to task
She's taking a jocular tone blaming God for her troubles.