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.
What We Have Known
Joanna Newsom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The seahorse horsing in assault
The owlet in his greenery
The narwhal in his cup of sea
They all believe
They all believe
But collusion bleeds through back alleys
When one is weak they discreetly meet
They throw the bones into the street
And they progress
And we retreat
And all the books our fathers wrote
Are in the middle of the road
Little by little we implode
History brittle, brown and broke
We can't remember what was spoke
So we stare in wonder at the smoke
What it begets is born alone
We know not now what we have known!
Ladies, breathe deep against your whalebones
For your children come home made of stone
The terror seething sees a way
Or like the wheezing of the bay
In miniature agonies
They travel westward on the breeze
Bring us all to our knees
The dappled horse, the sorrowed mare
With eyes that do not see but stare
Beneath boots as black as Malachi
He drives a nag into the night
Into the night
And all the baby boys we've borne
With eyes averted from the storm
Sent off to die in perfect form
We know now what we have known!
Satellite photos, rhetoric
See how the euphemisms stick
And when they come back, broke and burned
Those who return have not returned!
In this song, Joanna Newsom paints a picture of the natural world, featuring animals like tadpoles, seahorses, owlets, and narwhals. These creatures all believe in their own way, but there is a sense of collusion and decay among humans. The second stanza delves into this darker side of humanity, describing how those in power often meet discreetly and throw bones into the street. While they progress, the rest of society retreats. The third stanza bears witness to the loss of history and our inability to remember what was said. The smoke created by things we don't remember now begets something on its own. The final stanza talks about the consequences of our choices, specifically how the baby boys we've borne have been sent to die in perfect form.
Newsom masterfully juxtaposes the innocence of the natural world with the more sinister aspects of human existence. The progression of the song seems to suggest that we're headed towards some sort of self-destruction - whether through war, environmental disaster, or other means. The mood is one of almost mournful reflection, with a sense of powerlessness at the inevitable events that will transpire.
Line by Line Meaning
The tadpole buoyant as basalt
Even the smallest creatures can be strong and unyielding
The seahorse horsing in assault
A gentle creature can still have a fiery spirit
The owlet in his greenery
Nature can provide a sense of comfort and security
The narwhal in his cup of sea
Each creature has its own niche in the world
They all believe
All creatures have faith in their own abilities and place in the world
But collusion bleeds through back alleys
Secret agreements between powerful people can have dangerous consequences for the rest of us
From parapets that end on feet
Those in power can easily fall from grace
When one is weak they discreetly meet
The powerful often exploit the vulnerable for their own gain
They throw the bones into the street
The consequences of their actions are borne by others
And they progress
Those in power use their influence to advance their own agenda
And we retreat
The rest of us are left to suffer the consequences of their actions
And all the books our fathers wrote
The knowledge of the past is in danger of being lost
Are in the middle of the road
We are in danger of forgetting the lessons of the past
Little by little we implode
Our society is on the brink of collapse
History brittle, brown and broke
Our culture is in danger of disintegrating
We can't remember what was spoke
The wisdom of the past is in danger of being forgotten
So we stare in wonder at the smoke
We are left to contemplate the destruction around us
What it begets is born alone
Each generation faces its own unique challenges
We know not now what we have known!
We are in danger of losing touch with our history and traditions
Ladies, breathe deep against your whalebones
We must have the inner strength to withstand the challenges ahead
For your children come home made of stone
The next generation will be hardened and unyielding
The terror seething sees a way
Those in power use fear to manipulate us
Or like the wheezing of the bay
We are suffocating under the weight of injustice
In miniature agonies
The pain of the oppressed is often ignored or dismissed
They travel westward on the breeze
The winds of change are blowing, but we must seize the opportunity for progress
Bring us all to our knees
The powerful will be held accountable for their actions
The dappled horse, the sorrowed mare
Even animals can feel pain and sorrow
With eyes that do not see but stare
We are in danger of becoming numb to the suffering around us
Beneath boots as black as Malachi
The powerful oppress the weak without mercy
He drives a nag into the night
Those in power will stop at nothing to maintain their status
And all the baby boys we've borne
Our sons are sent off to fight wars they did not start
With eyes averted from the storm
We try to ignore the violence and destruction around us
Sent off to die in perfect form
The young are sacrificed for the sake of the powerful
We know now what we have known!
We are finally awakening to the reality of the situation
Satellite photos, rhetoric
We are bombarded with meaningless propaganda disguised as truth
See how the euphemisms stick
Language is used to obscure the truth and manipulate our perceptions
And when they come back, broke and burned
Our veterans return home broken and traumatized
Those who return have not returned!
The effects of war are long-lasting and far-reaching
Contributed by Eliana E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Peach Byun Ash
I don't know why this song gives me "Coraline and the Secret Door" vibesđź’•
O_dea Banana
yes!! The use of the dorian mode and also harp is a common instrument in the film's soundtrack
babysmalls
She sounds so young! I remember when we were all this young.
elfin
I love this song! *0*
Joana Ramos Pereira
Thanks for sharing!
Victoria Cariad
I like this version better :)
animalloverabh
what album is this from
f Ů‹
the song originally came from her second ep called Yarn and Glue
T AS
It was a bonus track off her single Sprout and the Bean but it was later released as an independent single. It does not belong to any of her albums.
Jonas Zdanius
animalloverabh hey! I don't know...