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.
Yarn and Glue
Joanna Newsom Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is the Panopticon
And all around us blink the brash
And shifty eyes of common cash
So do we die or do we travel
Down the path by which one dabbles
In the arts of antediluvian crafts
So gather twilight to your breast
And couch the rabble-rouser's nest
And we will take a day of rest
And we will all be heaven-blessed
And we will gather round to dine
And pass the time with wicked rhymes
And toast in dandelion wines
To hear their mellifluous chimes
We toast the fallow furrows that we sow,
And we toast the monies that we owe, owe, owe
And we toast the creditors we daily face
Who topple down with gruesome grace
And we toast the aristocrats with blood of blue
'Cause we know that our collars are that color, too
And we toast the artisans of antediluvian crafts
With yarn and glue
We do, we do
In "Yarn and Glue" by Joanna Newsom, the singer is introducing someone to the Panopticon - a type of prison where all the prisoners can be observed by one guard in a central tower. The song refers to the Panopticon as a metaphor for the constant surveillance and judgemental eyes of modern society. The common cash refers to capitalism and its influence on society. The singer then questions whether to die or to follow the path of antediluvian crafts with yarn and glue.
The next stanza talks about taking a day of rest, gathering around to dine, and passing the time with the wicked rhymes. The singer refers to toasting dandelion wines with mellifluous chimes. The following two stanzas go on to toast many different things, including falling furrows, money owed, creditors faced, aristocrats, and artisans. It seems like the singer is trying to embrace the different elements of life, including the not so pleasant ones, and find solace in the companionship of those around them.
One interesting aspect of the song is the use of the term antediluvian, which means "before the flood" in reference to the biblical story of Noah's ark. The song seems to suggest that these traditional crafts and ways of life are from a distant time, and perhaps more pure or authentic than contemporary society.
Another interesting detail is the use of "wicked rhymes," which can be interpreted as either evil or cool. This highlights the significance of language and the power of words in creating our reality.
Joanna Newsom's unique vocal style and the intricate instrumentation in this song make it stand out among others. The song is heavily influenced by folk and medieval music, with its use of harp and references to antiquated crafts.
Chords (as played by Joanna Newsom live):
Verse: Em, G, D
Chorus: C, G, D, Em, C, G, D, B7, C, G, D, Em
Bridge: C, G, B7, Em, C, G, D, Em
Note: These are only approximate and may not be exactly how Joanna plays the song, as she often changes or adds variations to the chords.
Line by Line Meaning
Do you know what this is, son?
Do you understand the nature of the Panopticon, my child?
This is the Panopticon
This is a metaphor for society's system of surveillance and control.
And all around us blink the brash
We are constantly bombarded by loud, attention-seeking messages.
And shifty eyes of common cash
Money drives people to act in dishonest, manipulative ways.
So do we die or do we travel
Do we succumb to the oppressive system or resist it?
Down the path by which one dabbles
By experimenting with different forms of expression.
In the arts of antediluvian crafts
By exploring ancient skills and techniques.
With yarn and glue?
Using simple materials to create something meaningful.
So gather twilight to your breast
Embrace the beauty of the evening.
And couch the rabble-rouser's nest
Quiet the chaos of the world and find peace.
And we will take a day of rest
We will slow down and savor the moment.
And we will all be heaven-blessed
We will find joy and contentment in simplicity.
And we will gather round to dine
We will come together in community and share a meal.
And pass the time with wicked rhymes
We will entertain each other with clever and mischievous poetry.
And toast in dandelion wines
We will enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
To hear their mellifluous chimes
To appreciate the beauty of nature and art.
We toast the fallow furrows that we sow,
We celebrate the work we put in to create something from nothing.
And we toast the monies that we owe, owe, owe
We acknowledge the debts we have accrued.
And we toast the creditors we daily face
We recognize the power that money has over us.
Who topple down with gruesome grace
As those in power eventually fall as well.
And we toast the aristocrats with blood of blue
We mock the pretentiousness of those in higher social classes.
'Cause we know that our collars are that color, too
We understand that we are not so different from them.
And we toast the artisans of antediluvian crafts
We admire those who keep the traditions of the past alive.
With yarn and glue
By using simple materials to create something beautiful and meaningful.
We do, we do
We come together to celebrate our collective creativity and resist the oppressive forces around us.
Contributed by Kaylee G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FolkyFan15
Sophisticated lyrics. Upbeat tune. Enchanting voice. This is music.
Megan Hull
I love Joanna, but somehow I'm just listening to this now. And I CAN'T STOP
gibberconfirm
I was just listening to like the three (?) original songs on Yarn and Glue, they are just fucking tight. But I used to listen to Milk Eyed Mender like 100 times.
elfin
Oh wow, I just now discovered her first two albums. It's so interesting to hear how her music has developed over time. Very pretty. :3
WrinkleinTime42
If I listened to Joanna when i was in high school, i would have done so much better on the SAT... anyways great music!
Phil Charles
Lmaooo i agree
maple1212
And couch the rabble-rouser's nest And we will take a day of rest And we will all be heaven-blessed And we will gather round to dine And pass the time with wicked rhymes And toast in dandelion wines To hear their mellifluous chimes We toast the fallow furrows that we sow, We toast the monies that we owe, oh, oh We toast the creditors we daily face
maple1212
Who topple down with gruesome grace And we toast the aristocrats with blood of blue Because we know our collars are that colour too And we toast the artisans of antediluvian crafts With yarn and glue We do, we do!
King
Ain't gon lie, joanna has increased my vocabulary something fierce. When I use words like antidiluvian people look at me like I'm weird but the ladies love it. 😄🍺❤
maple1212
Do you know what this is son? This is the panopticon And all around us blink the brash And shifty eyes of common cash So do we die or do we travel? Down the path by which one dabbles In the arts of antediluvian crafts With yarn and glue So gather twilight to your breast