1) Madelin… Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two artists performing under this name
1) Madeline Adams has been performing simply as Madeline for the last decade. As a teenager she relocated from her hometown of Athens, Georgia to Bloomington, Indiana to work with the punk label Plan-It-X Records (Japanther, Against Me, Defiance, Ohio). After a few years and many punk tours Madeline moved back home to work with Orange Twin Records releasing several albums in collaboration with Phosphorescent, the Athens-based Elephant 6 Collective (Neutral Milk Hotel, Olivia Tremor Control, Nana Grizol), Phil Elverum (Mt. Eerie) and Karl Blau (The Microphones).
2) Madeline also refers to an Australian artist, who released 'I Think I Love You' in 2007
What the Devil Don't Know Won't Hurt Him
Madeline Lyrics
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Sent her away on the fifth of May to a steamboat in the water.
I loved her well, but I'm going to hell and she won't know its fires.
When I'm away, she'll dine in Maine on Bloody Marys and Lobster.
The day I die, well by that time, she will be a woman.
She won't know me but her love's at sea with a steamboat captain husband.
Can't sleep at night, well she's wondering why she don't know her father.
Tell her she was born when the beauty of the sun fell into the water.
The devil don't know, but I'll be counting his gold tonight.
You can't grow old when you're counting his gold tonight.
The devil don't know, but I'll be counting his gold tonight.
And you can't grow old when you're counting his gold tonight.
When she dies white wings won't fly her all the way to Jesus.
Her soul will lay and move with the waves. The devil told me all his secrets.
When she dies white wings won't fly her all the way to Jesus.
Her soul will lay and move with the waves. The devil told me all his secrets.
When she dies white wings won't fly her all the way to Jesus.
Her soul will lay and move with the waves. The devil told me all his secrets.
The lyrics of Madeline's song "What the Devil Don't Know Won't Hurt Him" depict a tragic tale of a man who has committed unspeakable sins and knows he is going to hell. The first verse talks about how the man shot a squirrel and fathered a baby girl but sent her away on a steamboat, implying that he does not care about the consequences of his actions. The second verse further describes the man's fate, mentioning that he is going to hell but the woman he loves will not know it. She will live on, dine in Maine, and enjoy life while he suffers. The third verse talks about the woman's inevitable death and how her soul will not go to heaven but lay and move with the waves, a result of her father's pact with the devil.
The lyrics of this song suggest that the man in the story has made a deal with the devil, and as a result, his life and soul are doomed. However, the woman he loves and their child are not aware of the darkness surrounding him. Through powerful imagery and storytelling, Madeline's song highlights the consequences of making unethical choices and reminds us that the truth always comes out in the end.
Line by Line Meaning
Shoot a squirrel, a baby girl don't even know her father.
I killed an innocent animal and abandoned my own child without a second thought.
Sent her away on the fifth of May to a steamboat in the water.
I cruelly sent my daughter away to live with strangers on a ship.
I loved her well, but I'm going to hell and she won't know its fires.
I may have loved my daughter, but my evil actions will lead me to eternal damnation.
When I'm away, she'll dine in Maine on Bloody Marys and Lobster.
While I am absent, my daughter will enjoy a luxurious lifestyle in Maine.
The day I die, well by that time, she will be a woman.
By the time I pass away, my daughter will have grown into an adult.
She won't know me but her love's at sea with a steamboat captain husband.
Although my daughter never knew me, she will have found love with a fellow ship traveler.
Can't sleep at night, well she's wondering why she don't know her father.
My daughter will struggle with feelings of abandonment and yearn to know her father.
Tell her she was born when the beauty of the sun fell into the water.
In an attempt to offer comfort, I will tell my daughter a fanciful tale of her birth involving a beautiful sunset.
The devil don't know, but I'll be counting his gold tonight.
I may be serving the devil, but at least I will benefit from his riches.
You can't grow old when you're counting his gold tonight.
I will not age as time ceases to exist when I am consumed with counting the devil's wealth.
When she dies white wings won't fly her all the way to Jesus.
My daughter will not ascend to heaven upon death as she will be damned to wander with the waves.
Her soul will lay and move with the waves. The devil told me all his secrets.
My daughter's spirit will be forever tied to the sea, as the devil has shared with me his knowledge of her fate.
When she dies white wings won't fly her all the way to Jesus.
Despite her innocence, my daughter will not find salvation in death.
Her soul will lay and move with the waves. The devil told me all his secrets.
I am cursed to know the true fate of my daughter's soul, which will be forever at the mercy of the ocean and the devil.
Contributed by Gavin A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.