It tells the story about a family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant taking a cross-country trip in their VW bus.
No Mans Land
Mychael Danna and DeVotchKa Lyrics
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This land is yours, this land is mine
I see the captain in red and Cairo at his head
This land is yours, this land is mine
The lightning over the park, the waters, brash and dark
We take a swim, we take a swim
I never meant to escape the carpet and the trade
And when I make up my mind, I change it all the time
I take it back, I take it back
The numbers over the dam, Jo Davies and the band
I count them out, I count them out
There was a car in the bay, by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light, in the water that we made
I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out
Inside, I'm counting it out from the floor
The ferry hatches Moline, Panola Beauty Queen
She takes a bow, she takes a bow
In Charles, we climb the hill and Danville window sill
I take it back, I take it back
My sister she counts the bars, the Macon county cars
She takes a bow, she takes a bow
The Mississippi amends, the Carver and the bends
This land is yours, this land is mine
My brother punches my ear, the injured ivory deer
I call my dad, I call my dad
We skip inside of the store, the Mason winter door
This land is yours, this land is mine
There was a car in the bay, by the boat that swept and swayed
Whoever you are in the light, in the water that we made
I'm holding your hand by the shore with our collars pulled up tight
I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out inside
I'm counting it out
This land is not your land, for the right hand
Takes what it can, ransacks with the mad man
For this land is not yours or mine to have
This land was made for the good of itself
The lyrics to Mychael Danna/DeVotchKa's "No Mans Land" are complex and poetic, making it difficult to interpret them with one clear message or theme. However, one possible interpretation is that the song is about the idea of ownership and belonging in different parts of the United States. The repeated mantra "This land is yours, this land is mine" could be seen as a commentary on how we view ourselves as possessors of the land, and how this idea can lead to conflict, violence, and exploitation.
Throughout the song, there are various images and experiences described, including "the captain in red and Cairo at his head," lightning over the park, swimming in dark waters, and counting the numbers over the dam. These could be interpreted as different aspects of American culture and history, as well as personal memories and musings of the singer. The chorus of the song, "I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out inside," seems to suggest a process of reflection and introspection, as the singer tries to make sense of their relationship to the land and how they fit into it.
Towards the end of the song, there is a shift in tone as the lyrics express a more somber and contemplative mood. The line "This land is not your land, for the right hand takes what it can, ransacks with the mad man" could be seen as a critique of how power imbalances and greed have led to injustices and inequalities in American society. The final line, "This land was made for the good of itself," reinforces the idea that the land exists independently of human desires and actions, and that we should treat it with respect and humility.
Line by Line Meaning
Up in the highest of heights, O'Hara blinks and fights
O'Hara struggles and resists at great heights
This land is yours, this land is mine
We all claim ownership of this land
I see the captain in red and Cairo at his head
The leaders of this land are in charge
The lightning over the park, the waters, brash and dark
The lightning and dark waters create an intense atmosphere
We take a swim, we take a swim
We enjoy ourselves in the midst of chaos
I never meant to escape the carpet and the trade
I did not intend to leave my comfortable life
And when I make up my mind, I change it all the time
I am indecisive and fickle
I take it back, I take it back
I retract what I previously said or did
The numbers over the dam, Jo Davies and the band
I count the numbers over the dam and listen to Jo Davies' band
There was a car in the bay, by the boat that swept and swayed
A car was parked near a boat that was rocking in the bay
Whoever you are in the light, in the water that we made
I am not sure who is in the water with me
I'm counting it out, I'm counting it out, I'm working it out
I am trying to figure out what is happening
Inside, I'm counting it out from the floor
I am trying to understand from the ground up
The ferry hatches Moline, Panola Beauty Queen
The ferry arrives in Moline with the Panola Beauty Queen
She takes a bow, she takes a bow
The Panola Beauty Queen makes a show of her arrival
In Charles, we climb the hill and Danville window sill
We ascend a hill and peer through a window in Danville
My sister she counts the bars, the Macon county cars
My sister counts the bars and the cars in Macon county
The Mississippi amends, the Carver and the bends
The Mississippi river changes and curves
My brother punches my ear, the injured ivory deer
My brother hurt my ear and the ivory deer is injured
I call my dad, I call my dad
I contact my father for help
We skip inside of the store, the Mason winter door
We joyfully enter a store through its Mason winter door
There was a car in the bay, by the boat that swept and swayed
A car was parked near a boat that was rocking in the bay
Whoever you are in the light, in the water that we made
I still do not know who is in the water with me
I'm holding your hand by the shore with our collars pulled up tight
We stand close to each other, protecting ourselves from the wind
This land is not your land, for the right hand
We cannot claim ownership of this land by force
Takes what it can, ransacks with the mad man
Taking by force and destroying irrationally is harmful
For this land is not yours or mine to have
This land belongs to itself and must be cared for
This land was made for the good of itself
This land exists for its own sake and we must respect that
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: SUFJAN STEVENS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind