In My Tribe. Merchant joined 10,000 Maniacs at the age of 17 and became the band's driving artistic force. After a pair of successful independent releases, they signed to Elektra in 1985 and briefly became one of the most popular acts in alternative rock, shooting into the Top 40 with 1987's In My Tribe and charting even higher with their follow-up effort, Blind Man's Zoo. Merchant's desire to launch a solo career increased alongside the band's growing reputation, however, and by the time the group sat down to record 1992's Our Time in Eden, she gave her bandmates two years' notice. Following the release of MTV Unplugged in 1994, she publicly announced she was leaving the group's ranks.
OpheliaMerchant made her solo debut with 1995's Tigerlily, a self-produced album that debuted at number 13 and scored a Top Ten single with "Carnival." Two additional singles, "Wonder" and "Jealousy," also cracked the Top 40, prompting Tigerlily to sell over five million copies in the U.S. alone. It was followed in 1998 by Ophelia, another platinum-selling effort that was supported by Merchant's inclusion in the second Lilith Fair tour. Live in Concert, recorded at New York's Neil Simon Theatre, appeared a year later. A prominent social activist, Merchant also drew notice by campaigning in the name of such hot-button issues as animal rights, domestic violence, and homelessness.
MotherlandMerchant launched a folk tour in 2000, with members of progressive folk band the Horse Flies joining her on the road. She then returned to her solo career with Motherland. Two years later, Merchant left Elektra's roster and formed her own independent label, Myth America, in order to issue House Carpenter's Daughter, a collection of traditional and contemporary folk music inspired by the 2000 tour. A long period of silence followed, during which a pair of greatest-hits releases -- the 10,000 Maniacs collection Campfire Songs and Merchant's own Retrospective: 1995-2005 -- kept fans relatively sated. As the decade drew to a close, though, Merchant signed with Nonesuch Records and began making plans for a new album, which eventually arrived in the form of the ambitious, double-disc neo-children's album, 2010's Leave Your Sleep. Merchant returned to straight-ahead pop music with a self-titled album in May 2014.
Ophelia
Natalie Merchant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A novice Carmelite
In sister cells
The cloister bells tolled on her wedding night
Ophelia was the rebel girl
A blue stocking suffragette
Who remedied society between her cigarettes
To a nation overnight
Curvaceous thighs
Vivacious eyes
Love was at first sight
Love was at first sight
Ophelia was a demigoddess in pre war Babylon
So statuesque a silhouette in black satin evening gowns
Ophelia was the mistress
To a Vegas gambling man
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Mafia courtesan
Ophelia was the circus queen
The female cannonball
Projected through five flaming hoops
To wild and shocked applause
To wild and shocked applause
Ophelia was a tempest cyclone
A goddamn hurricane
Your common sense, your best defense
Lay wasted and in vain
For Ophelia'd know your every woe
And every pain you'd ever had
She'd sympathize and dry your eyes
And help you to forget
Help you to forget
And help you to forget
Ophelia's mind went wandering
You'd wonder where she'd gone
Through secret doors down corridors
She wanders them alone
All alone
fade to different spoken languages
The song Ophelia by Natalie Merchant is a tribute to the many different roles and personas that women can embody. Ophelia herself is depicted as a bride of God, a novice Carmelite, and therefore devoted to a life of prayer and contemplation. However, she is also seen as a suffragette, advocating for women's rights during a time when it was not yet socially accepted. This rebel girl is also the sweetheart of a nation, embodying both physical beauty and allure.
Ophelia is also portrayed as a demigoddess in pre-war Babylon, invoking images of ancient mythology and grandeur. She is the mistress of a Vegas gambling man and a mafia courtesan, leading different lives in different worlds. But above all, Ophelia is a powerful force of nature, a tempest cyclone, and a goddamn hurricane. She can sympathize and dry your eyes, help you forget your pains and worries, but also leave you defenseless in the face of her own unpredictable moods and whims.
Throughout the song, Natalie Merchant weaves a narrative of a woman who defies easy categorization, who is both saint and sinner, victim and hero, beauty and monstrosity. Ophelia is a symbol of the many contradictions and complexities of femininity, and the song celebrates her multifaceted nature.
Line by Line Meaning
Ophelia was a bride of God
Ophelia was a devoted nun who had dedicated her life to God.
A novice Carmelite
She was part of the Carmelite order and had just begun her spiritual journey.
In sister cells
She lived in a convent with other nuns in separate cells.
The cloister bells tolled on her wedding night
On the night she took her vows and became a bride of God, the bells of the convent rang out in celebration.
Ophelia was the rebel girl
Ophelia was a strong-willed woman who challenged social norms and stood up for what she believed in.
A blue stocking suffragette
She was an intellectual woman who advocated for women's rights.
Who remedied society between her cigarettes
Despite her rebellious nature, Ophelia also worked to make society better, even while smoking cigarettes.
And Ophelia was the sweetheart
Despite her strong personality and activism, she was also a kind and loving person.
To a nation overnight
Her message of equality and justice resonated with many people across the country.
Curvaceous thighs
Ophelia was physically attractive, with shapely legs.
Vivacious eyes
Her eyes were full of life and energy.
Love was at first sight
When people met Ophelia, they were immediately drawn to her beauty and charm.
Ophelia was a demigoddess in pre war Babylon
Ophelia was considered almost divine in the glamorous and decadent world of pre-war Babylon.
So statuesque a silhouette in black satin evening gowns
She was tall and striking, especially when dressed in elegant evening wear.
Ophelia was the mistress
She was the lover of a wealthy and powerful man.
To a Vegas gambling man
This man was involved in the gambling scene in Las Vegas.
Signora Ophelia Maraschina
Ophelia was known by this name, possibly as an alias or nickname.
Mafia courtesan
She had connections to the mafia and was a high-class prostitute.
Ophelia was the circus queen
In another life, Ophelia was the star performer in a circus act.
The female cannonball
She was known for being shot out of a cannon during her act.
Projected through five flaming hoops
As part of her act, she jumped through five hoops that were on fire.
To wild and shocked applause
The audience was amazed and excited by her daring performance.
Ophelia was a tempest cyclone
Ophelia had a fierce and unpredictable personality, like a powerful storm.
A goddamn hurricane
She was like a destructive hurricane that could not be stopped.
Your common sense, your best defense
Even if you were normally level-headed, Ophelia could make you lose your mind and forget your defenses.
Lay wasted and in vain
You would be helpless and unable to resist her charms.
For Ophelia'd know your every woe
She had a deep understanding of people's problems and troubles.
And every pain you'd ever had
She could empathize with the pain and suffering of others.
She'd sympathize and dry your eyes
Ophelia would comfort and support you when you were feeling down or upset.
And help you to forget
She would help you to move on from your problems and find peace.
Ophelia's mind went wandering
Sometimes Ophelia would drift off into her own thoughts and lose touch with reality.
You'd wonder where she'd gone
Others would be confused and unsure of what was going on with her.
Through secret doors down corridors
In her mind, she would go on journeys through hidden passageways and labyrinthine hallways.
She wanders them alone
These journeys were solitary and introspective, with Ophelia keeping her thoughts to herself.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: NATALIE A MERCHANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind