Sprout and the Bean
Newsom Joanna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I woke with distaste
And I railed
And I raved
That the difference between
The sprout and the bean
It is a golden ring
And you can ask the counselor;
You can ask the king;
And they'll say the same thing;
And it's a funny thing:
Should we go outside?
Should we go outside?
Should we break some bread?
Are y'interested?
And as I said
I slept as though dead
Dreaming seamless dreams of lead
When you go away
I am big-boned and fey
In the dust of the day
And in the dirt of the day
And the danger! Danger! Drawing near them was a white coat
And the danger! Danger! Drawing near them was a broad boat
And the water! Water! Running clear beneath a white throat
And the hollow chatter of the talking of the tadpoles
Who know th'outside!
Should we go outside?
Should we break some bread?
Are y'interested?
In "Sprout and the Bean," Joanna Newsom describes a sleepy and mournful day filled with confusion and danger. The song starts with the singer waking up feeling discontent and agitated. She is disturbed by the gap between the sprout and the bean, which she describes as a golden ring and twisted string. Despite asking for advice from the counselor and the king, they provide no answer except to agree that it's a curious thing.
Next, the singer contemplates whether or not they should go outside and break some bread. Her sleep is like being dead as she dreams without interruption, and when someone goes away, she is alone and helpless in the day's dust and dirt.
Finally, the song hits a climactic moment when danger draws closer to the singer. A white coat and a broad boat pose immediate threats to her, but the water remains clear beneath a white throat. Meanwhile, talking tadpoles add to the confusion while being privy to knowledge of the outside.
Interestingly, the lyrics are relatively abstract, making it challenging to decipher their meaning. However, the song's imagery conveys a sense of uneasiness and restlessness that the singer feels. It's uncertain whether she finds a resolution or not, leaving listeners to muse on their understanding of the song.
Line by Line Meaning
I slept all day
I slept for the entirety of the day
I woke with distaste
I woke up feeling bad
And I railed
And I complained loudly
And I raved
And I talked wildly
That the difference between
That the distinction
The sprout and the bean
Between a sprout and a bean
It is a golden ring
It is a valuable thing
It is a twisted string
It is a complex thing
And you can ask the counselor;
You can ask the advisor;
You can ask the king;
You can ask the ruler;
And they'll say the same thing;
And they'll give the same answer;
And it's a funny thing:
And it's an interesting thing:
Should we go outside?
Should we leave this place?
Should we break some bread?
Should we share some food?
Are y'interested?
Are you interested?
And as I said
And like I mentioned
I slept as though dead
I slept as soundly as the dead
Dreaming seamless dreams of lead
Having nightmares
When you go away
When you leave
I am big-boned and fey
I feel larger and unconventional
In the dust of the day
In the dirt and debris of the day
And in the dirt of the day
And in the dirt and debris of the day
And the danger! Danger! Drawing near them was a white coat
And danger, danger! A white coat approached them
And the danger! Danger! Drawing near them was a broad boat
And danger, danger! A wide boat approached them
And the water! Water! Running clear beneath a white throat
And the water! Water! Flowing smoothly under a pale neck
And the hollow chatter of the talking of the tadpoles
And the empty talk of the tadpoles
Who know th'outside!
Who are familiar with the outside!
Should we go outside?
Should we leave this place?
Should we break some bread?
Should we share some food?
Are y'interested?
Are you interested?
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Joanna Newsom
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TydiriumPilot
Who is listening in 2024?
@Yuki-moro
Me
@moofyman
Me
@bert-6329
Me also - as well as the live version of Sprout and the Bean...
@daydrmnation
My dad, when i lived with him as a twenty something but didn't quite connect, used to sing along to this when I'd play it... I remember him singing along outside my closed door where he sat in his living room, as a way to try to connect with me. Makes me miss him.
@mmazz414
:'( I'm sure he misses you, too. Music does that to people, especially music like this.
@ScorpionStrike7
daydrmnation Sorry for your loss.
@justindavis4597
daydrmnation thats fucking sad, yet beautiful, but I can relate so much. So much.
@ostapgolovakha9264
feel ya
@erinbrayley2268
This makes me so sad. :(