He began experimenting with sound and four-track recording at the age of 11, eventually building an arsenal of instruments that included junk-shop organs and a home-built theremin. At the age of 14 he joined the pop-art collective Minty, a venture that caught the eyes and ears of Fat Cat Records, which went on to supply the youth with a computer and mixing tools for aid in his newfound audio experimentation. He left home at the age of 16 and formed Maison Crimineaux with his friend Fanny, which eventually found its way to France where the noisy duo played a show attended by electronic maestro Kristian Robinson (aka Capitol K), who went on to release Wolf's lauded 2003 debut. With Lycanthropy reaching number 39 in the NME's top LPs of the year, as well as receiving critical acclaim throughout Europe and America, Wolf decided to study composition at the Trinity College Music Conservatoire.
The results of that endeavor can be heard on his 2005 release Wind in the Wires, a dark collection of moody British folk and chamber pop with a chilly laptop sheen.
Wolf released his third album, and the first on a major label, The Magic Position, in February 2007. A concept album on the theme of love, the majority of it was written after the end of a long term intimate relationship. It featured collaborations with Marianne Faithfull and Edward Larrikin of Larrikin Love.
His fourth album, The Bachelor, was originally supposed to be part of a double album called Battle (the other disc was to be called The Conqueror). It was released on 1 June 2009. Guest musicians included Atari Teenage Riot's Alec Empire, actress Tilda Swinton, folk musician Eliza Carthy and avant-garde electronic pioneer Matthew Herbert.
Wolf's fifth album, Lupercalia, was released on 20 June 2011 by Hideout, a subsidiary of Mercury Records. Songfacts explains that the album title refers to the fertility and love festival which the ancient Romans celebrated between February 13-15 (the predecessor to Valentine's Day).
His latest release is a double album entitled Sundark and Riverlight, celebrating Wolf's 10 years as a recording artist. The album features acoustic re-recordings of songs from throughout his career, as well as previously unheard tracks.
Kriegspiel
Patrick Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't fence me in
Let me ride through the wide-open country that I love
Don't fence me in
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever, but I ask you please
Don't fence me in
Just turn me loose
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the western skies
On my cayuse
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
Gaze at the moon until I loose my senses
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above
Don't fence me in
Let me ride through the wide-open country that I love
Don't fence me in
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever, but I ask you please
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Just turn me loose
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the western skies
On my cayuse
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
Gaze at the moon until I loose my senses
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
Don't fence me in
The lyrics of "Don't Fence Me In" by Cole Porter express a desire for freedom and the avoidance of limitations. The singer longs to be unrestrained, specifically to wander into the open countryside under a starry sky. The repetition of the phrase "Don't fence me in" suggests that the singer is determined to be free, and the use of repetition also reinforces the idea of being confined being something that is feared. The reference to the cottonwood trees emphasizes the singer's desire for peace and tranquility, and the phrase "send me off forever" suggests that the singer is willing to leave behind all the trappings of civilization in order to find freedom.
The second verse repeats the same desires and expands on them. The singer wants to ride a horse in the open country and see the mountains rise. The imagery evokes a sense of adventure and exploration, and the desire to "gaze at the moon" suggests a desire to experience the sublime. The last line, "Don't fence me in," is repeated several times to underscore the singer's yearning for freedom and to emphasize the mood of the song.
Overall, "Don't Fence Me In" is a song that brings forth elements of one's desire for freedom and the avoidance of limitations often felt when confined within societal and personal barriers. It highlights the importance of being able to break free and experience nature in an unencumbered way.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above
The singer desires a vast expanse of open land under the vast expanse of the starry night sky
Don't fence me in
The singer wants complete freedom to explore and wander
Let me ride through the wide-open country that I love
The singer wants to traverse across the enormous uncharted territories of his beloved country
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
The artist wants to enjoy the serene evening breeze and spend time in solitary contemplation
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
The artist wants to hear the gentle rustling of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever, but I ask you please
The singer would rather be dead than confined to a small space
Just turn me loose
The singer demands complete independence and is willing to suffer the consequences of their actions
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the western skies
The artist imagines himself riding underneath a vast expanse of sky
On my cayuse
The artist wants to ride on his beloved horse across the western skies
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise
The artist wants to wander aimlessly till he sees the mountains rise in the distance
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
The singer has an insatiable wanderlust and wants to travel till he reaches the remotest part of the west
Gaze at the moon until I loose my senses
The artist wants to stare at the moon till his mind is numb and he forgets everything else
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
The singer despises restraints of any kind and wants to be free from all forms of captivity
Give me land, lots of land, under starry skies above
The singer wants an enormous parcel of open land beneath the shimmering night sky
Don't fence me in
The singer wants complete independence and freedom to travel
Let me ride through the wide-open country that I love
The artist wants to ride across the pastoral land he loves so dearly
Don't fence me in
The artist wants complete freedom to travel and roam
Let me be by myself in the evening breeze
The singer wants some time alone in the evening breeze
Listen to the murmur of the cottonwood trees
The singer wants to hear the gentle rustling sound of the cottonwood trees
Send me off forever, but I ask you please
The artist is willing to die rather than be confined to a small space
Don't fence me in
The artist wants to be free and not caged in by structures or rules
Just turn me loose
The artist wants to be independent and free to make decisions regarding when and where they travel
Let me straddle my old saddle underneath the western skies
The singer wants to ride on his horse and explore the western skies
On my cayuse
The artist wants to go for an aimless ride on his beloved horse across the vast and enchanting western skies
Let me wander over yonder till I see the mountains rise
The singer wants to be free to journey till he reaches the mountains on the horizon
I want to ride to the ridge where the west commences
The singer wants to go on a long journey until he reaches the remotest edges of the western territories
Gaze at the moon until I loose my senses
The singer wants to stare at the moon till he is completely lost in his thoughts
I can't look at hobbles and I can't stand fences
The artist dislikes anything that restricts his independence, such as hobbles and fences
Don't fence me in
The artist wants to be free to explore and wander the vast expanses of the country
Don't fence me in
The singer wants to be free, independent and not caged in by structures or rules
Don't fence me in
The singer does not want to be confined by anything or anyone, but would rather be free to travel and explore the land
Don't fence me in
The artist desires absolute freedom and wants no restrictions whatsoever in his journey of exploration
Don't fence me in
The artist reiterates his desire for ultimate freedom and refusal to be bound or coerced by anything or anyone
Don't fence me in
The artist concludes his demand for absolute freedom and implies he would rather die than be confined
Contributed by Lucy Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.