P… Read Full Bio ↴For group credited work see Pokey LaFarge and the South City Three
Pokey LaFarge is a musician, songwriter, bandleader, entertainer, innovator and preservationist, whose arsenal of talents has placed him at the forefront of American music. Over the last decade, Pokey has won the hearts of music lovers across the globe with his creative mix of early jazz, string ragtime, country blues and western swing. After signing with Jack White’s Third Man Records to release his fifth full-length album (Pokey LaFarge) in 2013, he performed as a musical guest on The Late Show with David Letterman and The Late Late Show on Ireland's RTÉ One network. Pokey's rendition of "Lovesick Blues" with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, featured on an episode of Boardwalk Empire, was selected for inclusion on the series' official soundtrack (Vol. 2). Additionally, Pokey appeared in Disney’s The Lone Ranger (both on screen and on the original score), was featured on A Prairie Home Companion and NPR's World Cafe, and recorded a song for ATO Records' Divided & United: Songs of the Civil War, produced by Randall Poster.
2014 looks to be Pokey’s most momentous year yet; by spring, Pokey will have brought his music to five continents, with international tours in India, Australia and New Zealand. In the past year, Pokey's tour trail (consisting of over 250 shows) included appearances at clubs and festivals across the USA and Canada as well as two extensive tours in Europe. Pokey has played with the likes of Jack White, The Raconteurs, Wanda Jackson, Old Crow Medicine Show, and most recently, Carolina Chocolate Drops. As an opening act on Jack White's Blunderbuss tour, he delighted sold out crowds at Red Rocks Amphitheater and Radio City Music Hall, among other notable venues in North America. Pokey is currently touring with a five-piece backing band, including his original bandmates (Ryan Koenig on harmonica, washboard and snare, Adam Hoskins on guitar and Joey Glynn on upright bass), in addition to Chloe Feoranzo on clarinet and TJ Muller on cornet.
At only 30 years old, Pokey’s career has not slowed in momentum since it began with his first release Marmalade (2007). Shortly followed by Beat, Move and Shake (2008) and Riverboat Soul (2010), Pokey quickly graduated from breakthrough artist to leading musical figure, receiving two consecutive Independent Music Awards for Best Americana Album (Riverboat Soul and Middle of Everywhere).
Pokey’s music transcends the confines of genre, continually challenging the notion that tradition-bearers fail to push musical boundaries. Rather than merely conjuring up half-forgotten imagery of days past, Pokey is a lyrical storyteller, the plot delivered smoothly through his dynamic vocals. Both on stage and off, his effortless wit never fails to charm audiences, giving way to a live music experience that manages to be grandiose and unassuming all at once. Born in the heartland of America and based in St. Louis, Missouri, Pokey’s Midwestern charisma welcomes his audiences with open arms.
Pokey LaFarge is on a mission, encouraging fans worldwide to think differently about what it means to celebrate musical traditions. Simply put, Pokey explains, “It’s not retro music. It’s American music that never died.”
Far Away
Pokey LaFarge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Was there ever one?
They will win you with their eyes,
Then trap you in their thighs
Stay away from love, stay away, boys
Far away, far away, far away
Far away, far away, far away
There's a black cat at my door
And he spoke to me
In a manner low and mean
She ain't here, she ain't here, she ain't here, oh no
Far away, far away, far away
Far away, far away, far away
Mother and my sisters three
Forgive these words I speak
For all them pretty, pretty girls
With their lips and their curls
Have robbed my pride from me, dear mom
Far away, far away, far away
Far away, far away, far away
Where have all the good girls gone?
Was there ever one?
They will win you with their eyes
Then they'll trap you in their thighs
Stay away from love, stay away, boys
Far away, far away, far away
Far away, far away, far away
The song Far Away by Pokey LaFarge is essentially a lament for lost love, a question of where have all the good girls gone and an acknowledgement of how love can be trapping. The lyrics are quite simple yet carry a message layered with different meanings. The first verse begins with a question, "Where have all the good girls gone? Was there ever one?". It is an existential question that everyone has contemplated at least once in their lifetime, wondering whether true love exists, whether there is such a thing as a perfect mate. The following line, "They will win you with their eyes, then trap you in their thighs", is particularly interesting as it highlights the idea of love being a trap or a snare.
The second verse, "As the lights of home draw near, there's a black cat at my door, and he spoke to me in a manner low and mean", brings to attention the idea that the singer is coming home to an empty house, where his lover is absent. The cat at the connotes a sense of danger or ominous threat, perhaps it is a bad omen that signifies the end of the relationship. The chorus repeats the idea of staying away from love, symbolized by the phrase "Far away, far away", as it draws a clear line between love and pain. The last verse, "Mother and my sisters three, forgive these words I speak, for all them pretty, pretty girls with their lips and their curls have robbed my pride from me, dear mom", highlights the sense of despair and betrayal the singer feels towards his lost love.
Line by Line Meaning
Where have all the good girls gone?
I am questioning the absence of virtuous women in my life.
Was there ever one?
I doubt whether such a woman ever existed in the first place.
They will win you with their eyes,
Women often use their looks to captivate men's attention.
Then trap you in their thighs
But once they have your heart, they will ensnare you with their bodies.
Stay away from love, stay away, boys
I advise all young men to steer clear of romantic relationships altogether.
Far away, far away, far away
As far away from love as possible.
As the lights of home draw near
Returning home from a journey, I reflect on my recent experiences.
There's a black cat at my door
A symbol of bad luck or misfortune, this cat serves as a foreboding omen.
And he spoke to me
In my mind, I hear the cat's voice talking to me.
In a manner low and mean
The cat's tone is hostile and malicious.
She ain't here, she ain't here, she ain't here, oh no
The cat confirms that the woman I seek is indeed not present.
Mother and my sisters three
I turn to my family for comfort and support.
Forgive these words I speak
I apologize in advance for my harsh, bitter words.
For all them pretty, pretty girls
I blame women for causing me distress and robbing me of my dignity.
With their lips and their curls
Their sensual beauty makes them all the more dangerous and deceitful.
Have robbed my pride from me, dear mom
These women have taken away my self-respect and left me feeling humiliated.
Contributed by Abigail B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.