Pony
Sara Watkins, (born June 8, 1981) is a fiddler, vocalist, and songwriter, a… Read Full Bio ↴Sara Watkins, (born June 8, 1981) is a fiddler, vocalist, and songwriter, and is one third of the contemporary bluegrass/folk band Nickel Creek. Watkins first gained recognition as a founding member of the Grammy Award–winning, platinum-selling trio Nickel Creek. When not on the road or in the studio, Watkins has guest-starred as fiddler and/or harmony vocalist on albums by Béla Fleck, the Chieftains, Ray LaMontagne, Ben Lee, Dan Wilson, Richard Thompson, and Alex Woodward, among others. Additionally, Watkins and her brother Sean continue an informal residency called the Watkins Family Hour at the L.A. club Largo, which often includes surprise cameos from friends and colleagues; free podcasts from the series are also available.

Pony
Sara Watkins Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've seen it all, boys
I've been all over
Been everywhere in the whole wide world
I rode the high line
With old blind Darby
I danced real slow with Ida Jane

I was full of wonder
When I left Murfreesboro
Now I am full of hollow on Maxwell Street
And I hope my pony
I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

I walked from Natchez
To Hushpakina
I built a fire by the side of the road
I worked for nothin'
In a Belzoni saw mill
I caught a blind out on the B&O

Taluah's friendly
Belzoni ain't so
A forty-four'll get you ninety-nine
And I hope my pony
I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

I run my race
With burned-face Jake
Gave him a Manzanita cross
And I lived on nothing
But dreams and train smoke
Somehow my watch and chain got lost

I wish I was home
In Evelyn's kitchen
With old Gyp curled around my feet
And I hope my pony
I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

Oh I hope my pony




I hope my pony
I hope my pony knows the way back home

Overall Meaning

The song Pony by Sara Watkins is a recount of a wandering journey, taken on horseback, by a lone traveler who has seen and experienced the world. She is a drifter who has been to many places, from Natchez to Hushpakina, from Belzoni saw mills to the B&O railroad, and from high lines to dance parties with Ida Jane. She is someone who has seen both the good and bad sides of life, from the friendly people of Taluah to the dangerous ones of Belzoni. She is also someone who has lost things and lost herself along the way, but she still hopes her pony knows the way back home.


The repetition of the line "I hope my pony knows the way back home" suggests the traveler's longing for home and the uncertainty of returning after such a long journey. The traveler may feel lost and empty now, but she hopes her trusty companion can lead her back to where she started, to familiar and comforting surroundings. The song portrays a sense of wanderlust, of wanting to explore and see the world, but also the bittersweet feeling of longing for the place they call home.


In summary, the lyrics of the song Pony by Sara Watkins tell the story of a traveler who has been everywhere and seen everything, but still longs for home. In a way, it is a story of chasing adventures, learning from experiences, but ultimately realizing that there is no place like home.


Line by Line Meaning

I've seen it all, boys
I have experienced everything this world has to offer


I've been all over
I have traveled extensively


Been everywhere in the whole wide world
I have visited every corner of the world


I rode the high line
I traveled on the highest railroad track


With old blind Darby
I had a companion named Darby who was blind


I danced real slow with Ida Jane
I shared a slow dance with a woman named Ida Jane


I was full of wonder
I was very curious and hopeful


When I left Murfreesboro
When I departed from Murfreesboro


Now I am full of hollow on Maxwell Street
I am now empty and lost


And I hope my pony
I desire for my horse to


I hope my pony
I wish for my horse to


I hope my pony knows the way back home
I hope my horse can find its way back to my home


I walked from Natchez
I traveled by foot from Natchez


To Hushpakina
To a mysterious location called Hushpakina


I built a fire by the side of the road
I made a fire next to the road


I worked for nothin'
I worked for nothing


In a Belzoni saw mill
At a sawmill in Belzoni


I caught a blind out on the B&O
I caught a railway train run by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company


Taluah's friendly
A place called Taluah is friendly


Belzoni ain't so
Belzoni is not friendly


A forty-four'll get you ninety-nine
Gunshots are frequent in the area


And I hope my pony
I wish for my horse to


I hope my pony
I desire for my horse to


I hope my pony knows the way back home
I hope my horse can find its way back to my home


I run my race
I live my life


With burned-face Jake
With a man named Jake who has a scarred face


Gave him a Manzanita cross
I presented him with a religious symbol made from a Manzanita tree


And I lived on nothing
I survived on very little


But dreams and train smoke
My only companions were my dreams and the smoke from passing trains


Somehow my watch and chain got lost
I lost my watch and chain somewhere along the way


I wish I was home
I desire to be home


In Evelyn's kitchen
In a kitchen belonging to someone named Evelyn


With old Gyp curled around my feet
With an old dog named Gyp sleeping at my feet


And I hope my pony
I desire for my horse to


I hope my pony
I wish for my horse to


I hope my pony knows the way back home
I hope my horse can find its way back to my home


Oh I hope my pony
Oh, how I desire for my horse to


I hope my pony
I wish for my horse to


I hope my pony knows the way back home
I hope my horse can find its way back to my home




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: THOMAS ALAN WAITS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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