Their final album, a collection of covers, was released in 2007, after which they disbanded.
Arlington Girl
Shivaree Lyrics
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When she's feeling dry
North train track woman
Got her arms in the sky
And she's moving to Arlington
As soon as she can
She got blood in her eye
Arlington girl
Arlington girl
She says she does
Does all she pleases
Dancing on tomb stones
Black dirt and old bones
Some say that she's hangin'
Just waiting around
For Jesus
She does raindances
And she knows the score
All the back alley banjo boys
Lie down and die on the floor
Sewing stories for Romans
On yellows and blues
Expensive suites and dirty teeth
There sand in her shoes
Arlington girl
Arlington girl
She says she does
Does all she pleases
Now she's dancing on tomb stones
Black dirt and old bones
Some say she's hanging
Just waiting around
For Jesus
Insatiable sins
Sometimes they turn out all right
But only cursed girls have
This blessing of foresight
So to stop herself from going insane
She rinses her soul off
Down in the cold
Blue rain
The lyrics to Shivaree's "Arlington Girl" are evocative of a woman with a wild, restless spirit. The first two lines conjure an image of someone performing a rain dance, a ritual meant to bring rain, but also a symbol of a desire to cleanse oneself. The lyric "north train track woman" adds another layer of complexity to the character, implying a journey to a new destination. The lines "She got blood in her eye / Stones in her sky and she walks like a man" suggest a person who is tough and fearless, who won't back down from her desires and is perhaps an outsider in her community.
The chorus, "Arlington girl / Arlington girl," repeats her destination, like a mantra or a fixed point on her map to an unknown future. The second verse ("She says she does / Does all she pleases...") alludes to the woman dancing on tombstones and around old bones, suggesting a disregard for the past and a lust for life. Some listeners may interpret the reference to "waiting around for Jesus" as a sign of the woman's impending death, but it could also be seen as a comment on her spiritual beliefs.
The third verse of "Arlington Girl" adds further intrigue to the woman's story, implying that she writes stories on "yellows and blues" (perhaps referring to paper or books). The line "Expensive suites and dirty teeth / There sand in her shoes" juxtaposes wealth and privilege with dirt and dust, and hints at a possible restlessness with the trappings of comfort. The chorus repeats twice more at the end of the song, with the final lines "So to stop herself from going insane / She rinses her soul off / Down in the cold / Blue rain" underscoring the woman's feelings of inner turmoil and the need for renewal.
Line by Line Meaning
She does raindances
She performs ritual dances to bring rain when she feels dry.
When she's feeling dry
She performs raindances when she is in need of rain.
North train track woman
She is a woman who lives near the train tracks in the north.
Got her arms in the sky
While performing raindances, she raises her arms up in the sky.
And she's moving to Arlington
She is planning to move to Arlington.
As soon as she can
She wants to move to Arlington as soon as possible.
She got blood in her eye
She has a fierce determination to achieve her goals.
Stones in her sky and she walks like a man
She has a sense of toughness and resilience when facing challenges.
Arlington girl
Referring to the woman who is moving to Arlington.
She says she does
She claims that she does.
Does all she pleases
She does whatever she wants and follows her desires.
Dancing on tomb stones
She dances on gravestones in a cemetery.
Black dirt and old bones
The ground of the cemetery is filled with black dirt and old bones.
Some say that she's hangin'
Some people believe that she is just hanging around aimlessly.
Just waiting around
She is waiting for something or someone.
For Jesus
Some people believe that she is waiting for Jesus to arrive.
And she knows the score
She is aware of what is happening and knowledgeable about her situation.
All the back alley banjo boys
Referring to a group of musicians who play banjos in the back alleys.
Lie down and die on the floor
They are so impressed by her raindancing that they fall to the ground in awe.
Sewing stories for Romans
She creates stories and tales for the wealthy and influential people of the world.
On yellows and blues
She writes on yellow and blue paper.
Expensive suites and dirty teeth
She stays in luxurious hotel suites, but neglects to take care of her dental hygiene.
There sand in her shoes
There is sand, possibly from a beach, inside her shoes or sandals.
Insatiable sins
She is driven by desires that are never completely satisfied.
Sometimes they turn out all right
Sometimes her desires are fulfilled and everything goes well.
But only cursed girls have
It is only girls who seem to be cursed or doomed to suffer.
This blessing of foresight
The ability to see into the future, which may be both a blessing and a curse.
So to stop herself from going insane
She takes measures to prevent herself from losing her mind.
She rinses her soul off
She cleanses herself spiritually.
Down in the cold
She uses cold water to wash away her sins.
Blue rain
The water she uses to cleanse her soul is blue in color.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC, BMG Rights Management
Written by: A. PARSLEY, G. LASTRAPES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind