The Rake's Song
The Decemberists Lyrics
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In the summer of my twenty-first year
And the bells rang for our wedding
Only now do I remember it clear
Alright, alright, alright
No more a rake and no more a bachelor
I was wedded and it whetted my thirst
Only then did I reckon my curse
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
First came Isaiah with his crinkled little fingers
Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn
Ugly Myfanwy died on delivery
Mercifully taking her mother along
Alright, alright, alright
What can one do when one is widower
Shamefully saddled with three little pests
All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life
So my burden I began to divest
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
Charlotte I buried after feeding her foxglove
Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bath
Isaiah fought but was easily bested
Burned his body for incurring my wrath
Alright, alright, alright
And that's how I came your humble narrator
To be living so easy and free
Expect you think that I should be haunted
But it never really bothers me
Alright, alright, alright
Alright, alright, alright
"The Rake's Song" is a dark, storytelling song that chronicles the life of a man who enters a marriage and becomes a father, only to find himself burdened by the responsibilities and obligations of it all. Initially, the marriage brings him happiness, and the sound of the wedding bells rings in his ears. However, as time goes on, he becomes overwhelmed by his new role, particularly as a father, and comes to regard his children as "pests." The singer ultimately murders all of his children (Isaiah, Charlotte, and Dawn) to rid himself of his burden, and with their deaths he becomes a "humble narrator" living "easy and free."
The song is notable for its macabre lyrics and lively, often upbeat musical accompaniment, which creates an eerie juxtaposition. It has been interpreted as a commentary on the oppressive nature of traditional patriarchal roles and expectations, particularly the emphasis on producing and caring for children. Some have also suggested that it could be viewed as a criticism of the institution of marriage itself, and of the societal pressures and expectations that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
I had entered into a marriage
I got married
In the summer of my twenty-first year
When I was 21 years old
And the bells rang for our wedding
Our wedding had a bells ringing
Only now do I remember it clear
I remember it clearly now
No more a rake and no more a bachelor
Not a bachelor anymore
I was wedded and it whetted my thirst
Getting married made me excited and thirsty for more
Until her womb start spilling out babies
When my wife started having babies
Only then did I reckon my curse
Then I realized I was cursed
First came Isaiah with his crinkled little fingers
My first baby was Isaiah
Then came Charlotte and that wretched girl Dawn
After Isaiah came Charlotte and Dawn
Ugly Myfanwy died on delivery
Myfanwy died giving birth
Mercifully taking her mother along
She died along with her mother
What can one do when one is widower
What can a widower do
Shamefully saddled with three little pests
Feeling ashamed of my three children
All that I wanted was the freedom of a new life
All I wanted was to be free and start a new life
So my burden I began to divest
I started getting rid of my burden
Charlotte I buried after feeding her foxglove
I killed Charlotte by feeding her foxglove and buried her
Dawn was easy, she was drowned in the bath
I killed Dawn by drowning her in the bath
Isaiah fought but was easily bested
Isaiah resisted but I easily defeated him
Burned his body for incurring my wrath
I burned his body because he made me angry
And that's how I came your humble narrator
That's how I became your humble narrator
To be living so easy and free
To live an easy and free life
Expect you think that I should be haunted
You probably think I should feel guilty and haunted
But it never really bothers me
But I don't really care or feel guilty
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: COLIN MELOY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Icy Cold Hands
A Decemberists album without murder, suicide or rape is considered a dull affair.
Ryan Williams
Especially revenge. Don't forget revenge.
Caleb Pitts
it's really true
Elwelcs
I went to a concert where Colin reprimanded us for singing along to this song. Probably the most energetic the crowd was all night. Best song ever
joao ribeiro
Then he met a widowed mother who found him so sweet
NagitOwO Komaeda
Best comment
glowworm2
Cute, but the villain from "The Mariner" was a lad of 18 at the time. The rake here was married during his 21st year.
Mr V
Maybe this is what he did between the first part of Mariners revenge in the sec it would make sense for him not to want to stick around on land after killing his children and considering that he will kill his own children I can see him being a crule captan
SteampunkFox
Sad_Old_Wise_One I was just going to type that!
Ashley Noel
@Mr V That's actually a really cool theory...