Jailbird
The Elected Lyrics
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Jailbird, jailbird, in a box alone
See through walls and ? no foot steps to feel you all
My girl jailbird, thinking I'll be ?
Jailbird, jailbird get under the ?
She eats ? nothing left to kill those birds
Jailbird, jailbird it ain't all black and white
Innocent as the day we met ? I'll testify
Left you for the ? matress abuse
My girl's a jailbird, never thought I'd say the word
Jailbird, jailbird it ain't all black and white
She's innocent as the day we met ? I'll testify
They took her and she's not the same
They took my place her ?
And I wouldn't laugh if I can't ? my whereabouts
Oh jailbird, I was a jailbird, never black and white
I'm innocent ? at least I'll testify.
The Elected's song "Jailbird" is a heartbreaking ballad about a woman who has been taken to jail and her loved one is left to deal with the aftermath. The opening lines "My girl jailbird, let you ? be home, Jailbird, jailbird, in a box alone" reveal that the woman is alone in her cell, separated from the world outside. The singer feels helpless, unable to console or be with his lover, as he is not allowed in the jail cell.
The lines "See through walls and ? no footsteps to feel you all, My girl jailbird, thinking I'll be ?" imply that the singer can see through the walls of the cell, yet there are no footsteps to be heard, making him feel even more alone. He tries to comfort himself by thinking that his lover will be okay, but the uncertainty of the situation weighs heavily on his heart. The song takes a dark turn in the second verse as the female protagonist is described as "Broke your body and broke your head, took your best shoes, Left you for the ? mattress abuse". This line suggests that the woman might have been incarcerated for something she did not do, and her time in jail has not been kind to her.
The song's repeated line "Jailbird, jailbird it ain't all black and white, Innocent as the day we met ? I'll testify" highlights the idea that many people in jail are not always guilty and the justice system is not always fair. The final lines of the song "Oh jailbird, I was a jailbird, never black and white, I'm innocent ? at least I'll testify" reveal that the singer has also had a run-in with the law and he too has been judged unfairly. The song tells a poignant story of two individuals caught up in the unforgiving criminal justice system.
Line by Line Meaning
My girl jailbird, let you ? be home
Referring to his girlfriend who is in jail, he wishes she could be home with him.
Jailbird, jailbird, in a box alone
Repeats the word jailbird to emphasize how she is alone and confined in a small space.
See through walls and ? no foot steps to feel you all
Despite there being no physical contact or sound, he has the ability to see and feel her presence through the walls.
My girl jailbird, thinking I'll be ?
He is unsure of what to think or feel about his girlfriend being in jail.
Jailbird, jailbird get under the ?
Repeats the word jailbird again to show how she is constantly under the influence of being in jail.
She eats ? nothing left to kill those birds
She has nothing left to do in jail, and killing birds may have been a way to pass time before.
Jailbird, jailbird it ain't all black and white
Being in jail isn't as simple as being guilty or innocent. There are grey areas.
Innocent as the day we met ? I'll testify
Despite her being in jail, he believes in her innocence and will testify to it.
Broke your body and broke your head, took your best shoes
She may have been physically harmed, and all her possessions were taken away from her.
Left you for the ? matress abuse
Her bed and bedding may have been unclean and uncomfortable.
My girl's a jailbird, never thought I'd say the word
He expresses surprise and discomfort in admitting that his girlfriend is now in jail.
They took her and she's not the same
Her time in jail has changed her and she may not be the same person he once knew.
They took my place her ?
He feels that the system has taken his place next to her and now controls her.
And I wouldn't laugh if I can't ? my whereabouts
He wouldn't joke about her situation if he didn't fear the possibility of being implicated in her crime.
Oh jailbird, I was a jailbird, never black and white
He may have also been in jail at one point, emphasizing how the situation isn't clear cut.
I'm innocent ? at least I'll testify.
He proclaims his innocence and willingness to testify about it if needed.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: BLAKE SENNETT, MORGAN NAGLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind