09. Wi' Nae Wee Bairn Ye'll Me Beget
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee

But ill turn into a nightengale and song will warm my heart
Well ill turn nto a threshing machine and tear that bird apart

Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee

But ill turn into a vampire in case you own a neck
Well ill turn into a silver cross and send me back to heck

Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee

But ill turn into a hydrogen bomb and atomize the air
Well ill turn into a cockroack and youll see if I care

Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee

But ill turn into a super nova and burn up everything
Well ill turn into a black little hole and youll turn into string

Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee

But ill turn into GOD himself and you will come to me
Then I will not believe in you and then where will you be?

Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee





Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee

Overall Meaning

The Magnetic Fields' "Wi' Nae Wee Bairn Ye'll Me Beget" is a playful and whimsical song that explores the idea of a woman's fear of having a child. The title is an old Scottish phrase that translates to "without a little child, you will not beget me", and the lyrics of the song play off of this idea. The song is a conversation between two lovers, one of whom is afraid of the responsibility of having a child, and the other who is trying to reassure her that even if she doesn't have one, he will love and appreciate her just the same.


The lyrics are full of fantastical imagery and metaphors, with the singer imagining herself turning into various things, including a nightingale, a threshing machine, a vampire, a silver cross, a hydrogen bomb, a cockroach, a supernova, and even God himself. Each time she imagines transforming into something different, she is essentially saying that she would rather become anything other than a mother, even if it means obliteration.


At the heart of the song, though, is the idea that the bond between the two lovers is strong enough to withstand any obstacle, including the decision not to have children. The playful nature of the lyrics adds a sense of levity to the song, but there is a deep sense of understanding and respect between the two partners that shines through.


Line by Line Meaning

Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
If we don't have a child, my eyes won't shine and I will regret it. I will die single.


My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee
My only sorrow will be that I couldn't have a child. I will die unmarried.


But ill turn into a nightengale and song will warm my heart
I will turn into a beautiful bird and sing songs to make myself happy.


Well ill turn nto a threshing machine and tear that bird apart
But if you do have a child, I will turn into a machine that destroys things, and I will destroy that bird.


But ill turn into a vampire in case you own a neck
If you are a human and have a neck, I will turn into a vampire.


Well ill turn into a silver cross and send me back to heck
But if you are a vampire, I will turn into a silver cross and defeat you.


But ill turn into a hydrogen bomb and atomize the air
I will turn into a weapon of mass destruction and destroy everything around me.


Well ill turn into a cockroack and youll see if I care
But if you try to kill me, I will turn into a cockroach and show you that I don't care.


But ill turn into a super nova and burn up everything
I will turn into a massive explosion in space and burn up everything around me.


Well ill turn into a black little hole and youll turn into string
But if you try to escape, I'll become a black hole that will suck you in and turn you into a string.


But ill turn into GOD himself and you will come to me
I will turn into a god and you will worship me.


Then I will not believe in you and then where will you be?
But even if you worship me, I won't believe in you. Where will you be then?


Wi' nae wee bairn ye'll me beget Untwinkle, little ee
If we don't have a child, my eyes won't shine and I will regret it. I will die single.


My ainly pang'll be regret. A maiden I will dee
My only sorrow will be that I couldn't have a child. I will die unmarried.




Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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