Major events during his presidency include the Louisiana Purchase (1803) and the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806), as well as escalating tensions with both Britain and France that led to war with Britain in 1812, after he left office.
As a political philosopher, Jefferson was a man of the Enlightenment and knew many intellectual leaders in Britain and France. He idealized the independent yeoman farmer as exemplar of republican virtues, distrusted cities and financiers, and favored states' rights and a strictly limited federal government. Jefferson supported the separation of church and state and was the author of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1779, 1786). He was the eponym of Jeffersonian democracy and the cofounder and leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, which dominated American politics for 25 years. Jefferson served as the wartime Governor of Virginia (1779–1781), first United States Secretary of State (1789–1793), and second Vice President of the United States (1797–1801).
A polymath, Jefferson achieved distinction as, among other things, a horticulturist, political leader, architect, archaeologist, paleontologist, musician, inventor, and founder of the University of Virginia. When President John F. Kennedy welcomed 49 Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962 he said, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent and of human knowledge that has ever been gathered together at the White House – with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone." To date, Jefferson is the only president to serve two full terms in office without vetoing a single bill of Congress. Jefferson has been consistently ranked by scholars as one of the greatest of U.S. presidents.
Mardi Gras
Thomas Jefferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To the girl with the mousy hair
But her mummy is yelling "No"
And her daddy has told her to go
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Now she walks through her sunken dream
To the seat with the clearest view
But the film is a saddening bore
For she's lived it ten times or more
She could spit in the eyes of fools
As they ask her to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
It's on America's tortured brow
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Now the workers have struck for fame
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
See the mice in their million hordes
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
But the film is a saddening bore
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
It's about to be writ again
As I ask you to focus on
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
It's the freakiest show
Take a look at the Lawman
Beating up the wrong guy
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
He's in the best selling show
Is there life on Mars?
The lyrics to Thomas Jefferson's song Mardi Gras depict a sense of disconnect and disillusionment with the world. The opening line, "It's a God-awful small affair" suggests a disdain for the mundanity of life. The girl with the mousy hair is being held back by her parents, a representation of societal constraints. However, she seeks solace in the escapism of the silver screen. The repetition of "saddening bore" and the lyrics "she's lived it ten times or more" suggest a sense of boredom and monotony.
The lines "Is there life on Mars?" serve as a metaphor for the idea of seeking something greater beyond what is known, beyond what is present. This idea is also reflected in the lines "See the mice in their million hordes, from Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads, Rule Britannia is out of bounds, to my mother, my dog, and clowns." This suggests a sense of rebellion against societal expectations and limitations. The song seems to be a commentary on the dissatisfaction with the status quo and the search for something more.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a God-awful small affair
This scenario is insignificant and unworthy of attention
To the girl with the mousy hair
The subject of interest is someone who is unnoticeable and a wallflower
But her mummy is yelling "No"
Her mother is disapproving of something she wants to do
And her daddy has told her to go
Her father is urging her to leave
But her friend is nowhere to be seen
Her friend is nowhere to be found in this situation
Now she walks through her sunken dream
She walks through a depressing and hopeless experience
To the seat with the clearest view
She seeks out the place with the best view, anticipating something exciting
And she's hooked to the silver screen
She's captivated by the cinema
But the film is a saddening bore
The movie is disappointing and depressing
For she's lived it ten times or more
She's seen similar plots and outcomes countless times
She could spit in the eyes of fools
She feels superior to those who express interest in the film's predictable storyline
As they ask her to focus on
Despite her boredom, others ask her to pay attention to the film's storyline
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
She imagines a far more interesting and exciting scenario than the movie she's watching
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
She's impressed and entertained by the wild and primal dancing happening in her imagination
It's the freakiest show
This imaginary scene is unique and entertaining
Take a look at the Lawman
She imagines an authority figure taking notice of the cavemen's strange behavior
Beating up the wrong guy
The Lawman is mistaking someone innocent for someone guilty
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
She wonders if the Lawman will ever realize his mistake
He's in the best selling show
She imagines this exciting scenario could make for a popular entertainment spectacle
Is there life on Mars?
She questions the existence of another world in the face of such wonder and imagination
It's on America's tortured brow
This American cultural phenomenon is under stress and distress
That Mickey Mouse has grown up a cow
Even a cultural icon like Mickey Mouse has degraded and transformed into something unrecognizable and unappealing
Now the workers have struck for fame
The working class desires recognition and power
'Cause Lennon's on sale again
The artist references the commodification of celebrated figures
See the mice in their million hordes
The masses of people are similar to insignificant and easily-led rodents
From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads
People from all over the world are equally susceptible to this cultural phenomenon
Rule Britannia is out of bounds
Even traditional and beloved cultural symbols are unfit for participation in this current state of celebrity worship
To my mother, my dog, and clowns
The artist expresses disdain for the superficiality of this cultural craze and anyone who buys into it
But the film is a saddening bore
The movie's storyline continues to be disappointing
'Cause I wrote it ten times or more
The singer is the creator of the unsatisfying movie
It's about to be writ again
The singer is resigned to writing the same unsatisfying story once more
As I ask you to focus on
Despite their known discontent, the artist asks the audience to pay attention once again
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
The artist again imagines a more exciting and intriguing scenario than the current movie's storyline--one with fighting sailors and dance halls
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
The primal and fascinating from earlier is back, impressing the artist again
It's the freakiest show
This imaginative scene is once more incredibly unique and exciting
Take a look at the Lawman
Again, the artist envisions an authoritative figure watching the cavemen and their dance fighting
Beating up the wrong guy
Once more, the Lawman is mistaking someone innocent for someone guilty
Oh man! Wonder if he'll ever know
Again, the singer wonders if the Lawman will ever realize his mistake
He's in the best selling show
Again, the singer feels this scene could make for a popular spectacle
Is there life on Mars?
Again, the artist questions the mundanity of the current experience in light of such imaginative and wondrous phenomena
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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