Oldham has recorded under many names other than his own, including Palace, Palace Brothers, Palace Music, Palace Songs, and Bonnie 'Prince' Billy. He often plays and records with other musicians, including David Pajo and his brothers Ned and Paul Oldham, but is generally the chief creator of the music. He has also been involved in musical projects and bands such as Box of Chocolates, Amalgamated Sons of Rest, The Anomoanon, The Boxhead Ensemble, Superwolf (with Matt Sweeney), Continental OP (with David Pajo), Current 93 (with David Tibet), and The Silver Jews (with David Berman).
Oldham has said that the Bonnie 'Prince' Billy moniker has many references. These include Bonnie Prince Charlie, an 18th century Jacobite; Billy the Kid, the 19th century American outlaw also known as William Bonney; and the American singer Nat King Cole.
Open Your Heart
Will Oldham Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let this snake in
Don't fall apart
Before he tries
It's not that hard
To do it again
Open your heart
I know I lied
But I never said
That I wouldn't try
To mess with your head
I never wanted to be
So far away
I only wish you
Could hear me when I say
Open your heart
Let this snake in
Don't fall apart
Before he tries
It's not that hard
To do it again
Open your heart
Just this last time
If you didn't know
Another was there
Maybe you'd grow
To learn not to care
But as it is
There's just no hiding
It's not worth having
Who can't be abiding
Of things that I need
And things that I value
And others unknowing
Of what we go through
The lyrics of Will Oldham's song Open Your Heart are powerful and haunting, with a sad and poignant message that speaks to the difficulty of love and relationships. The opening line, "Open your heart, let this snake in", immediately sets a tone of vulnerability and danger, suggesting that opening oneself up to love can be perilous. The following lines, "Don't fall apart before he tries, it's not that hard to do it again, just this last time" suggest a desperate plea from someone who has been hurt before, but who still hopes that love is possible.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more confessional, with the singer admitting that they have lied and tried to mess with the other person's head. The line, "I never wanted to be so far away, I only wish you could hear me when I say" suggests a longing for connection that is unfulfilled, despite the singer's efforts. The chorus repeats the plea to "open your heart", juxtaposed against the image of a snake, which suggests danger and mistrust.
The final lines of the song suggest that there is pain and hardship in the relationship, but also a sense of resilience and hope. The singer acknowledges that some things are worth fighting for, even if they are difficult and painful. Overall, Open Your Heart is a beautiful and heartfelt expression of the complexities of love and relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Open your heart
Allow yourself to be vulnerable and let someone in
Let this snake in
Allow me to show you my true nature despite the possibility of hurting you
Don't fall apart
Don't let your emotions consume you before I've had a chance to explain myself
Before he tries
Before I give up and walk away
It's not that hard
It doesn't have to be difficult to try and make a connection with me
To do it again
To give me one more chance
Just this last time
I promise this time will be different
I know I lied
I acknowledge that I have been dishonest with you
But I never said
I never explicitly promised to be truthful
That I wouldn't try
I am willing to work towards building a relationship of honesty
To mess with your head
I had ulterior motives but I didn't intend to hurt you
I never wanted to be
I didn't intend to cause hurt and distance between us
So far away
I wish I could be closer to you but I understand you need space
I only wish you
I hope you will listen to what I have to say and forgive me
Could hear me when I say
I hope you can understand my perspective
If you didn't know
Perhaps if you didn't know what I had done, things would be different
Another was there
If you weren't aware of other people in my life, things would be simpler
Maybe you'd grow
Perhaps if you chose to continue getting to know me, it would be beneficial
To learn not to care
To understand that not everything has to be perfect and to learn to accept my flaws
But as it is
As things stand, it might be difficult for us to move forward
There's just no hiding
We can't pretend that there isn't damage to be addressed
It's not worth having
It's not worth staying in a relationship where there isn't trust
Who can't be abiding
Who can't forgive and move past mistakes
Of things that I need
I hope you can understand my needs too
And things that I value
I value honesty and openness in any relationship
And others unknowing
Others who don't understand our situation
Of what we go through
Of the hurt and pain that we both experience
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOEY TEMPEST
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind