Have One On Me
By: Joanna Newsom
From the courtyard, I floated in
and watched it go down.
Heard the cup drop;
thought, "Well,
that's why they keep them around."
The blackguard sat hard, down,
with no head on him now,
and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud.
By the time you read this,
I will be so far away.
Daddy longlegs, how in the world
am I to be expected to stay?
In the night--
in the night, you may hear me call
Pa, stay your hand
and steel your resolve.
Stay where you are,
so long and tall.
Here's Lola--ta da!--to do
her famous Spider Dance for you!
Lighten up your pockets!
Shake her skirts and scatter, there,
a shrieking, six-legged millionaire
with a blight in his sockets.
Miss Montez,
the Countess of Lansfeld,
appealed to the King of Bavaria,
saying, "Pretty papa,
if you are my friend--
mister daddy longlegs, they are at it again!--
Can I see you?"
Poor Lola! A tarantula's mounting
Countess Lansfeld's
handsome brassiere,
while they all cheer.
And the old king fell from grace,
while Lola fled,
To save face and her career
You caught a fly, floating by,
Wait for him to drown in the dust;
drown in the dust of other flies,
whereby the machine is run,
and the deed is done.
Heaven has no word
for the way you and your friends
have treated poor Louis.
May god save your poor soul, Lola.
(But there is nothing I adore,
apart from that whore's black heart.)
Well, doesn't that just beat all!
Miss Gilbert,
called to Castlemaine
by the silver dollar and the gold glitter!
Well, I've seen lots,
but never, in a million years,
would think to see you, here.
Though the long road
begins and ends with you,
I cannot seem to make amends
with you, Louis.
When we go out,
they're bound to see you with me.
At night, I walk in the park,
with a whip,
between the lines
of the whispering Jesuits,
who are poisoning you against me.
There's a big black spider
hanging over my door.
Can't go anywhere, anymore.
Tell me, are you with me?
I called to you, several times,
while the change took place
and then arrived, all night,
and I died.
But all these songs,
when you and I are long gone,
will carry on.
Mud in your eye.
You asked my hand,
hired a band.
"In your heart is all that you need;
ask and you will receive," it is said.
I threw my bouquet,
and I knocked 'em dead.
Bottle of white, bottle of red.
Helpless as a child,
when you held me in your arms,
and I knew that no other
could ever love me as you loved.
But help me! I'm leaving!
I remember everything,
down to the sound of you shaving--
the scrape of your razor,
the dully-abrading black hair
that remained
when you clutched at me,
that night I came upstairs, half-dead,
and, in your kindness,
you put me straightaway
in the cupboard,
with a bottle of champagne,
and then, later, on a train.
It was dark out, I was half-dead.
I saw a star fall into the sky,
like a chunk of thrown coal,
as if god himself spat
like a cornered rat.
I really want you to do this for me,
will you have one on me?
It was dark; I was drunk and half-dead,
and we slept, knocking heads,
sitting up in the star-smoking air,
knocking heads like buoys.
Don't you worry for me!
Have one on me!
Meanwhile, I will raise my own glass
to how you made me fast
and expendable,
and I will drink to your excellent health,
and your cruelty.
Will you have one on me?
--helpless as a child,
when you held me in your arms,
and I knew that no other
could ever love me--
From the courtyard, I floated in
and watched it go down.
Heard the cup drop;
thought, "Well, that's why
they keep them around."
The blackguard sat hard, down,
with no head on him now,
and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud.
Well daddy longlegs, are you?
Daddy longlegs, are you?
Daddy longlegs, are you proud?
and watched it go down.
Heard the cup drop;
thought, "Well,
that's why they keep them around."
The blackguard sat hard, down,
with no head on him now,
and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud.
By the time you read this,
I will be so far away.
Daddy longlegs, how in the world
am I to be expected to stay?
In the night--
in the night, you may hear me call
Pa, stay your hand
and steel your resolve.
Stay where you are,
so long and tall.
Here's Lola--ta da!--to do
her famous Spider Dance for you!
Lighten up your pockets!
Shake her skirts and scatter, there,
a shrieking, six-legged millionaire
with a blight in his sockets.
Miss Montez,
the Countess of Lansfeld,
appealed to the King of Bavaria,
saying, "Pretty papa,
if you are my friend--
mister daddy longlegs, they are at it again!--
Can I see you?"
Poor Lola! A tarantula's mounting
Countess Lansfeld's
handsome brassiere,
while they all cheer.
And the old king fell from grace,
while Lola fled,
To save face and her career
You caught a fly, floating by,
Wait for him to drown in the dust;
drown in the dust of other flies,
whereby the machine is run,
and the deed is done.
Heaven has no word
for the way you and your friends
have treated poor Louis.
May god save your poor soul, Lola.
(But there is nothing I adore,
apart from that whore's black heart.)
Well, doesn't that just beat all!
Miss Gilbert,
called to Castlemaine
by the silver dollar and the gold glitter!
Well, I've seen lots,
but never, in a million years,
would think to see you, here.
Though the long road
begins and ends with you,
I cannot seem to make amends
with you, Louis.
When we go out,
they're bound to see you with me.
At night, I walk in the park,
with a whip,
between the lines
of the whispering Jesuits,
who are poisoning you against me.
There's a big black spider
hanging over my door.
Can't go anywhere, anymore.
Tell me, are you with me?
I called to you, several times,
while the change took place
and then arrived, all night,
and I died.
But all these songs,
when you and I are long gone,
will carry on.
Mud in your eye.
You asked my hand,
hired a band.
"In your heart is all that you need;
ask and you will receive," it is said.
I threw my bouquet,
and I knocked 'em dead.
Bottle of white, bottle of red.
Helpless as a child,
when you held me in your arms,
and I knew that no other
could ever love me as you loved.
But help me! I'm leaving!
I remember everything,
down to the sound of you shaving--
the scrape of your razor,
the dully-abrading black hair
that remained
when you clutched at me,
that night I came upstairs, half-dead,
and, in your kindness,
you put me straightaway
in the cupboard,
with a bottle of champagne,
and then, later, on a train.
It was dark out, I was half-dead.
I saw a star fall into the sky,
like a chunk of thrown coal,
as if god himself spat
like a cornered rat.
I really want you to do this for me,
will you have one on me?
It was dark; I was drunk and half-dead,
and we slept, knocking heads,
sitting up in the star-smoking air,
knocking heads like buoys.
Don't you worry for me!
Have one on me!
Meanwhile, I will raise my own glass
to how you made me fast
and expendable,
and I will drink to your excellent health,
and your cruelty.
Will you have one on me?
--helpless as a child,
when you held me in your arms,
and I knew that no other
could ever love me--
From the courtyard, I floated in
and watched it go down.
Heard the cup drop;
thought, "Well, that's why
they keep them around."
The blackguard sat hard, down,
with no head on him now,
and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud.
Well daddy longlegs, are you?
Daddy longlegs, are you?
Daddy longlegs, are you proud?
Ahh, it's so lovely to see others who are as interested in Joanna's songs as me, though I can't always interpret the lyrics correctly. I believe it has been mentioned several times in the comments that it's difficult to understand how Joanna sees Lola Montez; as a confused woman without a proper father-figure desperate affection and love, or a selfish sinister whore. From listening to the song and reading the lyrics several times, I just get the feeling of a confused child, and as we know children can be cruel. Also, a lot of the lines describe how Lola has this feeling of wonder, as children do because they have just recently been introduced to the world. The fallowing lines particularly stood out:
"thought, Well,
that's why they keep them around."
"and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud"
"Poor Lola!"
"Heaven has no word
for the way you and your friends
have treated poor Louis."
"Helpless as a child,
when you held me in your arms,"
"Daddy longlegs, are you proud?"
Some lines remind me of the way children act when they seek attention and someone to look up to. I don't know much about Miss Montez's upbringing, but it seems as if she never received proper guidance when she was younger, and therefore acts explosive, and behaves in the way she does. Not having a father-figure leaves her confused about which feelings are of passion and sex and which are those who make her look up to people. There is also the constant mention of "Pa", "Daddy", and "Pretty papa," which could be sexual, as already motioned, but could also imply that she is vulnerable as a child. It is as if she is lost in herself and mazed. And then there is of course the way Joanna sings the song, which makes her sound like a child (not in a bad way), but I guess that’s the case of most her songs. I apologize if my theory seems silly, but I hope it contributes to the discussion!
"thought, Well,
that's why they keep them around."
"and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud"
"Poor Lola!"
"Heaven has no word
for the way you and your friends
have treated poor Louis."
"Helpless as a child,
when you held me in your arms,"
"Daddy longlegs, are you proud?"
Some lines remind me of the way children act when they seek attention and someone to look up to. I don't know much about Miss Montez's upbringing, but it seems as if she never received proper guidance when she was younger, and therefore acts explosive, and behaves in the way she does. Not having a father-figure leaves her confused about which feelings are of passion and sex and which are those who make her look up to people. There is also the constant mention of "Pa", "Daddy", and "Pretty papa," which could be sexual, as already motioned, but could also imply that she is vulnerable as a child. It is as if she is lost in herself and mazed. And then there is of course the way Joanna sings the song, which makes her sound like a child (not in a bad way), but I guess that’s the case of most her songs. I apologize if my theory seems silly, but I hope it contributes to the discussion!
Justineeh
Hmmmmm love the comments here. I feel like most of Joanna's songs are large metaphors to describe the climate of various relationships, particularly on this album. She used this story to reflect the dynamics of a relationship and all of its complexities. So beautiful. Lola is self serving (or believes she is), obsessed and angry (resentful)... The beginning is like the back story... how they came together, what happened, who she is... who others think she is. Some of it seems like inner dialogue lola would have against herself. Louis is an egotistical, high status person who is caught up in appearances. They're helplessly in love, but it's killing both of them. There are all kinds of upsets and confusion... their relationship is taboo, sometimes it seems like they have poor timing, and they married for love but at some point one or the other them succumbed to their addictions and darker sides and lola was ultimately disposed of. This is the story of her bitterness, but also how much she truly and deeply felt for this person, in spite of herself. it was ultimately an abusive relationship, probably for both parties, but irresistible. The lyrics to me read like fragmented memories and scenes, from the relationship... things that were maybe said between the two/around town, impressions of events, so on.
Since the whole album seems to be about the many emotions in the life of a single relationship from the height of adoration to the death knells, it makes sense that this epic story of obsession, struggle, misunderstanding and destruction would be its title track.
Since the whole album seems to be about the many emotions in the life of a single relationship from the height of adoration to the death knells, it makes sense that this epic story of obsession, struggle, misunderstanding and destruction would be its title track.
toona03
Meudwen, thanks for those thoughts! Really interesting.
Have One On Me sits at 5th position out of 10 on http://caffeinesounds.blogspot.com/2010/12/5-joanna-newsom-have-one-on-me.html's year-end list. Check it out, eh:)
Have One On Me sits at 5th position out of 10 on http://caffeinesounds.blogspot.com/2010/12/5-joanna-newsom-have-one-on-me.html's year-end list. Check it out, eh:)
caffeinesounds
sounds to me like a relationship problem with ones parents
shinnyuu
Scattered thoughts:
So, there's a mountain called Mount Lola, not far from Nevada City, named after Lola Montez, who lived in California for a while. [thanks Wikipedia]
My guess: hence Joanna's interest in Lola. Because of the mountain, she found out a bit about Lola, and thought her an interesting character, likely to have a rich and complex emotional life, which got her imagination going.
Tarantula 'mounting' Lola's brassiere - pun on Mount Lola??
In fact, 'mount Lola' kind of sounds like an activity... one that quite a lot of different men did over the years, it seems. Maybe my mind's in the gutter, but I hear a sexual meaning to the phrase 'have one on me' too - i.e. as a secondary meaning.
[which then makes it a curious choice for an album title - though my impression from listening to the album is certainly of a long series of good loves gone bad ("I loved them all, one by one" sounds not so different from Lola), and of sometimes feeling like some kind of harlot, being passed from man to man, though really it's just that she's insatiably generous and takes pleasure in giving herself ("have one on me"). An extended lament by someone who is made of love but can't find where to put it. Whether or not this is Joanna's actual experience I have no idea; it's just the prevailing mood I feel in these songs.]
To me, the song doesn't have a particular 'message', and it doesn't matter who's good and who's bad in the story (seems like everyone's a little of both - or maybe a lot of both); it's simply a mindscape, of someone who lived a passionate whirlwind of a life, and hurt just like everyone else.
I *love* the line "but there is nothing I adore apart from that whore's black heart". Gives me shivers.
So, there's a mountain called Mount Lola, not far from Nevada City, named after Lola Montez, who lived in California for a while. [thanks Wikipedia]
My guess: hence Joanna's interest in Lola. Because of the mountain, she found out a bit about Lola, and thought her an interesting character, likely to have a rich and complex emotional life, which got her imagination going.
Tarantula 'mounting' Lola's brassiere - pun on Mount Lola??
In fact, 'mount Lola' kind of sounds like an activity... one that quite a lot of different men did over the years, it seems. Maybe my mind's in the gutter, but I hear a sexual meaning to the phrase 'have one on me' too - i.e. as a secondary meaning.
[which then makes it a curious choice for an album title - though my impression from listening to the album is certainly of a long series of good loves gone bad ("I loved them all, one by one" sounds not so different from Lola), and of sometimes feeling like some kind of harlot, being passed from man to man, though really it's just that she's insatiably generous and takes pleasure in giving herself ("have one on me"). An extended lament by someone who is made of love but can't find where to put it. Whether or not this is Joanna's actual experience I have no idea; it's just the prevailing mood I feel in these songs.]
To me, the song doesn't have a particular 'message', and it doesn't matter who's good and who's bad in the story (seems like everyone's a little of both - or maybe a lot of both); it's simply a mindscape, of someone who lived a passionate whirlwind of a life, and hurt just like everyone else.
I *love* the line "but there is nothing I adore apart from that whore's black heart". Gives me shivers.
meudwen
To me, in some bits, the narrator is connecting lola montez's life to her own. e.g
'When we go out,
they're bound to see you with me.'- Possibly talking about the narrator's relationship with andy Samberg or bill Callaghan?
'There's a big black spider
hanging over my door.
Can't go anywhere, anymore. '- the spider over the door could mean that the narrator feels restricted to see her lover because of people constantly watching them?
This song has so many interesting elements to analyse; both musically and lyrically.
'When we go out,
they're bound to see you with me.'- Possibly talking about the narrator's relationship with andy Samberg or bill Callaghan?
'There's a big black spider
hanging over my door.
Can't go anywhere, anymore. '- the spider over the door could mean that the narrator feels restricted to see her lover because of people constantly watching them?
This song has so many interesting elements to analyse; both musically and lyrically.
cornishrex
in my track-by-track interpretation, this song is pretty hard to be thorough or accurate. obviously it's about lola montes, i think all of you have made that connection. however, as the album is a pretty solid narrative, i believe it is also closely related to the story.
perhaps the narrator retells montes' tale, or perhaps she is simply hearing it herself and relating to it: it is sort of confused here, because obviously many parts of the story are told in the first person (by lola herself): "at night i walk in the park with a whip between the lines of the whispering jesuits," etc, while many are told in third person.
however, later in the song, the parts about feeling at once helpless and loved in a lover's arms tie in with "no provenance," as janeaparis has stated already.
i think that everyone's commentary about the meaning of this song are spot-on. i just wanted to add my input on the significance of it as relates to the rest of the album, which i believe stands as one story. if this were only a song about lola, it wouldn't fit. i think that our narrator is simply relating parts of lola's story to her own-- she probably feels that she can relate to lola's famous stubbornness and perhaps other parts of her character (like an appreciation for the "finer things in life"?), and is imagining how certain things would have felt to her.
joanna's incredible. that is all.
perhaps the narrator retells montes' tale, or perhaps she is simply hearing it herself and relating to it: it is sort of confused here, because obviously many parts of the story are told in the first person (by lola herself): "at night i walk in the park with a whip between the lines of the whispering jesuits," etc, while many are told in third person.
however, later in the song, the parts about feeling at once helpless and loved in a lover's arms tie in with "no provenance," as janeaparis has stated already.
i think that everyone's commentary about the meaning of this song are spot-on. i just wanted to add my input on the significance of it as relates to the rest of the album, which i believe stands as one story. if this were only a song about lola, it wouldn't fit. i think that our narrator is simply relating parts of lola's story to her own-- she probably feels that she can relate to lola's famous stubbornness and perhaps other parts of her character (like an appreciation for the "finer things in life"?), and is imagining how certain things would have felt to her.
joanna's incredible. that is all.
ericaruth
i'm enjoying this discussion. to agree with the main points, i think it especially makes sense with the cup dropping and the loss of a head that an assassination attempt on the king was attempted, the perpetrator was beheaded, and she fled fearing getting caught in the revolution.
i agree that lola is the spider metaphorically throughout the entire song. so then the following verse is a reflection of her preying on rich man after rich man (flies) for their money. the machine refers to just the normal system by which a common spider catches flies in its web, and also the lola's gypsy lifestyle of selling herself. the character of lola sees some habitual behavior she is doing as morally reprehensible, yet she indifferently continues killing flies.
"You caught a fly, floating by, Wait for him to drown in the dust;
drown in the dust of other flies, whereby the machine is run,
and the deed is done. Heaven has no word for the way you and your friends
have treated poor Louis. May god save your poor soul, Lola.
(But there is nothing I adore, apart from that whore's black heart.)"
the last part of the song before the final bookend interests me - it seems to me very frantic and stream-of-consciousness, which indicates some sort of climactic emotional scene or series of fever-induced memories. wikipedia says lola had a temper and stubbornness that were fierce. the negative verbiage "cornered rat," "god spat," "half-dead" seems to put lola in the frame of mind of intense self-loathing or some kind of extreme emotional outburst throughout this sequence. she is racing through these memories so fast it's difficult to dissect.
when she says, "have on on me," i agree that she may be repeatedly pushing poisoned wine upon her lover, louis/ludwig, since perhaps their relationship has grown over the course of the song into a toxic, bitter one. it could be a toxic relationship with a man, or flashbacks to a series of men she has in some way, more or less, preyed upon, pushed poison upon. it could also be her talking to herself- pushing poison on herself for all of these regretful traumatic memories haunting her in this "hallucinatory narration," since there are hints of self-loathing or disdain for a certain aspect of her famed lifestyle.
i agree that lola is the spider metaphorically throughout the entire song. so then the following verse is a reflection of her preying on rich man after rich man (flies) for their money. the machine refers to just the normal system by which a common spider catches flies in its web, and also the lola's gypsy lifestyle of selling herself. the character of lola sees some habitual behavior she is doing as morally reprehensible, yet she indifferently continues killing flies.
"You caught a fly, floating by, Wait for him to drown in the dust;
drown in the dust of other flies, whereby the machine is run,
and the deed is done. Heaven has no word for the way you and your friends
have treated poor Louis. May god save your poor soul, Lola.
(But there is nothing I adore, apart from that whore's black heart.)"
the last part of the song before the final bookend interests me - it seems to me very frantic and stream-of-consciousness, which indicates some sort of climactic emotional scene or series of fever-induced memories. wikipedia says lola had a temper and stubbornness that were fierce. the negative verbiage "cornered rat," "god spat," "half-dead" seems to put lola in the frame of mind of intense self-loathing or some kind of extreme emotional outburst throughout this sequence. she is racing through these memories so fast it's difficult to dissect.
when she says, "have on on me," i agree that she may be repeatedly pushing poisoned wine upon her lover, louis/ludwig, since perhaps their relationship has grown over the course of the song into a toxic, bitter one. it could be a toxic relationship with a man, or flashbacks to a series of men she has in some way, more or less, preyed upon, pushed poison upon. it could also be her talking to herself- pushing poison on herself for all of these regretful traumatic memories haunting her in this "hallucinatory narration," since there are hints of self-loathing or disdain for a certain aspect of her famed lifestyle.
janeaparis1
When Joanna Newsom plays the harp, her hands look like a spider weaving a web. She also enjoys performing spider dances in front of her audience.
smu999
"The general form for that song is supposed to be located at one moment in time inside the mind of that particular narrator, which is alternating between kind of a fever and a breaking of the fever. So someone who's kind of ill and sort of narrating in that way. So alternating between lucidity and then a more kind of scattered hallucinatory narration."
twostupiddogs
Okay, I'm really intrigued by the comments here, but one feeling I really get from this song, despite it being totally historically untrue, is that the king poisons Lola with a drink. To me, that makes the whole song make more sense, and solidifies why Joanna Newsom would choose "Have One on Me" as a title of the album and song. There are lots of themes of disappointment and lost love in this album, almost betrayal, and nothing exemplifies that more than (seemingly kindly) offering a drink to somebody, that is actually poisoned. It also does wonders with the toast, in my opinion. She also says "I died" explicitly at one point. Of course there's a strong possibility that I am utterly wrong. Just saying.
Mr. Fahrenheit
the first verse refers to a coup on the king.
From the courtyard, I floated in
and watched it go down.
Heard the cup drop;
thought, "Well,
that's why they keep them around."
(What they keep around is a food taster. Someone tried to poision the king)
The blackguard sat hard, down,
with no head on him now,
(The king's guard gets his head cut off)
and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud.
(She feels bad for not feeling bad about the coup and ensuing revolution)
From the courtyard, I floated in
and watched it go down.
Heard the cup drop;
thought, "Well,
that's why they keep them around."
(What they keep around is a food taster. Someone tried to poision the king)
The blackguard sat hard, down,
with no head on him now,
(The king's guard gets his head cut off)
and I felt so bad,
cause I didn't know how
to feel bad enough
to make him proud.
(She feels bad for not feeling bad about the coup and ensuing revolution)
lostatlimbo
At night, I walk in the park,
with a whip,
between the lines
of the whispering Jesuits,
who are poisoning you against me.
"after reading a bad review in The Ballarat Times, she attacked the editor, Henry Seekamp with a whip."
(from wikipedia)
great verse (amazing song)
with a whip,
between the lines
of the whispering Jesuits,
who are poisoning you against me.
"after reading a bad review in The Ballarat Times, she attacked the editor, Henry Seekamp with a whip."
(from wikipedia)
great verse (amazing song)
lostatlimbo
The bookends of the song, the hypnotic harp verses at the beginning and end, seem like they are supposed to mirror Lola Montez's youth and death. According to Wikipedia, Montez contracted pneumonia after going out of a walk on a cold Winter day. The opening verse sounds like Lola walking into a courtyard on a walk, encountering a spider and being mesmerized by what she sees. Based on this memory from her youth, she creates her famous spider dance, and it unfolds into her life story. When the last verse enters and we go back to Joanna playing that hypnotic melody with her harp from the beginning of the song, Lola goes on her last walk and recollects this childhood memory and asks, to no one in particular, if that spider, the choice of a "daddy" long legs spider is significant, is proud of her- her dance and her life.
Yeah, it sounds stupid, but just being a listener, this came to mind very randomly. The bookend verses just seem so dreamy and hypnotic, almost otherworldly. Like someone who is ill or dying recalling his or her life and memories. So beautiful.
Yeah, it sounds stupid, but just being a listener, this came to mind very randomly. The bookend verses just seem so dreamy and hypnotic, almost otherworldly. Like someone who is ill or dying recalling his or her life and memories. So beautiful.
Tiger_milk
Wow, I had no idea this was at all based on a real person. I'm reading up on her now, thanks
Mr. Fahrenheit
While it's fairly obvious that the majority of this song is about Lola Montez's affair with King Ludwig I of Bavaria, not all of it can be traced back to concrete history, and I suspect some of it is fictionalized by Joanna Newsom, or maybe even personal details inserted in among the story.
I've gone through and attempted to connect lyrics back to history. I haven't done a ton of research, just read most of a book about Lola Montez and then various snippets about her, so no doubt I'm missing details, but I've attempted a reading of sorts.
Joanna Newsom stated in an interview that the lyrics of "Have One On Me" are meant to be in the voice or thoughts of someone in a feverish sort of state (I cannot remember the exact quote; I'm sure I'm twisting it). I take this to believe the song takes place in Lola Montez's hazy mind as she recounts her life, mainly dealing with Ludwig (or Louis here). Considering the abundant reference to alcohol later, maybe the song is a sort of drunken sprawl from Lola, or perhaps a dream, or something else. It does jump around a lot, so I hope to tie it together in a way by combing through it.
The opening scene is quite confusing for me. I've gone through many considerations while trying to decide what is actually happening. There is a scene from a book about Lola I'd like to recount, because I think it might be related. After Lola has been in Bavaria a long time, some of the citizens are getting fed up with her and storm to her house to attempt to chase her out. They actually do this several different nights, eventually succeeding. On most occasions, Lola appears indifferent and cocky to their attacks, even though she probably would have been overtaken had she not had guards and troops to protect her. The riots do turn violent, Ludwig refers to his people as "blackguards" at one point, and people are hurt, though no one specifically. The first time people came after her, rioting on her lawn, it is reported that she stepped out on her balcony and toasted to their good health with a glass of champagne, then throwing bon bons out among the crowd. This is the scene I think of when considering the first stanza, but it doesn't seem to fit entirely. The idea of Lola "float[ing] out" to watch the commotion fits. I've thought that the cup dropping is her champagne cup being dropped over the balcony with the bon bons. The "them" that are kept around could possibly be guards and/or troops sent to protect her. The "blackguard" could be a rioting Bavarian who is hurt in the scuffle. Lola doesn't feel so terrible about his death, but realizes that Louis will, in fact, probably feel guilty and aches for him and him only. Even if this is not accurate, it brings up a point I am curious about: Is Lola a villain? Throughout the song there are varying portrayals from Lola being cruel to Lola truly loving Louis. I can't figure out exactly what the consensus is, but this brings it up right away. If "him" is Louis, then Lola clearly yearns for his approval, but this doesn't seem to be a theme that runs throughout the entire thing (a result of the jumpiness of the narrative? Perhaps the difference between how Lola really feels (love) and how others assumes she feels (just using the king)?)
I'm also entirely doubtful that "Heard the cup drop: thought, "Well, that's why they keep them around," refers to what I suggested. I can't come up with a suggestion that makes sense, however. The way this sentence is phrased leads me to believe that Lola is suggesting that cups are kept around to drop after seeing one perform its duty. That's nonsensical, so I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at or what is missing. Also, the death of the "blackguard" leaves me questioning as well. My explanation doesn't strike me as fully satisfactory.
However, the next stanza is pretty easy. It's in the form of a letter Lola has written to Louis after she has successfully left Bavaria. The issue of the name "daddy longlegs" brings up a few things for me. First, I am unsure of whether it's referring to a spider, or a crane fly (apparently called "daddy longlegs" in the UK). The spider makes sense considering the song is full of spider imagery, but considering a crane fly could be a meal for a spider, I believe that theory makes it so Louis is the victim he is portrayed as throughout the song, also fitting other lyrics. The second thing is why Lola is so insistent on referring to Louis as "daddy","pa" and "pretty papa." I know it's not particularly strange to refer to someone as "daddy" in a romantic or sexual way, but the overabundance made me question if there was more to it. Now the king was obviously older than Lola, which may be a part of it, but I wondered, given later lyrics, if some of the lyrics were intended for father figures in Lola's life. Lola's father died young and her mother remarried. Her stepfather, though she was said to get along with him, sent her away to live elsewhere. Perhaps this is looking too far into it, but it's interesting nonetheless. This stanza also takes on the notion of Lola being rather loving towards the king. She left only because she had to and clearly still yearns for him, yet urges him to stay there and be calm to retain his power.
We then jump to when Lola seems to have first met the king. She's introduced as a dancer, especially desiring money. I'm thinking the "shrieking six-legged millionaire" is the king (six-legs makes me think of the crane fly reference). The fact that his riches are pointed out seems that that is something Lola was after -- a gold-digger! She goes after him, flirting, asking to see him. There's a little big of language here identifying Lola as a sort of victim. When she says, "they are at it again" I think of her somehow being abused, and then shortly after, she's "poor Lola." However, I don't believe Lola was really treated poorly while she danced, after all doing it all of her own accord, so perhaps those small victimizations Lola urged in order for the king to feel badly for her, or perhaps that is simply how the king did view it. The story jumps to the end, where Lola leaves Bavaria after the king has lost much of his honor. Again, here, Lola is somewhat the bad girl -- she left him to save herself. But it seems in reality she kept returning and the king was the one that took a stand and denounced her power in order to please his country.
The "fly" is probably the king, while of course, Lola is a spider. I'm not at all sure of what "whereby the machine is run," means, or what exactly the "deed" is other than Lola and her affair. I'm thinking it was the people of Bavaria who have a voice during these accusations, leaving Louis as poor and abused. Adding on, at the end, is probably Louis, referring sadly to Lola as a whore. It seems everyone assumes her to be a woman just after money and power, which perhaps she was, but it seems sad to me that even Louis, who loved her, acknowledged her "black heart."
Castlemaine appears to be a place in Australia that had a gold rush event and opened up a theater where Lola was the first to perform. Lola also went to California before this (hanging around Nevada City) and so is no stranger to chasing gold. This jumps quite a bit, and I believe she had married another at this point, long having left the kings affair.
I'm not entirely sure who is seeing who after, "Well, I've seen lots." I'm thinking perhaps, given the idea of stumbling ramblings or someone not in their right mind, it's possible this is meant to communicate Lola hallucinating about seeing Louis. The next part confuses me a bit too. "Though the long road begins and ends with you," seems to communicate long lasting love to me, which so far, Lola hasn't really been accused of. She's been seen of cruel and seeking out money, but this line seems to mean she sees her life as circling around him. I can't tell if at this point this song has jumped back to the past, or if she's remembering and longing for him.
"At night," though, does take us back to Bavaria. Lola was known for carrying around a whip and also known for not getting along with the Jesuits which explains this stanza. The immediately following line about the big black spider could possibly jump back to the present, to a sort of insanity Lola feels so much that she can't even leave her house, and wonders if Louis still with her. Or it could be referring to the days when she was being attacked by Bavarians and was probably hidden away to protect her.
From here on out, I'm wholly unsure of what the italics mean. Earlier, it seemed to be in the voice of the king, but I do not believe that is entirely true for the rest of the song. As a result, I'm not sure if the next stanza is Lola still, or possibly the king? I'm also not entirely sure of where to go with the meaning of the lyrics either. At first I thought it was referring to Lola's transfer out of Bavaria ("the change") where the "death" is an emotional or metaphorical one. But I suppose it could also refer to the king's feelings when he decided to renounce Lola's power and ordered to have her arrested if found. "These songs" could be the poetry Louis spent his life writing. If this is referring to the night the two left each other, it's obvious whoever this stanza is in the voice of didn't quite want it to happen.
"Mud in your eye" leads us into the "Will you have one on me?" part, obviously referring to drinking. The rest of the song, I believe, is fictionalized, considering Lola and the king never got married (perhaps she wanted to?) and I'm unsure of why another man she married would be relevant here.
A wedding is taking place, but instead of it being a happy event, it appears to be a violent and drunken mess. Throwing the bouquet, normally a fun and happy ceremony, becomes a violent rowdy sort of act and then everything gets confusing and there are a ton of references to alcohol. The little love ditty I thought might be from the words of the king, but the "I'm leaving!" part leads me to believe it's Lola, pleading, that the king keep her in Bavaria or ask her to stay.
Then we just get muddied memories. Repeatedly someone is "half-dead" and "drunk." She is hidden in a cupboard, given champagne, and then hoarded on a train. This could be seen as referring to the night Lola left Bavaria again, but later lines lead me to the believe she was on the train with the person she loved, which doesn't fit. The memories of the stubble and missed hairs scraping against her while she is put away is such wonderful imagery and starts to build a picture of something meant to be beautiful, but absolutely not. Instead of a gorgeous falling star, it looks like coal, and god has become a rat (cornered, like Lola may have felt). There is a constant urging to drink, have one on Lola perhaps, or Lola remembering someone telling her to have one on him. The "knocking heads" lines brings me back to the train, sitting up, but asleep, as it chugs along.
The "meanwhile" line is a line sympathetic towards Lola, which most of the song isn't. It recalls the scene where she drinks to the rioters health, but this time, I believe she's drinking to the kings, sarcastically, and talking about how he got rid of her and how it hurt. This is what makes me think back to her step-father, who certainly made her expendable, but that doesn't seem to mean much throughout the rest of the song. I believe this stanza shows just how broken she feels after being thrown from Bavaria, even though most of the song has shown Lola as the cruel one.
It's pretty amazing when the music halts and the love songs come back on. I believe the broken and confused Lola goes back to a memory when she was in Bavaria and had power and the king's love ... but really it just goes back to the beginning of the end, where because of her, someone dies, and she knows the king won't like it. So she croons, wondering if she made it okay, if she felt bad enough, if she did right by him.
I find myself ultimately confused about the message of the song. I think it's really Lola mourning the loss of a man she truly did love, but nobody believed she did, and was viewed as violent, crude and cruel (she did carry a whip around...). Now in her fog, she can't stop thinking about it, how she was a dancer on the stage, but a child in his arms. And how she trusted him and his bad poetry, but eventually he got rid of her, because she was making him look bad and made bad things happen.
I'm not sure if that's whats actually happening here and I long to learn more. It's such a fun song though. I took it to be far more lighthearted at first than I now believe it is. Also, Joanna Newsom uses some of the best instruments in her music and this is a wonderful showcase of it.
I've gone through and attempted to connect lyrics back to history. I haven't done a ton of research, just read most of a book about Lola Montez and then various snippets about her, so no doubt I'm missing details, but I've attempted a reading of sorts.
Joanna Newsom stated in an interview that the lyrics of "Have One On Me" are meant to be in the voice or thoughts of someone in a feverish sort of state (I cannot remember the exact quote; I'm sure I'm twisting it). I take this to believe the song takes place in Lola Montez's hazy mind as she recounts her life, mainly dealing with Ludwig (or Louis here). Considering the abundant reference to alcohol later, maybe the song is a sort of drunken sprawl from Lola, or perhaps a dream, or something else. It does jump around a lot, so I hope to tie it together in a way by combing through it.
The opening scene is quite confusing for me. I've gone through many considerations while trying to decide what is actually happening. There is a scene from a book about Lola I'd like to recount, because I think it might be related. After Lola has been in Bavaria a long time, some of the citizens are getting fed up with her and storm to her house to attempt to chase her out. They actually do this several different nights, eventually succeeding. On most occasions, Lola appears indifferent and cocky to their attacks, even though she probably would have been overtaken had she not had guards and troops to protect her. The riots do turn violent, Ludwig refers to his people as "blackguards" at one point, and people are hurt, though no one specifically. The first time people came after her, rioting on her lawn, it is reported that she stepped out on her balcony and toasted to their good health with a glass of champagne, then throwing bon bons out among the crowd. This is the scene I think of when considering the first stanza, but it doesn't seem to fit entirely. The idea of Lola "float[ing] out" to watch the commotion fits. I've thought that the cup dropping is her champagne cup being dropped over the balcony with the bon bons. The "them" that are kept around could possibly be guards and/or troops sent to protect her. The "blackguard" could be a rioting Bavarian who is hurt in the scuffle. Lola doesn't feel so terrible about his death, but realizes that Louis will, in fact, probably feel guilty and aches for him and him only. Even if this is not accurate, it brings up a point I am curious about: Is Lola a villain? Throughout the song there are varying portrayals from Lola being cruel to Lola truly loving Louis. I can't figure out exactly what the consensus is, but this brings it up right away. If "him" is Louis, then Lola clearly yearns for his approval, but this doesn't seem to be a theme that runs throughout the entire thing (a result of the jumpiness of the narrative? Perhaps the difference between how Lola really feels (love) and how others assumes she feels (just using the king)?)
I'm also entirely doubtful that "Heard the cup drop: thought, "Well, that's why they keep them around," refers to what I suggested. I can't come up with a suggestion that makes sense, however. The way this sentence is phrased leads me to believe that Lola is suggesting that cups are kept around to drop after seeing one perform its duty. That's nonsensical, so I'm not entirely sure what I'm looking at or what is missing. Also, the death of the "blackguard" leaves me questioning as well. My explanation doesn't strike me as fully satisfactory.
However, the next stanza is pretty easy. It's in the form of a letter Lola has written to Louis after she has successfully left Bavaria. The issue of the name "daddy longlegs" brings up a few things for me. First, I am unsure of whether it's referring to a spider, or a crane fly (apparently called "daddy longlegs" in the UK). The spider makes sense considering the song is full of spider imagery, but considering a crane fly could be a meal for a spider, I believe that theory makes it so Louis is the victim he is portrayed as throughout the song, also fitting other lyrics. The second thing is why Lola is so insistent on referring to Louis as "daddy","pa" and "pretty papa." I know it's not particularly strange to refer to someone as "daddy" in a romantic or sexual way, but the overabundance made me question if there was more to it. Now the king was obviously older than Lola, which may be a part of it, but I wondered, given later lyrics, if some of the lyrics were intended for father figures in Lola's life. Lola's father died young and her mother remarried. Her stepfather, though she was said to get along with him, sent her away to live elsewhere. Perhaps this is looking too far into it, but it's interesting nonetheless. This stanza also takes on the notion of Lola being rather loving towards the king. She left only because she had to and clearly still yearns for him, yet urges him to stay there and be calm to retain his power.
We then jump to when Lola seems to have first met the king. She's introduced as a dancer, especially desiring money. I'm thinking the "shrieking six-legged millionaire" is the king (six-legs makes me think of the crane fly reference). The fact that his riches are pointed out seems that that is something Lola was after -- a gold-digger! She goes after him, flirting, asking to see him. There's a little big of language here identifying Lola as a sort of victim. When she says, "they are at it again" I think of her somehow being abused, and then shortly after, she's "poor Lola." However, I don't believe Lola was really treated poorly while she danced, after all doing it all of her own accord, so perhaps those small victimizations Lola urged in order for the king to feel badly for her, or perhaps that is simply how the king did view it. The story jumps to the end, where Lola leaves Bavaria after the king has lost much of his honor. Again, here, Lola is somewhat the bad girl -- she left him to save herself. But it seems in reality she kept returning and the king was the one that took a stand and denounced her power in order to please his country.
The "fly" is probably the king, while of course, Lola is a spider. I'm not at all sure of what "whereby the machine is run," means, or what exactly the "deed" is other than Lola and her affair. I'm thinking it was the people of Bavaria who have a voice during these accusations, leaving Louis as poor and abused. Adding on, at the end, is probably Louis, referring sadly to Lola as a whore. It seems everyone assumes her to be a woman just after money and power, which perhaps she was, but it seems sad to me that even Louis, who loved her, acknowledged her "black heart."
Castlemaine appears to be a place in Australia that had a gold rush event and opened up a theater where Lola was the first to perform. Lola also went to California before this (hanging around Nevada City) and so is no stranger to chasing gold. This jumps quite a bit, and I believe she had married another at this point, long having left the kings affair.
I'm not entirely sure who is seeing who after, "Well, I've seen lots." I'm thinking perhaps, given the idea of stumbling ramblings or someone not in their right mind, it's possible this is meant to communicate Lola hallucinating about seeing Louis. The next part confuses me a bit too. "Though the long road begins and ends with you," seems to communicate long lasting love to me, which so far, Lola hasn't really been accused of. She's been seen of cruel and seeking out money, but this line seems to mean she sees her life as circling around him. I can't tell if at this point this song has jumped back to the past, or if she's remembering and longing for him.
"At night," though, does take us back to Bavaria. Lola was known for carrying around a whip and also known for not getting along with the Jesuits which explains this stanza. The immediately following line about the big black spider could possibly jump back to the present, to a sort of insanity Lola feels so much that she can't even leave her house, and wonders if Louis still with her. Or it could be referring to the days when she was being attacked by Bavarians and was probably hidden away to protect her.
From here on out, I'm wholly unsure of what the italics mean. Earlier, it seemed to be in the voice of the king, but I do not believe that is entirely true for the rest of the song. As a result, I'm not sure if the next stanza is Lola still, or possibly the king? I'm also not entirely sure of where to go with the meaning of the lyrics either. At first I thought it was referring to Lola's transfer out of Bavaria ("the change") where the "death" is an emotional or metaphorical one. But I suppose it could also refer to the king's feelings when he decided to renounce Lola's power and ordered to have her arrested if found. "These songs" could be the poetry Louis spent his life writing. If this is referring to the night the two left each other, it's obvious whoever this stanza is in the voice of didn't quite want it to happen.
"Mud in your eye" leads us into the "Will you have one on me?" part, obviously referring to drinking. The rest of the song, I believe, is fictionalized, considering Lola and the king never got married (perhaps she wanted to?) and I'm unsure of why another man she married would be relevant here.
A wedding is taking place, but instead of it being a happy event, it appears to be a violent and drunken mess. Throwing the bouquet, normally a fun and happy ceremony, becomes a violent rowdy sort of act and then everything gets confusing and there are a ton of references to alcohol. The little love ditty I thought might be from the words of the king, but the "I'm leaving!" part leads me to believe it's Lola, pleading, that the king keep her in Bavaria or ask her to stay.
Then we just get muddied memories. Repeatedly someone is "half-dead" and "drunk." She is hidden in a cupboard, given champagne, and then hoarded on a train. This could be seen as referring to the night Lola left Bavaria again, but later lines lead me to the believe she was on the train with the person she loved, which doesn't fit. The memories of the stubble and missed hairs scraping against her while she is put away is such wonderful imagery and starts to build a picture of something meant to be beautiful, but absolutely not. Instead of a gorgeous falling star, it looks like coal, and god has become a rat (cornered, like Lola may have felt). There is a constant urging to drink, have one on Lola perhaps, or Lola remembering someone telling her to have one on him. The "knocking heads" lines brings me back to the train, sitting up, but asleep, as it chugs along.
The "meanwhile" line is a line sympathetic towards Lola, which most of the song isn't. It recalls the scene where she drinks to the rioters health, but this time, I believe she's drinking to the kings, sarcastically, and talking about how he got rid of her and how it hurt. This is what makes me think back to her step-father, who certainly made her expendable, but that doesn't seem to mean much throughout the rest of the song. I believe this stanza shows just how broken she feels after being thrown from Bavaria, even though most of the song has shown Lola as the cruel one.
It's pretty amazing when the music halts and the love songs come back on. I believe the broken and confused Lola goes back to a memory when she was in Bavaria and had power and the king's love ... but really it just goes back to the beginning of the end, where because of her, someone dies, and she knows the king won't like it. So she croons, wondering if she made it okay, if she felt bad enough, if she did right by him.
I find myself ultimately confused about the message of the song. I think it's really Lola mourning the loss of a man she truly did love, but nobody believed she did, and was viewed as violent, crude and cruel (she did carry a whip around...). Now in her fog, she can't stop thinking about it, how she was a dancer on the stage, but a child in his arms. And how she trusted him and his bad poetry, but eventually he got rid of her, because she was making him look bad and made bad things happen.
I'm not sure if that's whats actually happening here and I long to learn more. It's such a fun song though. I took it to be far more lighthearted at first than I now believe it is. Also, Joanna Newsom uses some of the best instruments in her music and this is a wonderful showcase of it.
littlelifegiver
Alcoholism destroying a marriage/family.
Anaheim99
The spider reference is from Montez's famous Spider Dance. She's known as Lola the spider dancer.
http://history-is-made-at-night.blogspot.com/2009/05/lola-montez-and-spider-dance.html
http://history-is-made-at-night.blogspot.com/2009/05/lola-montez-and-spider-dance.html
kbphonosemantics
why is miss montez a spider?
Brushingworth
The storied life of Lola Montez, whatever Lola wants Lola gets.
twocent
