If you are one to indulge in the fine arts, such as literature and poetry, then an inevitability is misunderstanding or entirely not understanding some of the works you come across. Occasionally, this uncertainty can be refreshing, as it alludes to a risk being taken by the artists. On the other hand, it can be quite frustrating, given that you desire to meet the voice on an eye-to-eye level. Don’t worry, you are not alone, because no matter how many times we listen, we cannot make out the meanings of these three country folk songs.
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“Muskrat” by Doc & Merle Watson
One of the biggest traps an interpreter can fall into is over-analyzing a piece of work. Doing so is a wild goose chase, and we just might be doing it on this song by Doc and Merle Watson. “Muskrat” seems to be quite literally a song about a pesky, dirty, and pungent rodent. However, we have to ask ourselves, is it just about that?
It’s hard to say, as the lyrics are confined to the literal narrative about the inconveniences and solutions concerning this varmint problem. That being said, this is seemingly just about a muskrat, nothing more and nothing less. Still, isn’t it possible that something could be between those lines?
“Cosmic Doo Doo” by Blaze Foley
Blaze Foley‘s single, “Cosmic Doo Doo”, reads like an absurd comedy. Thanks to the exaggerated hyperbole, profane language, and dark humor, one can’t help but raise an eyebrow. Well, we’ve been doing just that ever since we first heard it.
The lyrics might be about the separation between city and rural. Or, it could be about the sublime in everyday life. It is hard to truly say. Unless we find some confirmed quote from Blaze, there is little likelihood we will get to the bottom of it.
“Lungs” by Townes Van Zandt
Unlike the other two songs, there is seemingly a very deliberate and poignant meaning under the poetic gymnastics Townes Van Zandt employs in this song. Even though the subtext is trapped in a linguistic vault, this is still a gorgeous song and one of Van Zandt’s best.
Not one line in this song is seemingly literal. Rather, every word, phrase, and complete thought is saturated in metaphor. Fans have speculated that the song is a product of Van Zandt’s depression and insulin shock therapy. However, that still doesn’t answer the question at hand. Then again, some things are better off left unsaid. So, maybe we’ll just leave this one be.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
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