The Decemberists — Leslie Anne Levine
Album: Castaways and CutoutsAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 136
Length: 4:10
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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My name is Leslie Anne Levine
My mother birthed me down a dry ravine
My mother birthed me far too soon
Born at nine and dead at noon
Fifteen years gone now, I still wander this parapet
And shake my rattled bone
Fifteen years gone now, I still cling to the petticoat
Of the girl who died with me
On the roof above the streets
The only love I've known is a chimney sweep
Lost him lodged inside a flue
Back in 1842
Fifteen years gone now, I still wail from these catacombs
And curse my mother's name
Fifteen years gone now, still a wastrel mésallied
Has brought this fate on me
My name is Leslie Anne Levine
I've got no one left to mourn for me
My body lies inside its grave
In a ditch not far away
Fifteen years gone, I still wander this parapet
And shake my rattled bone
Fifteen years gone now, I still cling to the petticoat
Of the girl who died with me
Who died with me
Who died with me
Who died with me
My mother birthed me down a dry ravine
My mother birthed me far too soon
Born at nine and dead at noon
Fifteen years gone now, I still wander this parapet
And shake my rattled bone
Fifteen years gone now, I still cling to the petticoat
Of the girl who died with me
On the roof above the streets
The only love I've known is a chimney sweep
Lost him lodged inside a flue
Back in 1842
Fifteen years gone now, I still wail from these catacombs
And curse my mother's name
Fifteen years gone now, still a wastrel mésallied
Has brought this fate on me
My name is Leslie Anne Levine
I've got no one left to mourn for me
My body lies inside its grave
In a ditch not far away
Fifteen years gone, I still wander this parapet
And shake my rattled bone
Fifteen years gone now, I still cling to the petticoat
Of the girl who died with me
Who died with me
Who died with me
Who died with me
Comments (30)add comment
Oh god, so totally tired of the Decemberists. Will they go away in January?
depressing song to wake up to
Boooorring
blort182 wrote:
Just kidding. That was fun. Luckily I had my guitar handy to play.
C'mon, grab your six string, it's a fun strummer.
E
C
A2
And the chorus?E
C
A2
Just kidding. That was fun. Luckily I had my guitar handy to play.
Jelani wrote:
Claiming that a song is "whiny" or that the singer is "whining" is the surest sign that the critic making the claim has absolutely nothing interesting to say (probably about anything). But then again, I've come to expect no less from Jelani, this community's second-rate Excelsior, who was in turn a third-rate version Physicsgenius. I guess this makes Jelani a fifth-rate version of...something.
Whiiiiney, whiiiiiiney, whiiiiiiiiine.
Whiney Whine, whine.
Whiney Whine, whine.
Claiming that a song is "whiny" or that the singer is "whining" is the surest sign that the critic making the claim has absolutely nothing interesting to say (probably about anything). But then again, I've come to expect no less from Jelani, this community's second-rate Excelsior, who was in turn a third-rate version Physicsgenius. I guess this makes Jelani a fifth-rate version of...something.
I like this song!
blort182 wrote:
C'mon, grab your six string, it's a fun strummer.
E
C
A2
I'm pounding on the piano in my home office right now.
C'mon, grab your six string, it's a fun strummer.
E
C
A2
Sounds like Oasis trying to be "deep". Or should I say "substantial"?
I don't know why I like his voice so much. It's, uh, distinctive, that's for sure.
c.
A bit dour for my tastes
decemberists always tell a complex story , nice tunes too
I likes it
Whiiiiney, whiiiiiiney, whiiiiiiiiine.
Whiney Whine, whine.
These guys are just so different from anyone else out there. I really enjoy them. 
Not bad...at lest they are singing of something different.
rowdydaisy wrote:
Sad, in the old english folk tradition, but good song.
Read the lyrics. Really creepy.
This guy writes songs with creepy lyrics.
My question is, why does he name them after Jewish girls?
Leslie Anne Levine? Myla Goldberg? (an author)
Usually, I find these guys too twee and clever (although I liked the Rushmore referencing 16 Military Wives vid) - but this song has always lingered in my mind as a wonderful spray of sea-mist and mournful ghosties.
ziggytrix wrote:
i know what mesallied means ;)
https://forums.randi.org/showthread.php?t=39571
accordionista wrote:
Ah, the accordion- God's instrument!
Ah, the accordion- God's instrument!
donpdonp wrote:
i used to like their sound but now i find it horribly annoying. it took all my effort to keep the rating from dropping into the sucko-barfo zone.
2
What he said. Except I've always found the lead singer's voice to be annoying.
i know what mesallied means ;)
i used to like their sound but now i find it horribly annoying. it took all my effort to keep the rating from dropping into the sucko-barfo zone.
2
rowdydaisy wrote:
Sad, in the old english folk tradition, but good song.
Read the lyrics. Really creepy.
Amazing images. Makes you imagine these disquieting scenes.
not-a-fish wrote:
This is the very first Decemberists song I ever heard. It was love at first listen. 
What the Texan said.
This is the very first Decemberists song I ever heard. It was love at first listen.
It grows on you after a few listens - I give it a solid 7.
rowdydaisy wrote:
Sad, in the old english folk tradition, but good song.
That'd explain my disconnect with it, I guess.
A rare '3'.
Sad, in the old english folk tradition, but good song.
Read the lyrics. Really creepy.
One of my favorite by the D's.
Glad to hear it.