I’m basically with a lot of other people on this one and believe this song is pretty literal. It’s about two young lovers making love in a barn and the main characters daddy (this is obviously taking place in the south, as rooted in a lot of other Mother Mother songs) strongly disapproves of his child making love to someone in a barn, so pops gets a gun to handle the child’s lover. To go a little further I think this family is highly religious, and I think the main character in the story/ singer is most likely female due to...

I’m basically with a lot of other people on this one and believe this song is pretty literal. It’s about two young lovers making love in a barn and the main characters daddy (this is obviously taking place in the south, as rooted in a lot of other Mother Mother songs) strongly disapproves of his child making love to someone in a barn, so pops gets a gun to handle the child’s lover. To go a little further I think this family is highly religious, and I think the main character in the story/ singer is most likely female due to the “ daddy’s precious little angel” trope and the “daddy will do anything to protect his little girl” trope. I don’t think I have to explain further, in a lot of religious southern families the strict, over-projective religious dad will go mountains lengths to project his “pure, innocent, little precious baby girl” from anything, especially those nasty teenage boys. The daughter (main character) grew up in your typical sex restrictive/disgusted home restricting the growing girl from her sexuality. This leads to, as anyone would imagine, the girl having a friend’s with benefits relationship with someone once she turns a teenager. One night (I imagine this song to take place very late, after 12AM, as they don’t want to get caught) she sneaks her lover into a barn near her parents home and you know what happens next. They’re loud enough to wake daddy, he’s not happy.

(I can also heavily see the two lovers in this song being female, as the song also heavily implies this is a lesbian relationship IMO (due to the dads anger being so high that he’s willing to get a gun and shoot his daughter’s lover. And for the reasons I explained above, this could explain why this would be a lesbian relationship) But it also works as a female and male relationship. Either way, the singer/main character in this song is a female to me.

Prince Johnny is a party boy who Anne Clark knew, probably well. She likes him, but eventually knows to keep her distance because she can't help his self destructive nature, and if you have friends like that, you have to be careful because you can get sucked down with them, even if you're intentions were to help the person. Ultimately, he wants to be a real boy, but doesn't know how. he doesn't even know who to pray to. Sad, touching song. (Also, the real boy reference reminds me of that creepy android kid in Spelberg's movie, A.I., yuk) '...

Prince Johnny is a party boy who Anne Clark knew, probably well. She likes him, but eventually knows to keep her distance because she can't help his self destructive nature, and if you have friends like that, you have to be careful because you can get sucked down with them, even if you're intentions were to help the person. Ultimately, he wants to be a real boy, but doesn't know how. he doesn't even know who to pray to. Sad, touching song. (Also, the real boy reference reminds me of that creepy android kid in Spelberg's movie, A.I., yuk) '

A woman lost her husband and so far, has not opened up to this new man who wants to be in her life. She needs help as her farm is failing and has a field that has not been plowed. She has a crippled cow and a leaning fence, but this has a 2nd meaning. The new guy is hanging around like a fox under the kitchen floor. He is like a cat on the prowl. He’s the sprightly chickadee who is hanging around the tree. She is the tree. However, she is still grieving her deceased husband. The stream...

A woman lost her husband and so far, has not opened up to this new man who wants to be in her life. She needs help as her farm is failing and has a field that has not been plowed. She has a crippled cow and a leaning fence, but this has a 2nd meaning. The new guy is hanging around like a fox under the kitchen floor. He is like a cat on the prowl. He’s the sprightly chickadee who is hanging around the tree. She is the tree. However, she is still grieving her deceased husband. The stream cannot contain withering rain- her tears. The kettle sings its tortured song - she is crying. He is explaining she will not need to forget about her husband as the memories will remain. He is explaining that loss is a part of life and nature. The trees leaves turn from green, to gold, and then to brown before feeding the ground and yet they make no sound and it is best to adopt this way of nature. Being sad is normal but her life has not ended yet, so he has gathered his money to buy her a gown and bring her to the county fair to cheer her up.