☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics tell the story of a poor boy whose mother is desperate because she can't help him.
- The mother takes the boy on her lap and sings him a song to calm him down and give him comfort.
- Despite the harsh winter conditions, the mother weaves clothing for her son to keep him warm and give him a better life.
- The song lyrics show the unconditional love of a mother and her struggle to help her son, even if she has nothing.
- It's a song about the power of love and overcoming obstacles in life.
Interpretation
"Ballad of the Harp Weaver" is a song lyric by
Johnny Cash that tells the story of a boy who is poor and has no clothes. His mother is desperate because she cannot help him. They only have a little rye straw and a harp with the head of a woman that nobody wants. The mother cries and feels guilty for not being able to help her son.
In the autumn, things get worse because the boy has nothing to wear and cannot go to school. His mother takes him on her lap and sings him a song to calm him down. Although he is already a big boy, he enjoys these moments of security with his mother.
The winter becomes even harder. They have no firewood and little food. They burn the chairs and sit on the floor. The only thing they have left is a chair that they cannot break, and the harp with the head of a woman that nobody wants. They have no help and the cold makes the boy sick.
On the night before Christmas, the boy cries from the cold and falls asleep. When he wakes up, he sees his mother playing the harp and weaving wonderful things. She weaves clothes for him, a jacket, a cloak, boots, and a hat. She weaves all night while singing. The next morning, his mother sits with the harp, looking young and with a smile on her lips. But her hands are frozen.
In the end, there are all the clothes that his mother has woven for him. They are the clothes of a prince, exactly his size. The song lyric tells the story of a mother's unconditional love and dedication to help her son, even when she herself has nothing. It is a song about the power of love and the struggle against the adversities of life."