Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “The Crane Wife 1, 2, And 3 – Live” by The Decemberists
The Decemberists’ ‘The Crane Wife 1, 2, And 3 – Live’ is a three-part suite which tells the traditional Japanese folktale of the same name. The story follows a poor man who meets an injured white crane, which he takes in and nurses back to health. The crane turns out to be a beautiful woman who, as a reward for his kindness, agrees to marry him. But with one condition: the man must not watch as she weaves magical cloth each night. The man’s curiosity and greed ultimately leads to his own downfall.
The first part of the song, The Crane Wife 1, recounts the man’s discovery of the crane and his decision to care for her. It is dark and brooding, dramatizing the fateful decision he has made that will ultimately end in tragedy. Filled with yearning, the music describes the man’s longing for the love of the crane, represented by the beautiful melodies and the atmosphere of suspense.
The second part, The Crane Wife 2, picks up as the man makes good on his promise and marries the mysterious crane woman. Now they live happily together in a quiet domestic life. The music builds entirely on the foundations of the first part, transforming from tense to comforting in harmony with the changing atmosphere of the man’s life. This section ends with joyous, dancing rhythms.
Finally, in The Crane Wife 3, the man succumbs to temptation and spies on the crane woman as she weaves the magical fabric. Her vengeance is swift, and the music descends into discordant chaos and grief as the man’s dreams of happiness unravel in front of him. The frenzied last few moments of the song speaks to the man’s desperate attempt to make things right and reconcile his actions, before the crane flies away forever.
Ultimately, The Crane Wife 1, 2, And 3 – Live is a song of caution and regret. It reminds us of the consequences of both our choices and our curiosity and how our own weaknesses can lead to our downfall.