Just made sense of a lyric I've heard many times before, but never quite understood. "The girl on the half-shell" from Joan Baez's Diamonds and Rust, as in
... you burst on the scene
Already a legend
The unwashed phenomenon
The original vagabond
You strayed into my arms
And there you stayed
Temporarily lost at sea
The Madonna was yours for free
Yes the girl on the half-shell
Would keep you unharmed...
This refers to Venus emerging from the sea, as, say, depicted by Botticelli. Joanie referred to herself as both the Madonna and the girl on the half-shell in those days.
4 comments:
Lovely... I never knew that
Thanks -- that's a line that has always puzzled me.
I've always wondered about this, while trying not to think about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Thankyou for the clarification. Love this song.
I've always thought of "Madonna" as a safe female / mothering him" & the "half-shell" as the "oyster/pearl" helping him into fame (diamond) and recognition.
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