The Infanta Lyrics

Performed by The Decemberists

Here she comes in her palanquin
on the back of an elephant
on a bed made of linen and sequins and silk
all astride on her father's line
with the king and his concubines
and her nurse with her pitchers of liquors and milk
and we'll all come praise the infanta
and we'll all come praise the infanta

Among five score pachyderm
each canopied and passengered
sit the duke and the duchess' luscious young girls
within sight of the baroness
seething spite for this lithe largesse
by her side sits the baron
her barrenness barbs her
and we'll all come praise the infanta
and we'll all come praise the infanta

A phalanx on camelback
thirty ranks on a forward tack
followed close, their shiny bright standards a-waving
while behind in their coach-and-fours
ride the wives of the king of Moors
And the veiled young virgin, the prince's betrothed
and we'll all come praise the infanta
and we'll all come praise the infanta

And as she sits upon her place
her innocence laid on her face
from all atop the parapets blow a multitude of coronets
melodies rhapsodical and fair
and all our hearts afire
the sky ablaze with cannon fire
we all raise our voices to the air
to the air...

And above all this folderol
on a bed made of chaparral
she is laid, a coronal placed on her brow
and the babe, all in slumber dreams
of a place filled with quiet streams
and the lake where her cradle was pulled from the water
and we'll all come praise the infanta
and we'll all come praise the infanta

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Amazing | Reviewer: David | 8/17/10

It's nice to know people are finally giving The Decemberists due credit for being hyperliterate and altogether smarter than most of the music out today. I'll accept that the attention is due in no small part to a television show. But if you like wordy music, the Decemberists is for you.

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Thankyou Google & U Tube | Reviewer: Bob | 9/26/08

First heard the song as backround music on the TV show MadMen, from that point was obsessed by the music, and few words I could understand. My son found it first on Google where it had the lyrics, then on U Tube, I watched the video, and read the words on Google. Amazing song, Can' stop listening to it. Thanks

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Used on episode 6 of Mad Men, Season 2 | Reviewer: Lisafer | 9/1/08

In case anyone is wondering, "The Infanta" is the music over the opening bra-donning sequence. That info is buried deep in the Mad Men website so hopefully googlers will find it more easily this way!

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wow! a vocab lesson! | Reviewer: Laura | 7/18/07

I actually had to look up a ton of words in this song. It's kind of ridiculous. And awesome.

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folderol | Reviewer: Mark | 6/12/07

I'm so happy they used this great word. I've just been talking about it lately with my girlfriend, who had no idea what it was. My mother always used to use it.

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amazing | Reviewer: Steven | 5/9/07

I LOVE this song, i love the driving pulse, and the amazing lyrics. one of my favourites. :)

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Deborah | Reviewer: jackie Brown | 3/14/07

You know how I know Deborah is gay. I smell her gayness

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Converted | Reviewer: Deborah | 9/17/05

"Huh?" This is the average listener's average response to this song. But surrender to its driving rhythm and the lushness of the lyrics will gradually enfold and convert. Really, who can long resist a song that includes "palanquin" "largesse" and "rhapsodical". And we'll all come praise the infanta, indeed.

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The following area is only for review, if you want to submit the lyrics or the corrections of the lyrics, please click the link at the end of The Infanta Lyrics.

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