Go and Ask Her

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of someone who has been deeply wronged, left with "a mine full of nothing" after others exploited her. The narrator observes this, acknowledging the harsh realities she's faced, like men who "climbed your mountain to steal their view." Yet, despite this history, the core of the song centers on a persistent, almost naive hope, encapsulated by the repeated refrain: "You're innocent when you dream." The central tension lies between the harshness of the past and the possibility of a different future, or at least a different internal state. The narrator seems to be reaching out, perhaps to the person who has been hurt, or perhaps to a part of that person. The journey to "New Orleans" with "drifters and gamblers" suggests a search for chance and escape, a place where fortunes can be made or lost on the unseen, mirroring the gamble of trust itself. What's striking is the contrast between the external world's exploitation and the internal sanctuary of dreams. The lyrics suggest that while the world might take everything, the inner life, especially in dreams, remains untouched and pure. The repeated plea, "Go and ask her," coupled with the idea of innocence in dreams, implies a desire to connect with this untainted part of someone, or perhaps to encourage them to seek it out themselves, even if the narrator can't quite reach it, as seen when he watches her sleep and wonders if she's "dancing in the light / Of a place where I / I could not quite reach." This creates a poignant emotional effect because it acknowledges deep wounds while offering a gentle, almost wistful, invitation to find solace or truth elsewhere, perhaps within oneself or in the act of asking. The song doesn't offer easy answers but highlights the enduring human capacity for hope and the private worlds we inhabit, especially when the external world feels unforgiving.