Meaning of "The Plains/Bitter Dancer" by Fleet Foxes

The lyrics of "The Plains/Bitter Dancer" by Fleet Foxes paint a portrait of a menacing figure who disrupts the peace of a town upon their arrival. The imagery of the sand making everything round and the tar seeping from the ground suggests a sense of inevitability and darkness surrounding this character. The repetition of phrases like "Bitter dancer, ever turning" and "Midnight feeder, beggar pleader" create a sense of unease and imminent danger. The narrator's admission of not realizing the threat sooner adds a layer of regret and introspection to the song. The final lines, "Tell me again my only son, tell me again what have you done," hint at a sense of betrayal or loss caused by the arrival of this mysterious figure. Overall, the lyrics evoke a feeling of dread, regret, and the unknowable nature of fate.