Released: 2019
‘Donna’ by The Lumineers is a heart-wrenching portrayal of a woman’s life, filled with struggles and regrets. The song tells the story of Donna, a complex character with a troubled past and a complicated relationship with herself and others.
The opening lines, ‘It’s not the words you say, but how you say it / I saved a picture where your hair was braided,’ suggest a deep, personal connection between the singer and Donna. The mention of a ‘wallet in the cemetery’ and telling her daughter she’s ‘ordinary’ paints a picture of a woman who’s harsh, perhaps due to life’s hardships.
‘You hate the name Junior / Your husband loved his computers / Your mother never was one / The eldest of seven children’ – these lines provide snapshots of Donna’s life. Her dislike for the name ‘Junior’ could hint at resentment towards traditional gender roles. Her husband’s love for computers might indicate a disconnect in their relationship. Being the eldest of seven children, she likely shouldered a lot of responsibility from a young age.
‘If you don’t have it, then you’ll never give it / And I don’t blame you for the way you living / A little boy was born in February / You couldn’t sober up to hold a baby’ – these lines are heartbreaking. They suggest Donna’s struggle with substance abuse, which prevented her from being present for important moments, like the birth of a child.
The chorus, ‘You hate the name Donna / You love to judge strangers’ karma,’ reveals Donna’s critical nature, perhaps a coping mechanism. The repeated line ‘You’re singing like Hallelujah’ might suggest a longing for redemption or release from her struggles.
In conclusion, ‘Donna’ by The Lumineers is a powerful exploration of a woman’s life marked by hardship, self-judgment, and a desperate search for redemption. It’s a raw, honest portrayal that resonates with listeners, reminding us of the complexity of human experience.
