This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
I spend the days with my vanity
I'm lost in heaven and I'm lost to earth
Didn't give you minutes not even moments
All my life in a tower of foil
Shaded feelings, don't believe you
When you were there before my eyes
No one planned it took it for granted
I count the hours since you slipped away
I count the hours that I lie awake
I count the minutes and the seconds too
All I stole and I took from you
But Bonny don't live at home, Bonny don't live at home
Words don't hold you, broken soldiers
I count the hours since you slipped away
I count the hours that I lie awake
I count the minutes and the seconds too
All I stole and I took from you
But Bonny don't live at home, Bonny don't live at home
Words don't hold you, broken soldiers
All my silence and my strained respect
Missed chances and the same regrets
Kiss the thief and you save the rest
All my insights from retrospect
But Bonny's not coming home, Bonny don't live at home
Save your speeches, flowers are for funerals
I'm lost in heaven and I'm lost to earth
Didn't give you minutes not even moments
All my life in a tower of foil
Shaded feelings, don't believe you
When you were there before my eyes
No one planned it took it for granted
I count the hours since you slipped away
I count the hours that I lie awake
I count the minutes and the seconds too
All I stole and I took from you
But Bonny don't live at home, Bonny don't live at home
Words don't hold you, broken soldiers
I count the hours since you slipped away
I count the hours that I lie awake
I count the minutes and the seconds too
All I stole and I took from you
But Bonny don't live at home, Bonny don't live at home
Words don't hold you, broken soldiers
All my silence and my strained respect
Missed chances and the same regrets
Kiss the thief and you save the rest
All my insights from retrospect
But Bonny's not coming home, Bonny don't live at home
Save your speeches, flowers are for funerals
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No one has commented? This is perhaps one of their best and most moving songs.
The singer seems to have had a fight or falling out with Bonny: "Shaded feelings, don't believe you"
Now Bonny is gone and the singer is counting the time and missing him and thinking about the things he owes him, stole or maybe learned ("All I stole and took from you").
He has no way of seeing him ever again since he no longer lives at home and can't get in touch. He misses him and regrets all the missed opportunities.
The final shock comes at the end in that he'll never have a second chance to make up for all the lost opportunities, "Save your speeches, flowers are for funerals."
this view is completely wrong.<br /> firstly bonny is a girls name.<br /> 'when you were there before my eyes'' etc... basically, author was in a relationship with a girl called bonny. he never gave her the time she deserved, lived for his vanity 'i spend the days with my vanity' and basially built a weak defense away from her with his 'tower of foil'<br /> it is clear that he broke up with her and now regrets everything<br /> 'all my silence and my strained respect'<br /> and wants her back<br /> 'i count the hours that you slipped away'<br /> <br /> 'but bonny don't live at home' suggests he can no lnoger find her and that she has become an obsession for him<br /> and then he finds out she is dead 'save your speeches and flowers for the funerals'<br /> <br /> this intepretation is im pretty sure 95% right or so, and is the view shared by most prefab fans of the meaning.
That was the direction I ws thinking originally. The use of the male pronoun "he" is confusing in this song. It's very clear both in the lyrics here and when you listen that he says "he don't live at home." I don't think I've ever known a native English speaker to accidentally mess up on the pronouns unless he's talking about "Pat" and he doesn't know the person. Anyway, very confusing. But yeah, it's clear someone died at the end. Maybe a post-op transexual during surgery. ;-)<br /> <br /> But yeah, I'm sure you're right. Must be right. For sure right.
some of the lyrics are wrong its not he dont live at home its "bonny dont live at home" for the second part of it. you can clearly hear "bonny", its 2 syllables and i'm sure "he" is just one syllable, unless you have a different version from itunes.<br /> <br /> and its also no one planned it, took it for granted.<br /> <br /> and this song could be about bonny committing suicide and he found out... though not sure..<br /> <br /> just from the words "no one planned it, took it for granted." and "I count the hours since you slipped away"<br /> <br /> <br /> i do agree with catherine <br />
The background vocals clearly say 'he' and you can hear it as well in the live version.<br /> <br /> The most likely explanation is that this song was inspired by The Catcher in the Rye novel as a few other songs at that time. <br /> Bonnie is potentially a reference to Allie Caulfield (and note there are some similarities in name choice). The reference 'flowers are for funerals' and would align with the line 'Who want flowers when you're dead?' and broken soldiers would align with Holden's sentiment.
I need it struck a chord after being separated from my boys after divorce,they will come back to me one day I live in hope.i know they are well and healthy and living their lives????.
took looking through 4 websites to find the right lyrics... i guess everyone just copies and pastes.
correct lyrics metrolyrics.com/bonny-lyrics-prefab-sprout.html
Paddy's vocals on this are stunning,full of guilt and hurt.But the song is more sophisticated than a simple lost love song of 'baby come back, I screwed up' There is so much delibarate ambiguity in the lyrics. Bonny could be a noun or a verb in the context of the song.
@nusounds not sure that 'Bonny' can be a verb.
Without doubt a song all about self recrimination. The subject matter could be any one of several things. A very moving song.
Timeless song.
From the Guardian. Bonny was written around the same time. People think it’s about my father’s death, but he wasn’t dead then – I imagined grief. Goodbye Lucille #1 started out as a 50s doo-wop parody – “Ooh, Johnny Johnny Johnny” – in waltz time, but turned into something serious. Most breakup songs were sad or accusatory, but I straddled the viewpoints of both the intense guy and the girl breaking up with him (“She’s a person too”).
This song is about losing someone close, of family member or partner, possibly to mental health, and dealing the uncomfortable, almost unbearable situations where denial and avoidance of emotional participation led to guilt and overwhelm.
At the time, you went against your gut to do more, and then continued down your selfish path.
Then you regret it once they've passed or been institutionalized perminently, because the clarity release has afforded you is showing you things about yourself that you wish you could have handled better, and that unkind selfishness, self concern is permanently engraved on your soul considering the finality of the situation. Any intensions now meaning nothing "broken soldiers".
"I spend the days with my Vanity" "All my life in a tower of foil"
"I didn't give you minutes, not even moments"
"Shaded feelings, I don't believe you"
"When you were there before my eyes" "Took you for granted, no one planned it"
"I count the hours since you slipped away"
"Words don't hold you, broken soldiers"