Your grand dad left home for the circus
He was young just like me,
with hope to explore
He married a girl in Virginia
She could swing the trapeze,
they could sleep on the floor

Your mother was born in December,
on the one sunny day that winter gave up
With warm summer eyes that flickered like fireflies,
and she stared at the world

So why do you leave these stories unfinished,
my Cheshire cat doorstop with tears in your eyes?
And why do you look when you've already found it?
And what did you find that would leave you walking by?

She was raised in a New England village
Then she moved to LA with her firefly stare,
and you loved sunset strip when it sparkled
You grew up and you sparkled, but why don't you care?

And why do you leave these stories unfinished,
my Cheshire cat doorstop with tears in your eyes?
And why do you look when you've already found me?
And what did you find that would leave you walking by?

And these nights I get high just from breathing
When I lie here with you I'm sure that I'm real
like that firework over the freeway
I could stay here all day but that's not how you feel

So why do you leave these questions unanswered?
The circus awaits and you're already gone
My Cheshire cat doorstop with fear in your smile,
what makes it so easy for you to be walking by?
And what did I do that you can't seem to want me?
And why do we lie here and whisper goodbyes?
Where can I go that your pictures won't haunt me?
What makes it so easy for you to be walking by?
Walking by


Lyrics submitted by LittleNemo

Walking By song meanings
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  • +1
    My Interpretation

    This is beautiful, sad song about longing...the girl he loves used to tell him stories, but left them unfinished when she leaves him...

    "Chesire cat doorstop"-the chesire cat from "Alice in Wonderland" disappears and reappears, with a big grin on its face...doorstops keep doors open. The girl must have left him without explaining, looking for somebody else. The singer can't let go of the past because she is the "doorstop" keeping the door of the past opened...

    cooldason March 21, 2009   Link

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