In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
In a churchyard by a river
lazing in the haze of midday
laughing in the grasses and the graves
Yellow bird you are not lonely
in singing and in flying on
in laughing and in leaving
Willow weeping in the water
waving to the river-daughters
swaying in the ripples and the reeds
On a trip to Cirrus Minor
saw a crater in the sun
A thousand miles of moonlight lazer
lazing in the haze of midday
laughing in the grasses and the graves
Yellow bird you are not lonely
in singing and in flying on
in laughing and in leaving
Willow weeping in the water
waving to the river-daughters
swaying in the ripples and the reeds
On a trip to Cirrus Minor
saw a crater in the sun
A thousand miles of moonlight lazer
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Flaming, Fred1000
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filled with wonderful lyrics and colourful musical images . . . "crater in the sun" ? ? ? don't forget, kiddies, that this line harkens back to an earlier PF song "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun", and they're seeing the crater left by their previous "flight" to the sun . . . and, just for fun, "Willow weeping", "River-daughter", for you Lord of the Rings buffs, a thinly disguised nod to Mr. Tom Bombadil and Old Man Willow . . .
Never noticed the Tom Bombadil referance before!! Goes to show that you learn something everyday...
Man this is actually awesome, but i have to say, every single time i hear the river daughter line, i always think of Tolkien and Tom Bombadils little mermaid, its cause i used to listen to some tolkiens songs and river daughter is actually used there several times, and with the willow... its just ive got the same feeling about these verses! The crater in the Sun actually got me tho!
@meltingman Funny, I always thought the river's daughters were naiads...