The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Boatman calls from the lake
A lone loon dives upon the water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The wind in the trees is whispering
Whispering low that I love her
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour
Through every breath that I breathe
And every place I go
There is a hand that protects me
And I do love her so
Always be suffering
It flows through life like water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The boatman he has gone
And the loons have flown for cover
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour
Through every word that I speak
And every thing I know
There is hand that protects me
And I do love her so
A lone loon dives upon the water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The wind in the trees is whispering
Whispering low that I love her
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour
Through every breath that I breathe
And every place I go
There is a hand that protects me
And I do love her so
Always be suffering
It flows through life like water
I put my hand over hers
Down in the lime tree arbour
The boatman he has gone
And the loons have flown for cover
She puts her hand over mine
Down in the lime tree arbour
Through every word that I speak
And every thing I know
There is hand that protects me
And I do love her so
Lyrics submitted by Dressed2Depress, edited by smallwonderrobot
Lime Tree Arbour Lyrics as written by Nicholas Cave
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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To me, this is more about a love that has died, or is dying, than a person that have died. Lime Tree Arbour might refer to a place that meant alot to the relationship, perhaps where they both first met, where they spent time together, where they split up, and where they go when they want to cherish the memories about what they had.
The entire album seems full of songs about lost love or ruined relationships, maybe apart from West Country Girl which have a hymn of hope about it.
@Rikoll totally agree with your interpritation of this gorgeous song
I see this song as a man only having solace in his one true love. This being about her death is plausible but I think it is not the main point. He says "there will always be suffering, it flows through life like water" and after that verse everything leaves. The boatman is gone and the loons are hiding and the scene that he described has passed but her love still remains. If she has gone than that is even more romantic imo for her love remains with him and protects him from the pains of life even after she has left him. However he just stays in the Lime Tree Arbour just to remember her and relive it; it's equally sad.
Wow, I really can't believe this song has no comments. This is one of the greatest songs off of what i think is arguably Nick and Co.'s finest effort to date. But i know a lot of people don't care for this album, which is a shame. As Nick puts it, duende (the inexplicable sadness) is paramount for all love songs to truly be, and where the Bads Seeds are concerned, no album has more of it than Boatman's.
For some reason, i always got the impression Nick was singing about a woman that had died, making the song, for me anyway, just that much sadder. The image of the boatman (or charon) ferrying the dead has no small part in that i'm sure. I picture a man, sitting in a lime tree arbour saddly remember a woman who now protects him everywhere and always. Perhaps the arbour was a place they shared together.
The boatman having left by the end of the song leads me in this direction too - as well as Nick's use of the word "PUT" in his stanza, in contrast to "PUTS" in hers. This is small, i know, but for some reason, i always found his use of put to imply past tense, as in he no longer puts his hand on hers. However, she still puts hers on his. Weird i know, but thats always the sense i got.
Would love to know what other people think about this wonderful song.
@StickityWicket: that is what this song is about. Charon's boat metaphor, taking her beloved. 5 years since my then partner passed away, I always play it in her aniversary
Pal,i share your interpretation on this song,which i think is very beautiful!
I don`t actually see any indication that she has died
@whoop Oh, but come on..the boatman has to be Charon !?
There will always be suffering It flows through life like water
One of Nick Cave's finest
I wish Cave had called this song "lime tree bower" just to make the Coleridge reference more explicit.
@spinal Actually I've been listening to this song for a while now and I've decided that 'arbour' is actually an improvement on Coleridge. So well done Mr Cave.
For me this music is not speaking about a girl but a superior force that protects us all the time. Is about someone that is in a bad moment of life and he is doing an introspection but there is hope because "there is a hand that protects me". I feel this when i'm listening to this music that for me is one of the most amazing musics from NIck