There grows a weed, looks like a flower
Looks like baby's breath on a mirror
My girl and I rushed atop the altar
The sacrifice was made
It was not easy undertaking
The roots gripped soft like a living grave

Oh young girl at the wedding
Baby's breath in her hair
A crowning lace above her face
That will last a day before it turns to hay

And good plans are made by hand
I'd cut a clearing in the land
And for a little bed
For her to cry comfortable in

And each day I looked out on the lawn
And I wondered what all was gone
Until I saw it was lucky old me
How could I run without losing anything?
How could I run without becoming lean?
It was agreed, it was agreed
It was me tearing out the baby's breath

Oh I am a helpless man, so help me
I'm on my knees gardening
It was not a weed, it was a flower
My baby's gone, oh where has my baby gone?
And she was not a weed, she was a flower

And now I know you must reap what you sow, or sing
Yes now I know you must reap what you sow, or sing



Lyrics submitted by askforgiveness, edited by smallwonderrobot

Baby's Breath song meanings
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    General Comment

    I think the subject is either abortion or the break-up of a marriage, neither is particularly satisfying though. Also, although baby's breath is a flower that doesn't preclude abortion being the subject of the song.

    I was originally going to speculate that it was about abortion:

    Accepting that it is about abortion makes the last line obvious, 'you must reap what you sow or sing', he is singing, because he didn't reap (harvest) what he sowed i.e. his child. But then it makes the first line much more difficult, 'there grows a weed, looks like a flower' that then becomes 'it was not a weed, it was a flower'. Clearly the last line portrays the abortion as a mistake that the man/groom regrets, the first line, in my opinion, shows that he was never happy with the idea of aborting the baby in the first place; 'I'd cut a clearing in the land' is perhaps him trying to persuade the bride that it is wrong in this situation.

    but then all this is largely void considering the line 'it was me tearing out the baby's breath'.

    In any case, I cannot get any grasp at all on what 'how could I run without becoming lean' means. Really fantastic song too.

    Eddie2112on April 02, 2011   Link

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