| Pet Shop Boys – Will-o-the-Wisp Lyrics | 2 years ago |
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After many years, the speaker sees a man who he was once acquainted with riding on a train. Whether or not the two were romantically involved is unclear, but the speaker definitely had feelings for him. He is still strongly attracted to the man and wonders whether or not the man remains the puckish free spirit he once knew. One way or another, the speaker views his chance of having a lasting relationship with the man as slim: if the man has not settled down by then, then (the speaker assumes) he is still flighty and would not stay with anyone long. On top of this, it has been many years and the man might not even recognize him. The recurring lyric “Will-o-the-wisp”, which gives the song its name, refers to a folkloric being. Will-o’-the-wisps are moving, floating lights, typically in swamps, bogs, or other marshy areas, which retreat from travelers and may lure them to their dooms. This emphasizes the man’s alluring, unpredictable, fey nature and suggests that trying to pursue him could be perilous as well as futile. |
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