Silenced by death in the grave
La-la-la-la
William Butler Yeats couldn't save
La-la-la-la
Why did you stand here?
Were you sickened in time?
But I know by now
Why did you sit here?
Ah-ah

In the grave
In the grave
In the grave
In the grave

Why should I blame her?
That she filled my days with misery
Or that she would of late have taught to ignorant men
Most violent ways
Or hurled the little streets upon the great
Had they but courage equal to desire?

Sad that Maud Gonne couldn't stay
La-la-la-la
But she had MacBride anyway
La-la
And you sit here with me
On the isle Innisfree
And you are writing down anything
But I know by now
Why did you sit here?
Ah-ah (ah-ah)

In the grave
In the grave
In the grave
In the grave

La-la-da-da
La-la-da-da
La-la-da-da-da-da-da
La-la-da-da
La-la-da-da
La-la-da-da-da-da-da

William Butler
William Butler
William Butler
William Butler

Why should I blame her?
Had they but courage equal to desire
Had they but courage equal to desire (William Butler, William Butler)
William Butler


Lyrics submitted by Novartza

Yeat's Grave Lyrics as written by Dolores Mary O'riordan

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Yeat's Grave song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

7 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment

    The "sitting in a grave" part refers to Yeats using his personal suffering as artistic inspiration, something Dolores knows about very well. As she goes on in the previous line "And you writing down everything, But I know by now" seems to reflect an earlier time in her life when she might not have realized why he put himself through the misery and in her eyes closer to his own death, though is it clear to her now as an artist having experienced her own heartbreak and healing through artistic expression.

    motorbreath23on June 08, 2009   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Maud Gonne was this woman Yeats was obssessed with. She was into violent politics in Ireland and he asked her to marry him several times but she said no every time. The pain this caused him was the source of much of his poetry.

    plain_janeon May 20, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    W.B Yeats is/was a great poet writer

    Sensibleon April 04, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    See, once you know history and the names, the song makes sense and it's sad

    sixedhearton June 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Ocean Soul: your comment was meaningless. The whole first part draws attention to yourself and not in a positive way. Don't comment on a good song and then throw Fred Durst's name in it to draw attention, dumbass. I think the only part of your comment I agree with is that MORE PEOPLE SHOULD LISTEN TO 'No Need To Argue'..good cd from start to finish!

    by the way..W.B. Yeats WAS a great poet! :)

    TransparentSunChildon August 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    who's MacBride? and what does she mean why did you sit here in a grave?

    lovelyritalucyon May 15, 2009   Link
  • -5
    General Comment

    FUCK FUCKEDIFUCKFUCK...Fred Durst was in my school class sucka

    okay, some cheap provocation to attract attention to good music, i am too tired for anything that's worth lyrics like these...i don't know W.B. Yeats, i don't know "the isle Inisfree" , but i know:

    IF MORE PEOPLE WOULD LISTEN TO AND UNDERSTAND "NO NEED TO ARGUE" by "THE CRANBERRIES", THE WORLD WOULD BE A BETTER PLACE. THIS IS SERIOUS.

    Ocean Soulon February 09, 2006   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
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.
Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Holiday
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday". I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.