It's a long way home from the Field of Mars
Distant, alone, beneath the platinum stars
And I turn to look, but I'm never any closer
Only just the rain makes the skin feel colder
All my life seems so far away
The air is soft in the Field of Mars
Tears and loss feed the overgrown grass
And I have to leave, but I never seem to go
Only more sad clouds where autumn winds will blow
All my dreams seem so long ago
Oh, Field of Mars
Time is past in the Field of Mars
Grief won't last in the departing cars
And I call her name, but she never, ever hears
And I call again to the cruelty of the years
Oh my love she's so far away
Oh, Field of Mars
Distant, alone, beneath the platinum stars
And I turn to look, but I'm never any closer
Only just the rain makes the skin feel colder
All my life seems so far away
The air is soft in the Field of Mars
Tears and loss feed the overgrown grass
And I have to leave, but I never seem to go
Only more sad clouds where autumn winds will blow
All my dreams seem so long ago
Oh, Field of Mars
Time is past in the Field of Mars
Grief won't last in the departing cars
And I call her name, but she never, ever hears
And I call again to the cruelty of the years
Oh my love she's so far away
Oh, Field of Mars
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!
I think that BonzoDog has a very valid point.
To me, this song is likely to be about a ghost stuck in a cemetery. Many lines point to a life that has ended and cannot be returned to, as well as the condition of being a corpse or a spirit without a body.
For example, "Only just the rain, makes the skin feel colder," implies that a coldness was probably there beforehand. Other lines about elements of the former life being "distant," "long ago," unable to hear, etc., as well as the description of the "grief [that] won't last in the departing cars"--that is to say, departing from the funeral, or from paying respects, during autumn, perhaps even sometime in March in Australia, connecting to the name of the field itself--seem to bear this out as well.
The "she" is likely the widow, and the "cruelty of the years" could be referring to a long illness, a certain existential dread of eventual death after a long life...
...or the realization that the widow has many years to continue to live apart from the deceased, and he in turn must be apart from her, stuck at his gravesite.
The entire song has a standard chord progression and a vibe that mixes elements of Pink Floyd (especially in the solo, crescendo, and denouement aspects of the song) with some Byrds and other 60s psych elements. It is easily one of the best songs The Church ever did. Later songs such as "The Awful Ache" (another excellent track) are similar in theme and vibe.