I was wasted in the afternoon, waiting on a train
I woke up in pieces, and Elisabeth had disappeared again
I wish you were inside of me
I hope that you're ok
I hope you're resting quietly
I just wanted to say
Good, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight
Good, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight

We couldn't all be cowboys
So, some of us are clowns
And some of us are dancers on the midway
We roam from town to town

I hope that everybody can find a little flame
Me, I say my prayers
Then I just light myself on fire
And I walk out on the wire once again, and I say
Good, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight
Good, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight

I will wait for you in Bâton Rouge
I'll miss you down in New Orleans
I'll wait for you while she slips in something comfortable
I'll miss you when I'm slipping in between

If you wrap yourself in daffodils
I will wrap myself in pain, oh, oh
And if you're the queen of California, baby
I am the king of the rain, and I say
Good, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight Elisabeth, goodnight
Good, goodnight Elisabeth

The moon's satellite, yeah
Now, won't you fall down on me
Now, won't you fall down on me
Come, come fall down on me now
Won't you fall down on me
'Cause I'm all alone
You ain't coming home
You just settle down, down, down into bones
I said I'm all alone
You ain't coming home
You just settle down, down, down into bones


Lyrics submitted by 3ssence

Goodnight Elisabeth Lyrics as written by Ben G Mize Daniel John Vickrey

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Goodnight Elisabeth song meanings
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    General Comment

    I always thought this song was about a lover who'd died - Elisabeth - and he's missing her being around. He says he will wait for her, but she won't ever come, and he'll miss her when he's with another woman, because it's not her. I also get the feeling there's some "private jokes" going on here - "wrap yourself in daffodils" and the "Queen of Cailfornia" seem to suggest something that they had when she was alive, that only they found funny. As for the "other Elisabeth" you mentioned, I thought that too - but the only link I could find was in "Rain King", where he talks about the "Queen" - this could link to Queen Elizabeth, or to Elisabeth, the "Queen of California", or both in some way. He also says "I am the King of the Rain" in this song, which links to the aforementioned "Rain King". Maybe Elisabeth was a lover of Adam Duritz's who died? Who knows!

    Lilac Wineon May 08, 2002   Link

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