Tears falling slow.
From the bridge into the river below.
In your eyes I start to see.
A starry veil and the oceans of infinity.

Moon and stars above me.
Mingle with the blood inside my veins.
Empty arms that should be
Holding me close through nights of winter rain.
And I'm trying to spell what only the wind can explain.
It's colder than ever
Coming down

Now I'm drowning in shallows
'Cause I'm in so deep
There's neon melting in the rain
I took too much powder to sleep
When I hold you naked
When I hear your laugh
I got a sword to stem the rivers
And cut the moon in half.

Frozen stars above me
Mingle with the blood inside my veins
Empty arms that should be
Holding you close through nights of winter rain
And I'm trying to spell what only the wind can explain
It's colder than ever
Coming down
Coming down
Coming down
Coming down

We danced wild
Kicked off our shoes
Not a cloud in the the sky to confuse.
Now the sky is cold and the sea is white
And there's nothing to be done except reflecting the sun
And scratching the mountain side


Lyrics submitted by Jimmy

Coming Down Lyrics as written by David Gray

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Coming Down song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    I absolutely love this song. This man is walking the streets really late at night and sort of strung out on coke. He's remembering this girl with whom he had a fairly good relationship with. I love the images he puts into it ... "when I hold you naked, when I hear you laugh ..." and "we danced wild, we kicked off our shoes, not a cloud in the sky to confuse, but now the sky is cold ... etc. A great song about what it is to truly miss someone.

    Jag3892on February 28, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I really dont see the need to involve this song with coke. You need to look a little closer.

    That being said, I feel like the song is about someone leaving his partner. The thing that makes the song cool is that david gray uses the term "coming down" to explain how he misses his partner. He uses a drug withdrawl as a metaphor for his loneliness.

    So i agreed with most of your post. I dont see why you needed the whole coke thing in there.

    rm413on July 06, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've always seen "I took too much powder to sleep" as a pretty clear reference to cocaine.

    bugoffon February 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've never really been able to figure out these lines:

    I got a sword to stem the rivers And cut the moon in half

    What do you think he's referring to here?

    bryon41on May 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I've always thought

    I got a sword to stem the rivers And cut the moon is half

    is as obvious a reference to a hard on as

    took too much powder to sleep

    is to cocaine.

    i adore both lines (!). i think the sword line is one of the most beautiful lyrics ever. this guy feels so powerful, so strong and so masculine when he's with this woman, he can do anything. and the line before it - when i hold you naked, when i hear you laugh... just love it.

    Lelon June 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I agree with you all on the meaning of the song but i think the sword references are supposed to imply that while a sword is normally a poweerful thing (Ie. the way he is feeling on coke) it is useless for trying to block a river or cut the moon in half. So i think maybe he's trying to show the pointlessness of drugs (just in those lines, not the whole song)

    gryphon125on June 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Sorry, just re-listened to the song and had something to add to my post above. I dont think he's so much talking about the pointlessness of the drugs (though he could be) i think hes meaning how helpless he is to her (ie. when he's holding her close or he hears her laugh---in the same way as the uselessness of a sword to block a river or cut the moon in half).

    gryphon125on June 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I like to think the line: "I got a sword to stem the rivers And cut the moon in half" refers to the feeling of power her love gives him.

    dwduboison June 23, 2010   Link

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