Farewell

This is quite possibly the most fragile and delicate song I've ever held in my heart.

"i never asked you for a sailboat in the yard that fancy dress to wear or a ceiling made of stars,"

there's something deeply personal about these lines for me.

to me this song describes the narrator's role in the relationship... always a selfless one, she never asked for anything much. she loved the simple things they shared together. the dancing, the trust, the quiet moments.

"i miss the way you sing with me,"

it's amazing the things you miss most about people when they're gone from your life. the narrator of the song obviously didn't care only for the gifts things he gave her or the pretty words he spoke. what she loved most about him was how naturally they went together. comfortable. like they were home in each other's company. there aren't many people you'd be comfortable singing with if you're like me(off-key and cracking voice), but when you find someone who not only doesn't mind your singing, but joins in with you...well, that's something very special. that's something that makes you cry when it's gone.

to me, this is an anthem for someone mourning over the death of a dream.

Growing up we had a play area that my father made. In it he fashioned a "jungle gym" that was shaped like a sailboat.

The first time I heard this song - that's all I could think of - my back yard and how special that was to me - but if I were to have lost my father in some way - I would have been left with nothing but a broken heart.

Rosie Thomas seems to go to the heart of the matter - This song makes me think of a child - Her father singing to her, dancing with her - buying her a pretty dress, putting glow in the dark stars on the ceiling for her - And then, I believe, leaving her in some way - divorce, death, distance.

Although not my personal life - Rosie Thomas so skillfully weaves this song that I can feel the pain of a child losing her father -

wow... just listen to this song... its stunning

"i never asked you for a sailboat in the yard, that fancy dress to wear, or a ceiling made of stars, and all i got was just this broken heart from you."

that's deep. just think about, all she wanted was to be loved and feel complete, but now she's just broken.

wow this song is so sad and beautiful, if you dont know it just listen to it.

wow this song is so sad and beautiful, if you dont know it just listen to it.

I never thought of this song as being about a father-daughter relationship, but I like krisk's description of how s/he sees it.

The meaning of this song, for me, is simply LETTING GO.

tome, this is just after a break up when your trying to be strong but the cracks show in the final verse. this is the song that i heard first by Rosie thomas and turned me into a fan. when she did this song at a live gig in England that i went to, she blened/mixed it in with bicycle/tricycle and i was nearly in tears. just wish i could get a hold of a recording of that!!

such a beautiful, sad song. "i never asked you for a sailboa in the yardt"; i agree with delial - she was the selfless one, she gave and gave and never asked for anything back except love, and she didn't even get that in the end, just a broken heart. "i was wrong, i guess." stunning.