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"
You returned the book unfinished about a girl with raven hair
And a gentleman, her lover, who presented her a mare
Which she rode across the country, leaving him to tend the land
Which had turned to drier quarter when it met his lonely hands
No more weeds left in your garden
No more green and no more stone
No more guilty left to pardon
Only evil of your own
Blind man found a baby, and the virgin kissed a man
From the farmland proven fertile since the rain returned again
But you returned the book unfinished to your friend around the bend
Who had scribed a closing passage but you never reached the end
No more sparrows in your garden
Since you lost your telephone
No more guilty left to pardon
On your hilltop all alone
And a gentleman, her lover, who presented her a mare
Which she rode across the country, leaving him to tend the land
Which had turned to drier quarter when it met his lonely hands
No more weeds left in your garden
No more green and no more stone
No more guilty left to pardon
Only evil of your own
Blind man found a baby, and the virgin kissed a man
From the farmland proven fertile since the rain returned again
But you returned the book unfinished to your friend around the bend
Who had scribed a closing passage but you never reached the end
No more sparrows in your garden
Since you lost your telephone
No more guilty left to pardon
On your hilltop all alone
Lyrics submitted by Mellow_Harsher
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
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
The only part I know for sure what it means is this:
"No more weeds left in your garden No more green and no more stone No more guilty left to pardon Only evil of your own"
What I got from it is that the person who the song is about, they problems that they're having is all of their own doing. The first three lines are saying that they've gotten everything and everyone out of the way that could be causing problems, when really it's themself. And the last line is self-explanatory.
a story (book unfinished) about a beautiful, materialistic girl (raven hair), who leaves a guy because he filled her greed and ego (presented a mare, leaving him to tend the land). He becomes depressed and gives up on everything (Drier quarter when it met his lonely hands). He no longer has to apologize for her (No more guilty left to pardon) and is left with his own misery (evil).
then it starts to talk about someone else, someone who sought love and innocence (virgin), not beauty (Blind man), and happiness was restored (From the farmland proven fertile since the rain returned again). However, since this guy has given up (But you returned the book unfinished to your friend around the bend), he'll never know of better. there is also the noticeable transition at the end from a nuisance (weeds) to something that helps nurture (sparrow).
i think the garden is a metaphor for happiness. turns out this wasn't my situation at all but i enjoyed trying to interpret it.
I agree with ohnoodles
comment deleted
Maybe is about drugs? Weed especially? "No more weeds! left in your garden No more green! and no more stone(d)!
Only evil of your own"
And then about not finishing something (the book) And losing the telephone. (Not working + not paying bills because you only want to get high).
I could be wrong, though.
Hm, I like both interpertations. But it's a possibility that HIQKid2's could be even more on.