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Traveling Boy Lyrics
Wake up, my love, beneath the midday sun
Alone, once more alone,
This traveling boy was only passing through
But he will always think of you
One night of love beside a strange young smile
As warm as I have known
A traveling boy and only passing through
But one who'll always think of you
Take my place out on the road again
I must do what I must do
Yes, I know we were lovers, but a drifter discovers
A traveling boy and only passing through
But one who'll always think of you
Take my place out on the road again
I must do what I must do
Yes, I know we were lovers, but a drifter discovers
That a perfect love won't always last forever
I won't say that I'll be back again
'Cause time alone will tell
So no goodbyes for one just passing through
But one who'll always think of you
(No goodbyes)
Alone, once more alone,
This traveling boy was only passing through
But he will always think of you
As warm as I have known
A traveling boy and only passing through
But one who'll always think of you
I must do what I must do
Yes, I know we were lovers, but a drifter discovers
But one who'll always think of you
I must do what I must do
Yes, I know we were lovers, but a drifter discovers
That a perfect love won't always last forever
'Cause time alone will tell
So no goodbyes for one just passing through
But one who'll always think of you
(No goodbyes)
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Thanks for the lyrics to this beautiful song. I love the melody of this haunting, almost mystical song. Although the meaning is obvious (the rover theme typical of many '70's songs), the lines "One night of love beside a strange young smile" is perplexing. The guitar solo is very engaging. This song should have been a hit.
Such a typical Garfunkel 70's song, full of wistful, yet earnest longing. For most of my life I thought the lyric was "One night of love beside a stranger's smile", so thanks to the website for clarifying that! His voice is so haunting, he's so underrated, such intelligent lyrics. He's much "darker" than people would have you believe. I was hoping to find the lyrics to "Sometimes when I'm Dreaming", now that's haunting. Does anyone have it?
I love this album. The interesting thing is that although its name is "Angel Clare" there is no mention of anyone or anything by that name in any of the songs (unless I'm missing something, which certainly is possible). The first several times that I listened to the album, I was puzzled... I'm in the middle of "Tess of the D'Urbervilles" right now, though, and was surprised when I read the name of the handsome, valiant, noble lover of Tess: Angel Clare. WHOA! Okay, so as a wanna-be English major, I think, "How do I interpret Art Garfunkel's album in light of this new discovery???"
"Traveling Boy" fits the story perhaps better than any of the other songs, although there are some inconsistencies still. Angel Clare first sees Tess at a country dance. He's been traveling with his two older brothers, Clare sees a group of girls doing May Pole festivities and stops to join the party. He doesn't dance with Tess but on his way back to the road, he sees her looking at him and doesn't forget her.
Later they meet again coincidentally while both working at a dairy farm and fall in love. They get married but he leaves her after finding out her impurities...
I haven't finished the book yet, so I don't know how similar it actually is to the song. But I do know that Angel Clare is not just a "drifter" "passing through" and he definitely wants to say good-bye... so not quite parallel. Anyway, I'll be listening to other songs thinking about "Tess" too.
Food for thought :)