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September When It Comes Lyrics
There's a cross above the baby's bed,
A Savior in her dreams.
But she was not delivered then,
And the baby became me.
There's a light inside the darkened room,
A footstep on the stair.
A door that I forever close,
To leave those memories there.
So when the shadows lengthen,
Into an evening sun.
Well first there's summer, then I'll let you in.
September when it comes.
I plan to crawl outside these walls,
Close my eyes and see.
And fall into the heart and arms,
Of those who wait for me.
I cannot move a mountain now
I can no longer run.
I cannot be who I was then
In a way, I never was.
I watch the clouds go sailing
I watch the clock and sun.
Oh, I watch myself, depending on,
September when it comes.
When the shadows lengthen,
And burn away the past.
They will fly me, like an angel,
To a place where I can rest.
When this begins, I'll let you know,
September when it comes.
A Savior in her dreams.
But she was not delivered then,
And the baby became me.
There's a light inside the darkened room,
A footstep on the stair.
A door that I forever close,
To leave those memories there.
Into an evening sun.
Well first there's summer, then I'll let you in.
September when it comes.
Close my eyes and see.
And fall into the heart and arms,
I cannot move a mountain now
I can no longer run.
I cannot be who I was then
In a way, I never was.
I watch the clock and sun.
Oh, I watch myself, depending on,
September when it comes.
And burn away the past.
They will fly me, like an angel,
To a place where I can rest.
When this begins, I'll let you know,
September when it comes.
Song Info
Submitted by
ownpersonaldemon On Oct 20, 2006
More Rosanne Cash
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I Was Watching You
If There's a God on My Side
All Come True
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This song has an unintended poignancy because Johnny died in September.
To me the song is about how our connections to one another become stronger later in our lives; how Rosanne, as a middle-aged woman, related to her father differently than she did as a child, and how he related to people differently as he approached the end of his life.
"When the shadows lengthen And burn away the past They will fly me like an angel To a place where I can rest When this begins, I'll let you in September when it comes"
There is a touch of regret in this verse, as it seems to be talking about how we take relationships for granted and don't always get close to those we love until we are suddenly faced with our own mortality.
@frankiefan Well, you, like me misunderstood part of the lyrics. When the shadows LINK THEM, NOT lengthen! For years I thought it was LENGTHEN. Ooops?? How does that change your interpretation?
@frankiefan Well, you, like me misunderstood part of the lyrics. When the shadows LINK THEM, NOT lengthen! For years I thought it was LENGTHEN. Ooops?? How does that change your interpretation?
"I cannot move a mountain now; I can no longer run. I cannot be who I was then: In a way, I never was."
I think this song describes how you feel after you finally have closure with an issue that's been haunting you for a while. you're standing in the crossroads of your life, and you realize you'll never go back to what you once had, the life you once led, the person you once were. you begin to wonder if you were ever really fully the person you thought you were then, or if you were merely in denial the entire time up until now...at least, that's what it means to me.
I love this song Rossanne sang this song with her dad not knowing in deed that this would be the last song she sang with him Rosanne's husband read the lyrics to this song and said "This is like the history of you and your father put into a song, you need to sing it with him" So she went to ask her father is he would sing it with her and when he finally agreed they recorded it together. September when it Comes, is a heart wrenching song, of love, and a relationship between a father and a daughter that has endured soo much and yet been able to get through it. I love this song and I think that Rosanne and Johnny sang it beautifully. This song reminds you that even when the autum comes things will still be as beautiful and even though rougher winter is ahead everything will be ok and that when the anniversery of a loved ones death is near, not to be sad but to remember all the good times you had with that loved one and how you will no matter what they will stillbe in your heart
This is a deep, deep song that I still haven't quite figured out yet. I was hoping that someone else had already posted a comment that would give me some extra insight into it. Nevertheless, it's a great song, Rosanne Cash's voice is so soothing and heartfelt. The version that I have of this song includes a duet with her father, the great "Man In Black" himself, which makes it even better in my eyes. It's a beautiful, yet terribly sad, song. "I cannot be who I was then; In a way, I never was" is probably my favorite part of the song. Furthermore, September seems to be a special month. It's the month which brings in the fall season. "Strange how the night moves, With Autumn closing in" (Bob Seger from "Night Moves"). Several songs mention it, and it's especially significant to me because it's the month in which when I became a man. Long live the music and memory of Johnny and June and may Rosanne continue making great music!
Beautiful song, to me it is about a child (“light inside a darkened room”) who builds up walls, compartmentalizes and puts aside bad memories to cope with the dark side of her father.
As she becomes an adult she maintains the walls so that she is not pulled into the darkness by witnessing the father she loves struggle with his demons. She finds a way to remain in the light “summer”
“Well first there’s summer, then I’ll let you in. September when it comes”
The father loves his daughter and still reaches out despite the walls she had to build up. Wishing she still adored him as young child does for a brief moment when fathers seem 10 feet tall a bulletproof. As he nears death humility sets in and owns that he was never that mighty
“I cannot move a mountain now; I can no longer run. I cannot be who I was then; In a way, I never was.”
Time passes and heals the old wounds, it is not until he passes that it is safe to “let him in” and reflect, holding onto the good moments. No risk of new wounds forming