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Of A Friday Night Lyrics
Just across from the hospital,
still inside of the red lines,
a couple blocks from the orthodox church,
that's where the old poet lives.
And his eyeglasses and his necktie
at the window looking down
on the young man passing by
on the fullness of the town.
Full of them good time gamblers,
full of their restless wives,
full of their midnight writers,
out on the corner on a Friday night,
out in the brightness of a Friday night.
And the big horns blow, and the pianos play.
And the music rose to the old man's ears.
I guess those were the olden days.
I guess those were the golden years.
'Cause now the town is empty, empty as a mirror(?),
empty as a harbor in the barber's chair.
Where did the old poet go?
I asked around,
Nobody knows, oh.
Maybe I came too early,
Maybe I came too late.
I'm waiting in the shadows of the scaffolds of the old cafe, where you told me to wait.
And I've got this lingering feeling.
It's like I slipped between fingers of the centuries.
I know you know what I mean.
I'll be a good time gambler,
I'll be a restless wife.
I'll be a midnight writer, out in the corner on a Friday night.
Call me a good time gambler.
Call me a restless wife.
Call me a midnight writer.
out in the corner on a Friday night,
out in the brightness of a Friday night,
call me the brightness of a Friday night.
still inside of the red lines,
a couple blocks from the orthodox church,
that's where the old poet lives.
And his eyeglasses and his necktie
at the window looking down
on the young man passing by
on the fullness of the town.
full of their restless wives,
full of their midnight writers,
out on the corner on a Friday night,
out in the brightness of a Friday night.
And the music rose to the old man's ears.
I guess those were the olden days.
I guess those were the golden years.
empty as a harbor in the barber's chair.
Where did the old poet go?
I asked around,
Nobody knows, oh.
Maybe I came too late.
I'm waiting in the shadows of the scaffolds of the old cafe, where you told me to wait.
And I've got this lingering feeling.
It's like I slipped between fingers of the centuries.
I know you know what I mean.
I'll be a restless wife.
I'll be a midnight writer, out in the corner on a Friday night.
Call me a restless wife.
Call me a midnight writer.
out in the corner on a Friday night,
out in the brightness of a Friday night,
call me the brightness of a Friday night.
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
The song is about a small town which used to be full of life, with lots of happy young people coming to the town and bringing vibrancy and excitement ("brightness") to the town with their youthful free spirits, reminding the older people (The Poet) of their own happy youth. Now all of the young people have grown old and are no longer happy and free, causing the town to become quiet and dark. The singer misses the old "bright" days, and takes it upon themselves to regain happiness and freedom, becoming "bright" again.
I personally see the town as a mfutilityr for life. Brightness represents youthful spirit, creativity, and freedom. The poet is representative of growing old and losing your spirit. He watches the bright people sadly, remembering the golden years, but stays in his room far from the brightness.
Soon, the bright people leave. They too have grown old and "dark", pressured by society into living a "normal" life, and become too burdened with responsibilities to be happy and free. With their growing old, the town becomes dull and empty. The narrator, who is younger, wonders why the town is dark, and feels that they were born at the wrong time, as today even younger people lose their brightness due to being pushed so hard to get into college and get a job, which leaves them no freedom. The narrator refuses to accept this, and rebels against the system, becoming bright again.
The song is a message about the futility of our money driven society. We push young people so hard to get good test scores that they don't have time to be free and creative, just so they can get a good job and make money, so they can pay for their children's college, so they can get a good job and make money, etc. This leaves no one time to be free and creative, just to work forever. However, the song is hopeful. The narrator believes that they can bring back brightness and restore the joy of youth