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Emily Lyrics
The church bells ring out morning glory
When summer bends to the winter's rage
Emily walks through the cemetery
Past a dog in an unmarked grave
The old girl hobbles, nylons sagging
Talks to her sisters in the ground
I saw the light in the mirror this morning
I hear a prophesy all around
And Emily they come and go
The shadows and the distant sounds
But Emily don't be afraid
When the weight of angels weighs you down
Emily prays to a faded hero
In a little frame clutched to her gown
Hears the voice of promise in his memory
Tonight's the night they let the ladder down
In a cage sits a gold canary
By a wicker chair and a rosewood loom
As her soul ascends aboard the evening
Canary sings to an empty room
And Emily they come and go
The shadows and the distant sounds
But Emily don't be afraid
When the weight of angels weighs you down
When summer bends to the winter's rage
Emily walks through the cemetery
Past a dog in an unmarked grave
The old girl hobbles, nylons sagging
Talks to her sisters in the ground
I saw the light in the mirror this morning
I hear a prophesy all around
The shadows and the distant sounds
But Emily don't be afraid
When the weight of angels weighs you down
In a little frame clutched to her gown
Hears the voice of promise in his memory
Tonight's the night they let the ladder down
In a cage sits a gold canary
By a wicker chair and a rosewood loom
As her soul ascends aboard the evening
Canary sings to an empty room
The shadows and the distant sounds
But Emily don't be afraid
When the weight of angels weighs you down
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I used to love this song because my name is Emily. I never actually listened to the lyrics but I always assumed that it was some kind of love song. I was wrong. It's a song about death and it's really depressing. I still love it though.
These amazing lyrics from Taupin clearly describe the aging process (the old girl hobbles) and the haunting loss (memories -They come and go shadows and distant sounds) of two loved ones, first her sister (talks to her sisters in the ground) and then (the voice of promise in his memory). Then ends with her own death; as a soul ascends (Tonight's the night they let the ladder down), the canary is left alone.
It's obvious that this song is about dying, really well written, I love it.