Folkin' Around

Alright, it's almost unbearable to read some of the comments on this song. As mentioned already in the first few comments, this song is very simple and straightforward. I'll disect most of every line (for what it's worth), despite the fact that there really aren't any deep metaphors or underlying motifs that don't already go without saying. Also, for the record, I'm pretty sure he's talking about some girl.

"Allow me to exaggerate a memory or two" He's exaggerating a memory. Many of us do this when reminiscing.

"Where summer's lasted longer than Longer than we do" An exaggeration. He's being dramatic. The summertime is roughly a few months long, and he's saying the summertime lasted long than they did.

"Where nothing really mattered Except for me to be with you" As per most relationships (especially at the beginning), his main priority was to be with her.

"But in time we all forgot And we all grew" And as per most relationships, that feeling of having 'nothing else matter' eventually dwindles, hence the "forgetment". He and this girl grew past that part, and in some ways, grew up as well.

"Your melody sounds as sweet As the first time it was sung" As for this part, he's mentioning how she is still as beautiful (pick an adjective) as the first time they were together.

"With a little bit more character for show" However now, because the two of them aren't together, and because the two of them have matured and moved on, she's now carrying what was left of their relationship. Whenever you split from someone, you always carry those memories with you. The important part in this line is "show", as he's saying how she's adding more character to her personality merely for... show. Perhaps it's not entirely sincere?

"And by the time your father's heard Of all the wrong you've done" The girl may have potentially made many bad decisions after they split (my ex-girlfriend resorted to drugs and alcohol to cope with our break-up), and he's saying that her father would be ashamed of all the wrong she's done. By that time...

"Then I'm putting out the lantern Find your own way back home" ...he's not playing around anymore. He may have been her light, or at least he believes he was her light that was guiding her, and she's been doing nothing but wrong. He's finally leaving her be, telling her that she has to find her own way- her own path- to get home.

"If I've forgotten how to sing Before I sung this song I'll write it all across the wall Before my job is done" If he loses the motivation that once drove him to care enough to help her, he'll then write down everything that she needs to hear/know, so that even if he stops caring (singing), his original thoughts - ones trying to guide her, help her - still remain.

"And I'll even have the courtesy Of admitting I was wrong As the final words before I'm dead and gone" To me, this part is admirable. He's admitting that he has made mistakes - that he was wrong - so that this struggle between the two of them isn't as one-sided as it appears. He's made mistakes too. And he's admitting that he's not perfect either. Those are his last words to her before he eventually puts out the lantern and leaves her on her own. Being "dead and gone" means the value, the power of his words, mean nothing to her now (as if he were "dead").

"You've never been so divine In accepting your defeat" He could either be mocking her for being so stubborn about her mistakes, or saluting her for being so admitting of her wrongdoings. When analyzing the song, my gut says he's mocking her, but every time I hear the actual music I get the feeling that he's honestly saluting her for accepting her mistakes.

"And I've never been more scared to be alone" He's never been this scared of being alone. She and him were together all the time, but now he's alone on the path without her. Pretty straightforward.

"If love is not enough to put my enemies to sleep" If his love for her is not enough to solve their problems... to fix what's broken...

"Then I'm putting out the lantern Find your own way back home." Analysis already mentioned above.

So it's not a very complicated or deep song. It's about a relationship that fell apart at the seams, and about how he's done with trying to be her guiding light.