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The Man Who Isn't There Lyrics
Look at the sky
It belonged to a guy
That I know
And I thought I forgot
Long ago
Look at the trees
Didn’t stop at the top
Not for him
Used to borrow the wind
For a walk
Look in his eyes for a dying flare
Look for the wind in his yellow hair
And pretend
You see the man
Who isn’t there
Look at the sea
used to save all his waves
for hellos
used to climb up
his highs, down his lows
Look at the birds
used to flock as he walked
through the street
used to fly down
and march at his feet
Look in his eyes for a dying flare
Look for the wind in his yellow hair
And pretend
You see the man
Who isn’t there
It belonged to a guy
That I know
And I thought I forgot
Long ago
Didn’t stop at the top
Not for him
Used to borrow the wind
For a walk
Look for the wind in his yellow hair
And pretend
You see the man
Who isn’t there
used to save all his waves
for hellos
used to climb up
his highs, down his lows
used to flock as he walked
through the street
used to fly down
and march at his feet
Look for the wind in his yellow hair
And pretend
You see the man
Who isn’t there
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To me, these lyrics evoke someone who thought he no longer believed in God, but can't quite let go of Him. The lyrics are wonderfully ambiguous about this: is God "the man who isn't there"? After all, the speaker "thought [he] forgot" about this "guy" who once owned the sky, and who could be seen in the sea (I like the punning use of "waves,") and who used to borrow the wind for a walk. I don't know much about Oren Lavie's personal religious beliefs (or lack thereof), but this song suggests someone having doubts about his doubts. At the same time, when we look at the natural world (the tops of trees, the wind, flocks of birds), are we just pretending to see a divine hand behind it all?
My thought of this very well crafted melody and song connects heavily with what Lansiar said. I think it´s about a man who used to be something, someone who used to enjoy life, but he now feels empty, a weak shell of his former life. Haunted by his memories and past of a better life, he feels that he no longer possesses a reason to exist, as he is a different man. Well he did point out that other guy has yellow hair, meaning he doesn't which can relate to the fact that the speaker is indeed older.
It's such a beautiful song. I think the lyrics are about an older man looking back and trying to figure out when he lost it all. "Look at the trees/Didn't stop at the top/Not for him" he thinks that back then nothing could stop him from achieving whatever he wants. "Look in his eyes for a dying flare" perhaps he's looking back and trying to figure out when he lost that sparkle in his eyes and the motivation for living. "And pretend/You see the man/Who isn't there" seems to be pretending that he still has his youth or innocence or whatever it is that he's lost along the way. Maybe his upward progress led him to somewhere that ended with him doing things he wished he hadn't. Now he's regretful and can't figure out where it all went wrong so he tells himself that it never did.
It's such a beautiful song. I think the lyrics are about an older man looking back and trying to figure out when he lost it all. "Look at the trees/Didn't stop at the top/Not for him" he thinks that back then nothing could stop him from achieving whatever he wants. "Look in his eyes for a dying flare" perhaps he's looking back and trying to figure out when he lost that sparkle in his eyes and the motivation for living. "And pretend/You see the man/Who isn't there" seems to be pretending that he still has his youth or innocence or whatever it is that he's lost along the way. Maybe his upward progress led him to somewhere that ended with him doing things he wished he hadn't. Now he's regretful and can't figure out where it all went wrong so he tells himself that it never did.
Wonderfully put CiaoMaine. I completely agree, though lansiar, your idea is also plausible. Fantastic song by a fantastic artist.
M