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Kathleen Lyrics
It's plain to see, the sun won't shine today
But I ain't in the mood for sunshine anyway
Maybe I'll go insane
I got to stop the pain
Or maybe I'll go down to see Kathleen.
A swallow comes and tells me of her dreams
She says she'd like to know just what they mean
I feel like I could die
As I watch her flying by
Ride the north wind down to see Kathleen.
Stars hang high above, the oceans roar
The moon is come to lead me to her door
There's crystal across the sand
And the waves, they take my hand.
Soon I'm gonna see my sweet Kathleen.
Soon I'm gonna see my sweet Kathleen.
But I ain't in the mood for sunshine anyway
Maybe I'll go insane
I got to stop the pain
Or maybe I'll go down to see Kathleen.
She says she'd like to know just what they mean
I feel like I could die
As I watch her flying by
Ride the north wind down to see Kathleen.
The moon is come to lead me to her door
There's crystal across the sand
And the waves, they take my hand.
Soon I'm gonna see my sweet Kathleen.
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I take a more literal view of the song. I think Kathleen is an old girlfriend or something, and she's dead, and he's thinking about walking out into the ocean to kill himself so he can see her in the hereafter. Thinking of the last verse especially in that way, it makes perfect sense.
A real American classic; a death ballad with allusions to the oceans and the highway, with a chilling supernatural/psychological twist. A very desolate and atmospheric heartbreaker.
There's a good cover of this by the Tindersticks. But this is pretty definitive.
well townes had a heroin habit at times, especially in certain Texan cities. I think Kathleen either dealt or had enough to share. he's not in the mood for sunshine, feels like he could die, he has to stop the pain. crystals (powder) across the sand, waves (of relief from the drug) are coming when he sees his sweet Kathleen. that's how I impose sense on this one, not that all of his songs make that kind of sense.
This is one of the saddest songs Townes did, in my opinion.
@NoOneOnEarth what do you find in that lyrics that makes this so sad for you?
@NoOneOnEarth what do you find in that lyrics that makes this so sad for you?
@sokorny the lyrics make me imagine a girl that has perhaps walked into the ocean, committing suicide. Then wanting to join her. I think the most hopeless lines are the first: "it's plain to see, sun won't shine today. But I ain't in the mood for sunshine anyway." Side note: there's a live recording where he says "for some reason this is called Kathleen", which leads me to believe Kathleen is an entirely fictional person.
@sokorny the lyrics make me imagine a girl that has perhaps walked into the ocean, committing suicide. Then wanting to join her. I think the most hopeless lines are the first: "it's plain to see, sun won't shine today. But I ain't in the mood for sunshine anyway." Side note: there's a live recording where he says "for some reason this is called Kathleen", which leads me to believe Kathleen is an entirely fictional person.