When you're falling awake
And you take stock of the new day
And you hear your voice croak
As you choke on what you need to say

Well, don't you fret, don't you fear
I will give you good cheer

Life's a long song
Life's a long song
Life's a long song
If you wait then your plate I will fill

As the verses unfold
and your soul suffers the long day
And the twelve o'clock gloom
Spins the room, you struggle on your way

Well, don't you sigh, don't you cry
Lick the dust from your eye

Life's a long song
Life's a long song
Life's a long song
We will meet in the sweet light of dawn

As the Baker Street train spills your pain
All over your new dress
And the symphony sounds
underground puts you under duress

Well, don't you squeal as the heel
Grinds you under the wheels

Life's a long song
Life's a long song
Life's a long song
But the tune ends too soon for us all


Lyrics submitted by knate15

Life Is a Long Song Lyrics as written by Ian Anderson

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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Life Is A Long Song song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    what a bittersweet song. The narrator is giving advise to someone -reassumig them that life is good (I will give you good cheer) and compares life to a long song. However, the last two verses decay into suffering/gloam and grinding you under the wheel; and the final line then tells us that our deaths will come sooner than we want or choose.

    offhandon June 25, 2006   Link

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