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Box Of Rain Lyrics

Look out of any window
any morning, any evening, any day
Maybe the sun is shining
birds are winging or
rain is falling from a heavy sky -
What do you want me to do,
to do for you to see you through?
It's all a dream we dreamed
one afternoon long ago
Walk out of any doorway
feel your way, feel your way
like the day before
Maybe you'll find direction
around some corner
where it's been waiting to meet you -
What do you want me to do,
to watch for you while you're sleeping?
Well please don't be surprised
when you find me dreaming too

Look into any eyes
you find by you, you can see
clear through to another day
I know it's been seen before
through other eyes on other days
while going home --
What do you want me to do,
to do for you to see you through?
It's all a dream we dreamed
one afternoon long ago

Walk into splintered sunlight
Inch your way through dead dreams
to another land
Maybe you're tired and broken
Your tongue is twisted
with words half spoken
and thoughts unclear
What do you want me to do
to do for you to see you through
A box of rain will ease the pain
and love will see you through

Just a box of rain -
wind and water -
Believe it if you need it,
if you don't just pass it on
Sun and shower -
Wind and rain -
in and out the window
like a moth before a flame

It's just a box of rain
I don't know who put it there
Believe it if you need it
or leave it if you dare
But it's just a box of rain
or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long long time to be gone
and a short time to be there
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61 Meanings

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Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

Box of rain = this world we live in

Bear that in mind next time you listen to the song, it makes a lot more sense. It's a very melonchollie song. Full of metaphors for being disillusioned, living out your life without being in control. But then the song is reasuring, saying that this world's just a box of rain, wind and water... believe it if you need it, if you don't just pass it on. It's like the song is telling you not to worry about your life because there's lots of sadness in the world no matter who you are, and you're only alive for a short time (long long time to be gone and a short time to be there) so be take pleasure in what you want and just be happy!

Yes! x0nix Your interpretation is so true! This is a classic that I've loved for more years than most of this community have been alive (like when it was new), but you have caught the ball and run for the touchdown here. Bravo!

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Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

Kind of late now, but I believe fikus was correct. Hunter has discussed where this one came from. He wrote it with Phil when Phil's dad was dying. Hunter described to the effect that "the words wrote themselves". IE. In a very, very short period of time.

Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

This song is about clarity. It’s about having a very specific worldview. The dead were always known for their easy going attitude but this song is the epitome of that feeling. it refers to the framework of ideas and beliefs through which an individual interprets the world and interacts with it. Some people fill that hole in their life with religion; others with cultural identities, Robert Hunter objectified his worldview with an image of a box of rain. The concept to take all negative aspects in life that wreak so much havoc throughout the day like jealousy, and deception, and selfishness and manage to emasculate those powerful social forces to be nothing more than wind, water, rain, and sunshine; Just natural parts of life with no need to worry about. It offered a way to stay above such trivial parts of life. Often times I feel that many people have these feelings that I associate with this song, but I know at least for me thinking it is a different thing than being able to express it. But that’s why I believe this song is so special. To me if offers a clear view of the world around us. Its not telling you what to think, but more specifically giving you a proper mindset to begin that thought process. That’s why this song can relate to anyone and everyone but still have such a specified connotation.

btw...wtf is a word half spoken? lol .....long live jerry

May I suggest that the song is avtually about lack of clarity? "maybe you'll find direction around some corner where its been waiting to meet you." There is no clarity there, only a sugguestion that your destiny lies somewhere--and you NEVER know where!!!

To me the song is about fate, destiny, and trying to find meaning in life. But its impossible to find the meaning of life... no one will ever know. So you have to "look into any eyes" to find value, or simply "look out fo any window"...we need to find value in other people, random...

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Your tongue is twisted with words half spoken and thoughts unclear.

either... when you take something back in the middle of saying it, your tongue literaly is discombobulated, typical of rambling confusion. lol

or your tongue is twisted= your one cryptic kinky **** and you like to see what happens when you tell somebody, unwittingly, only, half the story and pass pass your self off as a guru. again, lol or Your mouth is tied, because of somebody, told you wittingly or unwittingly, only, half the story/whatever and so on. or Your mouth was tied, before they could finish a sentence. rain=sent from above Sun...

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Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

I understand that it has personal meaning to the band members, but I believe the overall message GD was trying to send was how amazing experiencing life is, and how small of an opportunity it is - take risk, and enjoy it. Don't live a sheltered life only to die safely.

Then there's another part about embracing the people you get to meet and cherish the love you share.

The ending resonates inside your mind...

"Believe if you need it, if you don't just pass it on {...] Believe it if you need it, or leave it if you dare..."

And the last lines "Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there," seem rather obvious; you're only here for a very short amount of time, and you're gone forever (think of all the years and lives that have preceded your birth, think of all the years and lives that will succeed your death).

All in all, just another amazing tune from GD.

Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

There's always the one guy on these things that says the meaning to every dead song is LSD...

hahaha! you're so right about that.

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@Samantha723 You speak of the Sacrament of the Church of the Dead . . . it's psychedelic communion.

Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

This is my all time favorite GD song. It is so beautiful. My fav. part of the song is this

Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there.

Simply beautiful because it is so significant. That one line represents in my opinion how long you have on earth but how short it can pass by. Make it the best. I love this.

ADH: The final words of the song are very affecting, you're right. They also have a number of Biblical and old folk music precursors, warning people to appreciate what (and who) they have in this life before those things (and people) are gone: I'm a short time here, but I'm a long time gone. BTW, all the people who were writing that PL wrote this song as a tribute to his father while the latter was dying of cancer in a hospital are correct. In fact, while GD was recording this album (American Beauty), PL would visit his dad either...

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Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

i guess phil wrote this when riding in a car to see his father fo the last time... sad song:(

You are exactly right. If you search YouTube for "Box of Rain Grateful Dead Interview", the fellas talk exactly about this!

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I find it difficult to believe that they said this "exactly," since Robert Hunter, not Phil Lesh, wrote the lyrics.

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Man, yous are messin' it up for me. The first time I heard that Phil Lesh wrote this for his father while he was on his death bed I thought it was absolutely the most powerfully beautiful thing I'd ever heard. I didn't find it sad at all. It makes sense to me. And I love it. Beautiful. So I'm stickin' with that explanation.

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Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

One of my favorite Dead songs

I don't think this song is sad at all. I actually thought it was more beautiful when I found out this was a song written in a tribute for a dying father.. Such an inspiring song

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Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

for some reason i always interpreted the last lines ("such a long long time to be gone/and a short time to be there") a bit differently from others, it seems. i always took it as like when you go somewhere and you're gone for a while but while you're there it doesn't seem like very long to you, but to the people who are missing you it is a long time. if that makes sense. i think the other interpretation is a bit better though.

Cover art for Box Of Rain lyrics by Grateful Dead

Listening to this song never fails to cheer me up. I think its about not knowing what you're going to do in the future; having dreams or plans that don't always work out. But even when they don't, it's okay and eventually things will fall into place. "A box of rain will ease the pain." :)

That same line is what gets me through any tough times!