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Days Between Lyrics
There were days
and there were days
and there were days between
Summer flies and August dies
the world grows dark and mean
Comes the shimmer of the moon
on black infested trees
the singing man is at his song
the holy on their knees
The reckless are out wrecking
The timid plead their pleas
No one knows much more of this
than anyone can see anyone can see
There were days
and there were days
and there were days besides
when phantom ships with phantom sails
set to sea on phantom tides
Comes the lightning of the sun
on bright unfocused eyes
the blue of yet another day
a springtime wet with sighs
a hopeful candle lingers
in the land of lullabies
where headless horsemen vanish
with wild and lonely cries lonely cries
There were days
and there were days
and there were days I know
when all we ever wanted
was to learn and love and grow
Once we grew into our shoes
we told them where to go
Walked halfway around the world
on promise of the glow
Stood upon a mountain top
Walked barefoot in the snow
Gave the best we had to give
How much we'll never know we'll never know
There were days
and there were days
and there were days between
polished like a golden bowl
The finest ever seen
Hearts of Summer held in trust
still tender, young and green
left on shelves collecting dust
not knowing what they mean
Valentines of flesh and blood
as soft as velveteen
hoping love would not forsake
the days that lie between lie between
and there were days
and there were days between
Summer flies and August dies
the world grows dark and mean
Comes the shimmer of the moon
on black infested trees
the singing man is at his song
the holy on their knees
The reckless are out wrecking
The timid plead their pleas
No one knows much more of this
than anyone can see anyone can see
There were days
and there were days
and there were days besides
when phantom ships with phantom sails
set to sea on phantom tides
Comes the lightning of the sun
on bright unfocused eyes
the blue of yet another day
a springtime wet with sighs
a hopeful candle lingers
in the land of lullabies
where headless horsemen vanish
with wild and lonely cries lonely cries
There were days
and there were days
and there were days I know
when all we ever wanted
was to learn and love and grow
Once we grew into our shoes
we told them where to go
Walked halfway around the world
on promise of the glow
Stood upon a mountain top
Walked barefoot in the snow
Gave the best we had to give
How much we'll never know we'll never know
There were days
and there were days
and there were days between
polished like a golden bowl
The finest ever seen
Hearts of Summer held in trust
still tender, young and green
left on shelves collecting dust
not knowing what they mean
Valentines of flesh and blood
as soft as velveteen
hoping love would not forsake
the days that lie between lie between
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I found this song not to long after my Grandpa died. It always reminds me of him. There have been so many days, I know looking back on them at the end of his life could play out like this. Theres alot of frightening times, but also, there were moments that "polished like a golden bowl, the finest ever seen."
I also feel that these other lines hit me hard: " and there were days I know when all we ever wanted was to learn and love and grow Once we grew into our shoes we told them where to go Walked halfway around the world on promise of the glow Stood upon a mountain top Walked barefoot in the snow Gave the best we had to give How much we'll never know we'll never know"
I feel those lines in my own life, it speaks so innocently, so directly of how small we were, just growing in our shoes, to conquering a mountain.... those are those moments that shine in your mind's eye as your points of pride.....
Just an absolutely beautiful, haunting, sad, retrospective, visual and gripping song. There aren't many "good" versions of this song because Jerry's shot voice and generally poor and failing health kept him from doing a lot to the song's potential, it also ironically made the song that much more gripping and powerful. Jerry sounded like the "headless horsemen vanish(ing) with wild and lonely cries".
I saw the Dead do this song four times in Eugene ('93 & '94), Portland and Vegas (both '95). Jerry sounded grim each time and the first time I heard the song it nearly brought tears to my eyes and effected me that way every other time I heard it, too. It'll stick with you. Even the lyrics alone on the page are some heavy stuff.
I agree with the criticism of Jerrys voice, but I don't see it as a bad thing. Hearing the shot voice makes more for the character of the song I think. It has to be an old man singing this. An instance where Robert made words to the voice he knew was to sing it....
"The Days Between?" I was in the hall of the Oakland Colliseum, dancing in front of the speakers the dead always set up for dancers and parents, and those who wanted a time out. This song came on, and Jerry's voice, was poignant. I was spellbound. Perhaps this is simplistic but I've always thought Hunter's lyrics were chonicling their long strange trip, a trip that was or became ours.
I'm probably overthinking the matter. But the lyrics are from the perspective of someone older looking back wistfully on youth. So nne might think of the title as referring to the days between youth and death.