A cloaking robe of elven kind
Hangs in my wardrobe behind
All those things that mother
Said were proper for a boy
And I know I could not say why
On this summer evening
Sixteen books on magic spells
Stacked below the cloak of elves
And sixteen books on magic spells
So elegantly bound
And I know I could not say why
On this summer evening
And I know something, something about you
And I know something, something about you
A cloaking robe of elven kind
Hangs in my wardrobe behind
All those things that mother said
Were proper for a boy


Lyrics submitted by typo

A Cloak of Elvenkind Lyrics as written by John K. Wozniak

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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A Cloak of Elvenkind song meanings
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19 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    I hope it's about D&D. that would make me happy

    sunksses05on July 06, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Such a beautiful, chilling song.

    knowthyselfon April 29, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    He may have used D&D symbolism because thats what was familiar to him, but the song is very likely not actually about D&D. A cloak of elvenkind is a cloak that can mask you from everything, making you invisible. Its also quite likely that he's not actually referring to his mother either, but using his mother to symbolize something like proper conformist behaviour.

    This song could be interpreted as someone who is shy, but acts in a way they think would offend or be contrary to popular attitude. The "cloak" is his way of hiding that behaviour and feeling safe.

    crossmron March 27, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    okay disregard what i said earlier

    anyway, I can kind of relate to it now, that it's about childhood. Whether it's about a roleplaying game or something else, for me, it's a moment of longing, to those childhood/teenage years, when everything was simpler and somehow more innocent. The mother figure isn't necessarily his mother, it's more of a reminder ... of adulthood, of responsibility. the cloak of elvenkind, it's a symbol for all that you're not supposed have as an adult: imagination, sunny afternoons just playing with friends, silly things, fantasy ... you're supposed to give up that shit. That's why there's so much longing in this song.

    All this comes to his mind propably when he's cleaning his wardrobe (moving out perhaps or something?), and he finds something that he hasn't touched in years, like a roleplaying rule book. Then, he remembers those times.

    Durang0on March 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i dunno what exactly it means...but its maaaddd cool and something that anyone can chill to

    opivy1on August 15, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I always assumed it was about D&D, because of the magic item Cloak of Elvenkind, and the Magic SpellBooks And the line "Behind All those things that mother said were proper for a boy" fits aswell, because its like hes hiding the fact that he was playing D&D (because D&D isn't exactly smiled upon, and even though more people play than you realize, its still considered... cult type behavior (by religions at least))

    Lexiticuson May 03, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I am pretty sure this is kind of referring to the imagination of a boy. Like, a strict mother who wants him to be a proper boy, but secretly this boy wants to be a wizard. I know that I am not getting this out quite right, but maybe you could see what I am trying to get at here.

    bluegrimlin2on December 01, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is awesome. Kind of reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel. I think I'm going to listen to it.

    Trom12boneon December 18, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I know that Woz was deffinately into D&D when he was younger, which was also some of the inspiration behind "rebel sodville" which he wrote when he was 15 I believe. So it would make sense that this song is also related to his D&D past.

    cih420on December 22, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is so talking about D&D. It reminds me of my ex-boyfriend so much! I want to email these lyrics to him but I havent talked to him in so long! This song puts a smile on my face!

    GreenGoodnesson April 14, 2005   Link

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