Weeping Willow

The lyrics to this songs are particularly haunting to me. Looking carefully at them, I have an idea as to what it may be about; but it's a long shot.

The opening verse, I think, refers to realisation that a relationship is not working out ... "Morning breaks." The two drift apart, "hiding their eyes," with their "love aching" ... they still have feelings for one another, but there are difficulties. Perhaps these are of a sexual nature ... the hours of six to ten are mentioned.

The relationship dissolves, and each party is left feeling forlorn and empty. One of them cries out for the other to come back, hoping that the other has similar sentiments to his or her own. It gets to the point where both are contemplating suicide ... "the world don't stop ...you know it has to end" ... one with a pill under his/her pillow, the other with a gun.

i think this could be about suicide and wanting to end it coz a certain person cant give anymore

Alright! I love this song, but I'm afraid there's two spelling mistakes that totally throws the whole song off... the second line should be "We HAD our eyes and our LUNGS aching" Now for the real meaning of the song... pollution and the decline of the modern world!

Think about it, our eyes and lungs ache as the result of the decline of the countryside and the increase of urban sprawl, with the air pollution causing our lungs the ache. I'm not too sure about the whole "6 to 10" reference, but i think it's got more meaning that the hours of the clock, the general message here is that the world was given to us and we threw it away (like in the garden of eden and all that religious stuff)

The pre-chorus is a scream from the world, mother nature etc. to us to actually get up and do something about what's going on, with all our modern science and stuff there's "no better time" like the present to save the planet.

The chorus is then a reiteration of this plea, that the world hopes we see the plight it is in, the pain we cause it, and that we will "stand beside" it, and not stand idilly by and let our own lifestyles consume it.

The second verse returns to the fact that the world is diminishing due to our own greed, and by the time there is actually peace on earth ("freedom") the world will itself be destroyed.

Then the "Weeping Willow" bit at the end, well... if you've heard that song, I forget who it is by, maybe james taylor or neil young, anyway there's a line that goes "why does the weeping willow weep? because she's dying gradually from the waste from the factory down by the river" it really puts the song into perspective. "Weeping willow" as a result of the effects of pollution, the "pills under my pillow", it's a take on modern life and the belief that everything can be solved by a pill (prozac etc.), and the "gun under your pillow", has got to do with the increasing lack of love and trust, increase in violence, and hence an increasing disregard for the planet and a civilisation slowly killing itself by it's own greed.

That's my interpertation of the song, and, although i'm convinced it's right, that's just my opinion, don't lyinch my if you think i'm wrong. Though I will say it is an absoluyely beautiful song, and it's fantastic to get totally baked to (like the whole urban hymns album really)!! peace out

suicide

i would agree with hashhead but since this is Ashcroft I'm gonna go with suicide

That's one rare, captivating and beautiful track we have here people....as for what it means , I'd rather keep an open mind. Right, for one part the lyrics may imply suicide (chec kout Madtom's bright insight to this song , like it) but hashhead did also bring about an interesting analysis of the song (backed by plausible arguments on top of it...) So one way or the other, lets just enjoy that great track regardless of whose right or wrong. And yes arkyopterix, I hear you...the music in itself holds such strength and richness you'd hardly heed the lyrics (dont get me wrong, the song's very well written as well) .Peace.

i definitely think this song is about suicide. when i first listened to urban hymns i was totally into the usuals: bittersweet symphony, lucky man, sonnet, etc.... but then i found weeping willow and it blew my fucking head off. i suffer from manic depression and suicide thoughts, im also bi-polar, but the point is that this song explained life to me, it is the #1 soundtrack hit to my life. to top this off in november 2009 i totalled my car, the road i was on where i crashed was called "WILLOW" and I was left WEEPING :( i still can't get over that even to this day. nonetheless it's a beautiful song. i'd like to have it played at my funeral someday. peace

The way I read it it’s about living with depression.

“It’s in our hands/from 6 to 10/ and slipped right out again” hits hard.

One of my favorite Verve songs.

this is such a beautiful song... I think it could be right what MadTorn said, i thought the same.

Omg MadTom you hit the proverbial nail right on it's head. Couldn't have said it better myself. Spot on.