Like a ghost, is the curtain
In the white light of the morning
Dancing in the morning
Are you there, are you there?
And a shadow, like a sadness
Falling all across the garden
Dancing in the garden
Are you there, are you there?

Shine on, friend. Goodnight
Why then then darkening of the light

And the leaves at my feet
Whisper sounds so familiar
Are you there? Are you there?

Where the clouds pull apart
And the moon changes faces
In the quiet secret places
Are you there? Are you there?


Lyrics submitted by la blue kitty

Darkening of the Light Lyrics as written by Johnette Lin Napolitano

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Darkening Of The Light song meanings
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  • +3
    General Comment

    While I can see how you could work in the loss of a friend/lover interpretation, I think it's more of a metaphorical loss than one of death. It seems as though she is lamenting the loss of a great friend, a particular person, someone who has been to her a great "light" and now, for whatever reasons, has "gone to the dark side," so to speak.

    It's as if the person had their optimism or zest for life taken away, and it leaves Johnette dumbfounded. The "clouds at my feet whisper sounds so familiar" line could be symbolic of a sense of familiarity with that friend, old conversations, their laugh, the sight of their face, but then she is reminded of this sudden change somehow and tries to find a remnant of the old person in the new that stands before her, a shell of the person's former self.

    I don't think it's something that's so bleak or hopeless, though. "Shine on, friend" and the overall mood of the music makes me think it is only a temporary departure from the old self.

    Really, it's a melancholy piece, but poignant and beautiful, and to me, full of hope for the future. :-)

    Phanta5manicon December 10, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is about a friend or lover who died. The person speaking in the song hopes they are still around in some way, possibly as a spirit?

    Room217on August 23, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    to me i've always thought of this song as someone who loses faith in man, god, and betrayed by someone they thought would never betray them. they've lost all sense of hope and only dance insane

    *ScreamingRiotGirl*on June 25, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This really makes me think of my bestfriend, who was hurt one too many times... and now, whenever someone says I love you, she flips out. "How can you lie like that?"

    Kitten957on June 24, 2004   Link
  • 0
    Song Fact

    The mandolin player on this song is Pete Buck of R.E.M. fame. Johnette said she always wanted to do a song with him in it, and Pete agreed to it. IIRC he said he liked working with her.

    quampon June 20, 2021   Link

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