A Beginning Song

The Decemberists

Let's commence to coordinate our sights
Get them square to rights
Get them square to rights
Condescend to calm this riot in your mind
Find yourself in time
Find yourself in time

If I am waiting
Should I be waiting?
If I am wanting
Should I be wanting?
When all around me
All around me

Document the world inside your skin
The tenor of your shins
The timbre of your limbs
Now commence to kick each brick apart
To center on your heart
Starting with your heart (bright heart)

If I am waiting
Should I be waiting?
If I am wanting
Should I be wanting?
When all around me
All around me
When all around me
When all around me
When all around me
If I am waiting
Should I be waiting?
If I am wanting
Should I be wanting?
If I am hopeful
Should I be hopeful?
All around me
All around me

Is the sunlight
Is the shadows
Is the quiet
Is the word
Is the beating heart
Is the ocean
Is the boys
Is you
My sweet love (my sweet love)
Oh, my love (oh, my love)
And the light, bright light
And the light, bright light
Bright light, bright light
It's all around me
It's all around me
It's all around me
It's all around me
All around me


Lyrics submitted by Amii83, edited by virtualRefrain, Mellow_Harsher, rakastettu, ArboDoughty

A Beginning Song Lyrics as written by Colin Meloy

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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A Beginning Song song meanings
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    My Opinion

    I've always thought of "A Beginning Song" as a song about being born. Lines like "Document the world inside his skin; The tenor of your shins; The timbre of your limbs" - gaining awareness of the body parts. "Waiting" in the womb that's "all around me". "Wanting" to get out of the womb that's all around me. "Commence to kick each brick apart" - trying/starting to be born. And the outro is the birth, the beating heart, the light, bright light ... it's all around me [I've been born].

    I always get teary when I hear the outro, and for some reason I think about the angst in the "This Woman's Work" part of "She's having a baby", then the joy after everyone is OK ... that's what "the light, bright light, is all around me" makes me feel.

    cDanVanon August 14, 2022   Link

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