Carry on, my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher
But I flew too high
Though my eyes could see, I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think, I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming
I can hear them say

Carry on, my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man, well
It surely means that I don't know
On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune
But I hear the voices say

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more, no

Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
Now your life's no longer empty
Surely heaven waits for you

Carry on, my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry, don't you cry no more

No more


Lyrics submitted by amblin2u, edited by Tasaar, Octavarium64, Teampeeta254, Rossthemis

Carry On Wayward Son Lyrics as written by Kerry Livgren

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Carry on Wayward Son song meanings
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  • +15
    General Comment

    This is a little different than what everyone else has been say- but i first heard this song when I was going through a very emotionally trying adolescent stage. I see this song about a teenager who feels so much turmoil inside, but tries hide it.

    "Carry on my wayward son, They'll be peace when you are done. Lay your weary head to rest, Don't you cry no more " -

    the son is the teenager, who is wayward- either he is rebelling or just feels mixed up inside- the chorus is telling him to carry on bec at the end there will be peace- once he grows out of that stage he will be in better control of his feelings and feel at peace.

    "Once I rose above the noise and confusion, Just to get a glimpse beyond this illussion. I was soring ever higher, But I flew too high. "

    He tries to get out of his confusing feelings to see if he could see the world normally and live happily as it seems everyone else is doing. But he flew too high- he started thinking too much thus pushing him back into his depression and turmoil.

    "Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man. Though my mind could think I still was a mad man. I hear the voices when I'm dreaming, I can hear them say... "

    He can see and think and seems normal but inside he is a "mad man".

    "Masquerading as a man with a reason, My charade is the event of the season And if I claim to be a wise man, well It surely means that I don't know "

    He tries to be all cool and confident and is really popular- no one knows how he is feeling inside. If he acts so wise like he knows everything- a lot of teenagers think they know everything- but they really dont and are very inexperienced with life.

    "On a stormy sea of moving emotion Tossed about I'm like a ship on the ocean I set a course for winds of fortune But I hear the voices say... "

    This can either just be simply about the way hes feeling- confused and tossed around - or maybe "I set a course for winds of fortune"- he thought that by acting a certain way and all cool he would be happy but really he just keeps getting more miserable. Maybe hes involved with the wrong crowd, maybe hes into drugs.

    "Carrry on, you will always remember Carry on, nothing equals the splendor Now your life's no longer empty Surely heaven waits for you. "

    Talking about when he outgrows this stage- "nothing equals the splendor"- of being in your 20's and in control of your life- it feels like you have the whole world ahead of you- "surely heaven waits for you"

    RPZQon November 19, 2004   Link

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