Then Came the Last Days of May
Blue Öyster Cult Lyrics
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And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughin' and smoking
In the back of a rented Ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far
Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all held the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far
Sky's bright, the traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They brought everything they needed
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff
It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been laid?
They're okay the last days of May, but I'll be breathin' dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there (all there)
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here?
It's said the West is nice this time of year, that's what they say
Blue Öyster Cult's song "Then Came the Last Days of May" is a story of three friends who set out on a drug run from California to Mexico. The first stanza sets the scene of the desert, sun, and lack of water. The three friends are traveling in a rented Ford, laughing, and smoking. They all have enough money to buy themselves a new car, but instead, they are using their funds for a different purpose: to buy drugs to take them farther in life. They brought with them everything they needed – bags and scales to weigh the drugs – and the driver tells them that the border is just over the bluff.
However, the second verse takes a darker turn. The car suddenly stops in the middle of nowhere, and one of the friends turns on the other two, killing them both. The singer of the song, who is not one of the three friends, laments that he will be breathing dry air soon as he leaves the area. He invites the listener to come with him to the West, where it's nice this time of year, referencing the hope for a better life.
The song's lyrics have a darker and melancholic tone, as they depict the consequences of the three friends' drug run. It serves as a warning against the dangers of drugs and the companies that sell them. The song has an underlying theme of tragedy, and the once happy and free friends ultimately meet their tragic end.
Line by Line Meaning
Parched land no desert sand, sun is just a dot
Dry land, no sand dunes, sun appearing small on the horizon
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
A small quantity of water is valuable in the arid region due to the high temperature
Three good buddies were laughin' and smoking
Three close friends were sharing laughter and tobacco
In the back of a rented Ford
They were seated in a rented Ford car
They couldn't know they weren't going far
They were clueless that their journey would soon end
Each one with the money in his pocket
All of them have cash in their pockets
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
Each of them had enough money to purchase a new car
But they all held the money they had
They all kept the money they had accumulated
Money they hoped would take them very far
They believed that the money they had would help them travel extensively
Sky's bright, the traffic light, now and then a truck
The sky is clear, traffic is minimal, and a few trucks pass by
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They consider themselves lucky not to have encountered any police officers
They brought everything they needed
They carried everything required for their mission
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
They brought weighing scales and bags to measure and store their stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff
The driver assured them that the border is within sight
It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
The car unexpectedly came to a halt
In the middle of a cold and barren place
The car stopped in a freezing, desolate location
And the other guy turned and spilled
One of the guys turned and talked
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been laid?
They got killed; did they know it was a setup?
They're okay the last days of May, but I'll be breathin' dry air
They were fine in the last days of May, but I'll be suffocated without moisture
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there (all there)
I'll be gone shortly; the others are already there (dead)
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here?
Would you like to join me instead of being here?
It's said the West is nice this time of year, that's what they say
It's rumored that the Western region is pleasant during this season
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Donald Roeser
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@neilparnell5712
Your taste is impeccable Tbone sir.
Secret Treaties, Tyranny and Mutation, Blue Oyster Cult = the 3 best albums with the 3 best album covers.
The Holy Trinity of B.O.C.
Definitely are other ''good'' albums, but for me these 3 were the absolute zenith of their work.
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@Queerienlannister
"Then Came The Last Days Of May"
Parched land no desert sand, sun was just a dot
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughing and smoking in the back
Of a rented ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far
Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all had the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far
The sky was bright, a traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They brought everything they needed
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff
It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been lain?
They're ok the last days of may, I'll be breathing dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here
They say the west is nice this time of year, that's what they say
@cuttlefisch
A criminally underrated song.
@franciscoronaldotovarperez6709
I think the same, but 9 years later. Fun fact, I was 10 when you wrote this
@stephenconnors6848
The live version simply kicks ass.
@jorjoglou7818
made by a criminally underrated band in my opinion
@astroturf2957
@@franciscoronaldotovarperez6709 bruh I was 4 when he wrote this
@davidpalmer963
@@astroturf2957 : One of the best Tunes Ever. Ive been learning the chords on my STRAT.
@zoey__m
25/5/23
These are the last days of this May and I have this tradition in my head, to "celebrate" them by listening to this hymn of late spring. So, I'm once again here, as I've been doing for some years now.
To even more last days of May! 🎉🥂✨
@Psigrou22
Been doing the same since I discovered that song two years ago!
@dantheman4life
I will follow your tradition as the last days of May (25th) is my birthday. Keep playing this classic, ladies, and gentlemen!
@bacon-eatingpenguin8826
Easily the most underrated band, can't believe no ones considered them for the rock and roll hall of fame.