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Can't Stand It
The Greenhornes Lyrics


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Greenhorn dreams of salty seas
Of maidens fair and lovely
Who beckon and call from emerald walls
Of cities far and strange

Greenhorn hears melodies
From mountaintops and low valleys
Of chimney smoke and Easter's hope
And love not lost in vain

I wanna wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes
Wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

Before I see the world
Under darkening skies
Gonna wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

Greenhorn feels the cold wind blow
Now he knows it's time to go
Now he longs for open roads
He longs to leave the pines

And leave he will with a tearful eye
But he won't stop to wave goodbye
He won't stop to look behind
On just what used to be

I wanna wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes
Wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

Before I see the world
Under darkening skies
I wanna wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

Days to years
Child to man
Lonely fears
She understands

I wanna wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes
Wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

Before I see the world
Under darkening skies
I wanna wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

I wanna wake up in the morning
Wake up in the morning
Wake up in the morning
Wake and look into your eyes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Greenhornes' song "Can't Stand It" speak to the longing for adventure and new experiences that is so common among young people. The singer is a "greenhorn," a term that refers to someone who is inexperienced or new to a field or activity. He dreams of the sea and adventures with beautiful women from far-off lands. He also hears melodies that evoke the hope of Easter and the warmth of love that has not been lost in vain.


Despite his longing for adventure, the greenhorn longs for connection with someone special. He wants to wake up in the morning and look into the eyes of his beloved. He acknowledges that the world can be dark and unpredictable, and so he wants to start each day with a reminder of the love and connection he shares with this person.


The final verse of the song suggests that the greenhorn has found someone with whom he can share his adventures and his longings. He has grown from a child to a man, and his partner understands his lonely fears. Together, they face the world and all its challenges with steadfastness and love.


Line by Line Meaning

Greenhorn dreams of salty seas
The singer imagines and aspires for a life at sea.


Of maidens fair and lovely
He desires the romance and companionship of women during his travels.


Who beckon and call from emerald walls
The women he dreams of call and lure him from places that are unfamiliar and mysterious.


Of cities far and strange
He longs to visit and explore places unknown and distant.


Greenhorn hears melodies
He hears music in nature and everyday life.


From mountaintops and low valleys
He listens to nature's music from the depth of mountains and the low valleys that surround them.


Of chimney smoke and Easter's hope
The music also comes from everyday life, like the smoke that escapes through chimneys, and the hope that comes with Easter.


And love not lost in vain
The music also brings him the hope of finding love that will not be lost in vain.


I wanna wake up in the morning
The artist yearns to rise in the morning from his slumber.


Wake and look into your eyes
He wants to see his lover's eyes as soon as he wakes up.


Before I see the world
He wants to see his love before he embarks on any adventures.


Under darkening skies
He fears that the world will become darker as he explores it.


Greenhorn feels the cold wind blow
The singer feels the cold wind and realizes that it's time to leave.


Now he knows it's time to go
He recognizes that it's time to start his journey.


Now he longs for open roads
He desires the freedom and open roads that will take him to new places.


He longs to leave the pines
He wants to get away from the familiar and explore new places.


And leave he will with a tearful eye
He will leave, but he'll be leaving behind a part of himself that he treasured.


But he won't stop to wave goodbye
He won't linger or look back, he'll keep walking.


He won't stop to look behind
He's not interested in what he's leaving behind. His focus is on what lies ahead.


On just what used to be
The artist doesn't want to dwell on the past, he wants to focus on his future.


Days to years
Time passes quickly.


Child to man
The artist grows up and matures over time.


Lonely fears
The singer has fears and anxieties about being alone.


She understands
His lover understands his fears and anxieties.


I wanna wake up in the morning
The singer reiterates his desire to wake up in the morning.


Wake up in the morning
He repeats his want to start his days early.


Wake and look into your eyes
Again, he wants to meet his lover's eyes as soon as he wakes up.




Contributed by Jayce I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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