Larkspur and Lazarus
Current 93 Lyrics

The empty streets
The deserted roads signify loneliness and emptiness.

The songs of twilight
The fading tunes and light of dusk symbolize the end of the day/phase.

The clouds at rest
The peaceful clouds represent a calm before the storm, a brief moment of respite.

The church bells chiming
The sound of bells from a distant church indicating about the time of day, like indicating about the change of phase from one thing to another.

A scarecrow shudders
The motionless scarecrow shuddering calls attention to the eeriness of the abandoned setting.

And some birds tremble
The birds shivering could signify the cold or agitation from something out of sight.

I looked at you and saw it's time
The singer looks at the person and receives the sign that it's an ideal period to accomplish something they were waiting for.

The faded flowers
The decayed blooms allude to the fleeting nature of life and the disintegration of beauty.

The faded pictures
The old pictures show the passage of time and the loss of memories.

Of faded lives
The forgotten lives of the people featured in the pictures reference the universality of the fading away of people with the passage of time.

Your body waiting
The body's waiting signifies the anticipation of someone's return or arrival in someone else's life.

And unfulfilled
The unfulfilled desire for companionship.

With no regrets
The acceptance of the absence of someone from the past and the lack of guilt around the same.

And empty heart
The character feels a certain loss in their heart as they wait for the return of someone.

And head in hands
The physical distress of waiting for someone; the hands covering the head could illustrate the emotional distress that the character feels while reminiscing.

I heard them say today it's time
The artist hears the voice of hope or intuition telling them that they should allow the new phase into their life, and that it's time to move on.

The sunset heavy
The overpowering sunset symbolizes the overwhelming sensation the character feels about the phase coming to an end.

On mother mountain
The mother mountain represents a steadiness and safety that comes with a long-standing feature like Mother Nature herself.

The cattle lowing
The sound of cattle implies the continuation of life around them, like routine and beckoning the farmer for care.

The cattle dreaming
The cattle are sleeping, signifying the peace and tranquility of the present moment.

The endless rain
The ceaseless downpour symbolizes an overabundance (of emotions or thoughts) that is leading to flood-like conditions.

In haunted airs
The existence of a haunting sensation in the air, implying a sense of foreboding.

Your loss of hope
The absence of optimism for the future.

We were shown
It indicates that certain things were made visible or presented clearly to the artist or the listener.

We were shown it's only time
The listener and the singer come to know that the most significant aspects of life eventually come down to the changing of phases with the passing time.

The smell of rain
The aroma of rain evokes an emotional acknowledgment of the start of a new phase or the transition from one thing to another.

The twilight leaning
The last moments of the day signify both endings and beginnings, a liminal space between darkness and light.

Against your lips
The feeling of the wind brushing against one's lips could be interpreted as the presence of a higher force, whispering an answer to one's longing.

Waterwheels turning
The waterwheels represent a cyclical motion of life, always in motion but never changing or progressing.

The forests brooding
The dark and brooding forests present the idea of isolation, danger, or mystery.

You took my hand
The bonding of two individuals on the verge of crossing into the new phase of their relationship.

And pointed full of pain
The expression of grief, lament, and longing is intense and poignant.

That fishes dying
The imagery of dead fish implies that everything has an endpoint and everything perishes over time.

You see the sign that this was time
The artist or the listener receives an unmistakable sign that the current situation is indicating a transition into a new phase.

I waited years for you
Years were spent waiting for the arrival of another person to take them to the next phase of their journey.

Or so it seemed
Looking back, the artist might view their waiting period as one of uncertainty, obscured by the illusion of love and the promise of something better.

And stumbled through your world
The singer had to adapt to the other person's habits, ideas, and routines, almost losing their own identity in the process.

Praying for just one kiss
The smallest of gestures could bring great joy or could be seen as a glimmer of hope for the singer, even though their prayers have gone unanswered.

To stop my fall from grace
The singer may have felt like they were spiraling out of control, and they were hoping that the love of the other person would keep them grounded.

And shelter in your palm
The individual craves for warmth, protection, and rest in the other person's arms or care.

You gave me everything
The person they were waiting for delivered all that they have asked for and more.

Both lock and key
The person was both the problem and solution to everything that had been troubling the singer.

The oil clouds see it's only time
Even though things may look insurmountable, it will eventually be just another phase in the cycle of life. The 'oil clouds' may refer to petroleum's effect on the environment and the inevitability of facing consequences.

If I could have one wish
The artist wishes for something that could turn the tide and alter the direction of their life and relationship.

As in the fairy tales
The individual is striving for an ideal circumstance that happens only in stories, a wish that might never come true.

I would unmake my past
If given the chance, the artist would go back and change everything that has happened, eradicating mistakes and heartache.

And rise like Lazarus
Lazarus was a biblical figure who came back from the dead, but in this context, it could signify gaining hope, light, and renewed opportunities after a trying time or death of something cherished.

And stand in sunlight
As opposed to being caught in clouds or darker places, the character wants to bask in the warmth and radiance of the sun or finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And banish all the dark
Getting rid of the misery, the troubled past, and the negativity to embrace the new chapter of life with only positive things.

That locked my face away
Referring to the suppression of emotions or sorrow, which kept the singer from smiling, laughing, and celebrating life.

And say to you again
The singer and the person they are addressing might have been apart for a long time, and they are reconnecting.

Oh that
An expression of affection or reminiscence that the artist has for the person they are addressing.

That was only time
A reminder that everything, whether good or bad, ultimately comes down to the passage of time and how things keep cycling through phases.

So willow weep not for me
A metaphorical reference to the willow tree's symbolism of grief and sorrow, telling the tree not to cry for the singer.

And oak bend not for me
The oak tree represents might and strength, and the singer is asking for shelter or an embrace in both tranquility and adversity.

Though others died for us
There is an acknowledgment of the sacrifices that people may have made for the artist, even if they did not witness or recognize it earlier.

And in our place
The artists, possibly two individuals, share a common fate, facing similar trials and tribulations in their lives, and understand each other without words.

Though in the secret heart
The innermost thoughts and emotions, which the artist did not speak out earlier or could not express to others.

Raw wound, raw source of all
The all-encompassing, soul-piercing source of one's pain.

I heard the news today
The artist receives news that might change everything they had believed or hoped for earlier.

Whispered in the dark
The news comes as if through a whisper, lending it a mysterious and fatalistic tone.

At last
The news, though somber, ends the waiting or the anticipation on the part of the singer.

At last we know it's time
The revelation or the news that the singer receives is final and acknowledges that the wait is over. They know that it is the right time and have no qualms accepting the new phase.

I knew at last it's only time
At long last, the artist acknowledges that time waits for no one and precedes everything in its wake.

I'll come in glory
A promise to make a grand entrance, to manifest the best that the character has to offer and move ahead confidently into the next chapter of life.