Bluebells
Patrick Wolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The smell of that fall
The fires of fungus
And the rotting leaves
I fell off the wagon
Into your arms
Into this long month of sundays
And you were my husband
My wife, my heroin
Now this is our final December
Now deep in a forest
Losing all thought of spring
And nothing can help me remember
And I'm going nowhere fast
A darker day has holed at last
Deep in a dream I set the calmness to spinning
And your love has come too late
Away from the garden gate
Wake me up when the blue bells are ringing
How can it be over after all that we had, now comes
A river runs through the rafters down, down, down
Does it leave me sleeping? Dreaming only of spring
The phone rings out and I remember
But I'm going nowhere fast
The darker days has holed at last
Deep in this dream I let the compass keep spinning
And your love has come too late
Now wave to the garden gate
Wake me up when the blue bells are ringing
Ringing, ringing, ringing
Wanna hear them ringing, my love
Wanna hear them ringing
Ringing...
The lyrics to Patrick Wolf's "Bluebells" paint a picture of a lost love and the sense of finality that comes with the passage of time. The song begins with a vivid description of a fall day, specifically addressing the smell of fungus and the decaying leaves. These sensory details suggest that the relationship described in the song is coming to an end, as symbolized by the changing of the seasons. The singer has fallen off the wagon and into his partner's arms, suggesting that addiction may have played a role in their relationship. The line "into this long month of Sundays" further signifies the feeling of being stuck in a rut, as Sundays are often associated with both rest and melancholy.
The second verse sees the singer lost in a forest with no thoughts of spring, implying a sense of hopelessness and despair. The line "And your love has come too late" suggests that a reconciliation has been attempted, but it is ultimately unsuccessful. The last verse sees the singer yearning to hear the bluebells ringing, hoping perhaps to be reminded of happier times. The song ends on a somewhat melancholic note, with the singer dreaming of spring but feeling stuck and directionless.
Overall, "Bluebells" is a poignant yet hopeful reflection on lost love and the passing of time. The vivid imagery of the changing seasons contributes to the sense of finality, while the reference to bluebells suggests the possibility of new beginnings.
Line by Line Meaning
Lucy, remember
The singer is invoking a person named Lucy to remember something important.
The smell of that fall
The singer wants Lucy to remember autumn and its particular scent.
The fires of fungus
The singer is referencing the smell of fungal fires that occur during the fall season.
And the rotting leaves
The singer wants Lucy to remember the scent of leaves as they decay on the forest ground during fall season.
I fell off the wagon
The singer is referencing a relapse or a failure.
Into your arms
The singer has fallen to someone's safety.
Into this long month of sundays
The singer has entered a period of time that feels unproductive or hopeless.
And you were my husband
The singer has a deep connection with the person they're speaking to.
My wife, my heroin
The person they're speaking to is incredibly important to them and serves as both their savior and addiction.
Now this is our final December
The singer is suggesting that the relationship is coming to an end.
Now deep in a forest
The singer is lost and alone.
Losing all thought of spring
The singer has no hope of something better.
And nothing can help me remember
There is nothing that can bring the singer out of their current negative state.
And I'm going nowhere fast
The singer feels stuck and stagnant.
A darker day has holed at last
The singer has finally hit rock bottom.
Deep in a dream I set the calmness to spinning
The singer is dreaming of a peaceful place where everything is at ease.
And your love has come too late
The person they're speaking to can no longer save the relationship.
Away from the garden gate
The singer is leaving a place of brightness and hope.
Wake me up when the blue bells are ringing
The singer wants to be awoken when there is a sign of new life and hope in their situation.
How can it be over after all that we had, now comes
The singer is in disbelief that their relationship is coming to an end.
A river runs through the rafters down, down, down
The end result of the relationship seems like an unstoppable force.
Does it leave me sleeping? Dreaming only of spring
The singer is questioning whether the end of the relationship will leave them with nothing but hope for a better future.
The phone rings out and I remember
The singer is snapped back into reality.
But I'm going nowhere fast
The singer is still stuck and not making progress.
The darker days has holed at last
Things have finally hit rock bottom.
Deep in this dream I let the compass keep spinning
The singer feels lost and doesn't know how to proceed forward.
Now wave to the garden gate
The singer is saying goodbye to a place where there was once hope and light.
Wake me up when the blue bells are ringing
The singer wants to be awoken when there is a sign of new life and hope in their situation.
Wanna hear them ringing, my love
The singer wants to experience hope and love once again.
Wanna hear them ringing
The singer wants a sign that things will get better and there is hope for a better future.
Ringing...
The singer wants a sign of hope and a better future.
Contributed by Layla A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
lagritsalammas
Nearly twelve years later, this song still sends shivers down my spine. I will always love you and your music, dear Patrick!
jioppio
This came out when I was 16 and I am still a fan. Hope you're doing okay sir. Haven't heard anything from you since April 2020 and I hope you're doing well.
Bummmelant
he has a song out today
j
I have some great news for you
Kelennis
I wish people would stop comparing him to other artists. He is himself and does what he does and what he does is gorgeous.
Camilo Daraghma
This is an underrated piece of music.
darko51087
I absolutely love this song Patrick has completely enlightened me about what good music and songwriting are. Much love
P Cat
This is still one of the most wonderful songs I've ever heard
emmaeliina
i have never met him but i feel closer to him than some people who i've known for like my whole life.. it's scary. i love you patrick <3. thank you for being such an inspiration and getting me through all the shit that's happening in my life, i'll remember you always <3
nantes222
you can just tell he puts so much artistic thought into every small sound you hear in this song. You are a GENIUS Patrick.