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Old Familiar Way
of Montreal Lyrics


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Neither the flowers on the hill
Or the moonlight on the sea
Have ever looked so blue
And everything looks new again
In that old familiar way

The view from my room
Of the ships on the bay
Had come to bore me through and through
But they suddenly seem new again
In that old familiar way

The delicate ballet of blossoms falling off a tree
Had long gone unnoticed by me
I'm stunned by what now I finally see
It's amazing the wonders you can find
Just by stepping outside

There's a skip in my step a divine state of joy
In everything I do
Cause I am feeling new again
In that old familiar way

When I'm awoken from my dreams
By a cuckoo on the roof
I always join in too
And every sound sounds new again
In that old familiar way

The life I used to know
When I was busy always on the go
Left me with nothing to show
Now I feel that I can honestly say
I'm living a suitable life
I'm glad I finally got it right

Welcome to the Gay Parade

Overall Meaning

In Old Familiar Way, Kevin Barnes of the band Of Montreal sings about finding beauty in the mundane and appreciating the world around us. The opening lines describe how even the most common natural sights, such as the flowers on the hill or the moonlight on the sea, can suddenly take on a new, vivid appearance. The song uses this idea to reflect on the importance of staying present in one's surroundings and experiencing life with a sense of wonder.


The song then transitions to the view from Barnes' room, which had previously become a source of monotony. However, in that same old familiar way, the ships on the bay appear new and inspiring. Barnes then describes a delicate ballet of blossoms falling from a tree and realizes that there is so much beauty around him that he had previously ignored.


The song concludes by reflecting on the transformative power of being present in one's surroundings. Barnes's newfound appreciation for life seems to have brought him joy and a sense of fulfillment. By recognizing the beauty of the natural world around him, he has created a "suitable life" for himself.


Line by Line Meaning

Neither the flowers on the hill
The beauty of nature around me has never seemed bluer


Or the moonlight on the sea
Even the shimmering light of the moon on the water is not as lovely as it is now


Have ever looked so blue
The colors around me are strikingly vibrant


And everything looks new again
My perspective on everything has changed and everything seems fresh and exciting


In that old familiar way
I feel the same sense of comfort and familiarity that I experienced before


The view from my room
From my window, I can see the bay with its ships


Of the ships on the bay
I have grown bored with the sight of these vessels


Had come to bore me through and through
This once-interesting view is now dull to me


But they suddenly seem new again
My changed mindset has revitalized my enjoyment of this view


In that old familiar way
Despite this revitalization, the scene feels just as comfortable and familiar to me as it did before


The delicate ballet of blossoms falling off a tree
I've begun to appreciate the small details of nature around me, such as petals slowly falling from a tree


Had long gone unnoticed by me
I've been too busy in my life to take notice of the beauty that surrounds me


I'm stunned by what now I finally see
Now that I'm taking a moment to observe, I'm amazed by the beauty around me


It's amazing the wonders you can find
I'm realizing that there is so much beauty and wonder around us, we just need to take the time to notice it


Just by stepping outside
Simply by leaving my house and taking a moment to appreciate my surroundings, I've discovered new wonders


There's a skip in my step a divine state of joy
I'm ecstatic and feel like I'm walking on air


In everything I do
This renewed joy is present in all facets of my life


Cause I am feeling new again
This newfound appreciation for life has left me feeling revitalized


When I'm awoken from my dreams
I'm often roused from sleep by the sound of a cuckoo on my roof


By a cuckoo on the roof
The sound of this bird has become familiar to me and is comforting in its regularity


I always join in too
I often mimic the sound of the cuckoo, feeling a sense of camaraderie with it


And every sound sounds new again
My heightened senses allow me to appreciate even the most familiar everyday sounds in a new way


In that old familiar way
Despite this heightened appreciation, I still feel the same comforting familiarity that I've always felt


The life I used to know
My old life, in which I was constantly rushing about and not taking the time to appreciate my surroundings, is behind me now


When I was busy always on the go
I was always on the move and didn't take a moment to appreciate the beauty around me


Left me with nothing to show
This fast-paced lifestyle left me feeling unfulfilled, as I had not taken the time to appreciate the world around me


Now I feel that I can honestly say
But now, having changed my perspective, I feel like I'm on the right path


I'm living a suitable life
I am living a life that is fulfilling and satisfactory, and I've found joy in the moments around me


I'm glad I finally got it right
I'm happy that I took the time to appreciate the small moments in life, and I feel like I've finally found my way


Welcome to the Gay Parade
This song is a part of Of Montreal's album named 'The Gay Parade'




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: KEVIN BARNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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