The Yearning Loins
Prefab Sprout Lyrics
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All his dreams unspoken
Now in her arms, he'll quickly heal
The yearning loins have woken.
Take out and wave
Your ankle socks
The white flags of surrender.
She tried so hard not to let it show
But he's the first one, first one to know
He makes a vow to stay fancy free
But that's the last thing, last thing he'll be
She knows his name but she asks him who,
That's the worst thing, worst thing to do
Sha-da-da-da-da-day
You college boy, you've read it all
All your questions loaded
Describe for me, the point at which
The yearning loins exploded.
Take out and wave
Your ankle socks
The white flags of surrender.
She tried so hard not to let it show
But he's the first one, first one to know
He makes a vow to stay fancy free
But that's the last thing, last thing he'll be
She knows his name but she asks him who,
That's the worst thing, worst thing to do
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh
Who lets you go out untidy?
Who lets you sit very near?
Who lets you fancy her mother?
Who puts her tongue in your ear?
What makes that girl, the lovely swirl
Here where the poor are hurtin'
Not her shoes, not their shine
The yearning loins are stolen
And what they say, hope you're not shy
Will get you swift and swooning
She tried so hard not to let it show
But he's the first one, first one to know
He makes a vow to stay fancy free
But that's the last thing, last thing he'll be
She knows his name but she asks him who,
That's the worst thing, worst thing to do
She tried so hard not to let it show
But he's the first one, first one to know
He makes a vow to stay fancy free
But that's the last thing, last thing he'll be
She knows his name but she asks him who,
That's the worst thing, worst thing to do
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh
The lyrics to Prefab Sprout's "The Yearning Loins" tell the story of a young man who has unspoken dreams and desires. When he meets a girl who he is attracted to, he quickly falls into her arms and his "yearning loins" are awakened. Despite his vow to remain "fancy free," he can't help but be drawn to her. The chorus encourages the listener to take out their "ankle socks" and wave the "white flags of surrender," implying that it's okay to give in to temptation and desire.
The second verse brings in another character, a college boy who has read and questioned everything, but still can't explain the moment his yearning loins took over. The third verse asks a series of questions, hinting at the idea that the girl the young man is attracted to is not necessarily the most conventionally beautiful, but there is something about her that is irresistible.
The overall theme of the song seems to be the inevitability of desire and the difficulty of fighting against it. The metaphor of the yearning loins is used throughout the song to represent this intense longing and passion that cannot be suppressed.
Line by Line Meaning
You see that boy, so simply pale
Observing a boy who appears frail
All his dreams unspoken
His aspirations are kept hidden
Now in her arms, he'll quickly heal
Being held by her will make him feel better
The yearning loins have woken.
His sexual desires have been aroused
Take out and wave
Display openly
Your ankle socks
A symbol of surrender
The white flags of surrender.
Giving up or giving in
She tried so hard not to let it show
She attempted to hide her emotions
But he's the first one, first one to know
But he can perceive her feelings
He makes a vow to stay fancy free
He promises to remain uncommitted
But that's the last thing, last thing he'll be
However, he will eventually become attached
She knows his name but she asks him who,
She is playing games by pretending not to know him
That's the worst thing, worst thing to do
This is the least desirable approach
You college boy, you've read it all
You think you know everything
All your questions loaded
Your inquiries are insincere
Describe for me, the point at which
Explain precisely when
The yearning loins exploded.
The sexual urges became too intense to ignore
Who lets you go out untidy?
Who allows you to be disorderly?
Who lets you sit very near?
Who permits you to be so close?
Who lets you fancy her mother?
Who allows you to be attracted to her mother?
Who puts her tongue in your ear?
Who openly flirts with you?
What makes that girl, the lovely swirl
What causes that beautiful woman
Here where the poor are hurtin'
To be in this place of suffering
Not her shoes, not their shine
Her appearance has nothing to do with it
The yearning loins are stolen
Her sexual desires have been taken from her
And what they say, hope you're not shy
And if they speak openly, I hope it doesn't embarrass you
Will get you swift and swooning
Will make you fall in love quickly
Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-ooh
Musical refrain
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PADDY MCALOON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind