Lindisfarne I
James Blake Lyrics
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Looking further than I can see
Without tact to read
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
For all your time
Playful crime in rain
Worth it being cold
Roofing for the lanes
A lesson lost again
A lesson lost again
Cute but I'll take the bus
With fees and favours gone
Cracks in savers pass
And a white that sometimes shone
Wanton borrowed gun
Wanton borrowed gun
Kestrels breed
Looking further than I can see
Without tact to read
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
In James Blake's song Lindisfarne I, the singer starts by observing the breeding of Kestrels, birds that fly high and can see far away. The singer, however, cannot see as far and lacks tact which he suggests makes him unattractive to someone, perhaps a potential lover, who would "take a shine to me". In the chorus, the singer warns the Beacon, an obvious reference to the aforementioned lover, not to fly too high.
In the second verse, the singer speaks of playful crime in rain being worth it despite being in the cold, roofing for the lanes, and "a lesson lost again". The next lines suggest that he has lost something valuable, possibly his chance with the Beacon, but he doesn't quite understand the mistake he made. The lines "Cute but I'll take the bus, With fees and favours gone, Cracks in savers pass, And a white that sometimes shone" seem to suggest that he has lost his charm, perhaps because the Beacon is no longer interested in his favors, and that he has lost something valuable as represented by the white which shines sometimes. The final lines in the song repeat the first verse, indicating a certain circularity and inevitability.
Overall, the song is open to interpretation but seems to be about a relationship that didn't work out. The singer seems regretful and unable to explain the specific mistakes he made to lose the Beacon's affection. The Kestrel and the Beacon serve as symbols in the singer's musings on his relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Kestrels breed,
The start of something new, a beginning.
Looking further than I can see
Unknown possibilities and opportunities that are not immediately visible.
Without tact to read
Without the ability to understand the situation fully and make the right choices accordingly.
She'd take a shine to me
Someone is attracted to the artist.
Beacon don't fly too high
Don't aim too high or you may be disappointed.
For all your time
Despite all efforts put in.
Playful crime in rain
Engaging in innocent and harmless behavior in unfavorable circumstances.
Worth it being cold
The unpleasant experience is outweighed by the positive results.
Roofing for the lanes
Seeking shelter and protection in an unfamiliar place or situation.
A lesson lost again
Failing to learn from past mistakes.
Cute but I'll take the bus
Attracted to someone, but not willing to put in the effort for a relationship.
With fees and favours gone
Without the benefits and advantages that used to exist in the situation.
Cracks in savers pass
Weaknesses or flaws in a previously reliable source of protection.
And a white that sometimes shone
The light in the darkness, or the hope in a difficult situation.
Wanton borrowed gun
An action or decision that will have unintended, negative consequences.
Kestrels breed
Repeating the same cycle, or beginning anew with the same outcome expected.
Looking further than I can see
Unknown possibilities and opportunities that are not immediately visible.
Without tact to read
Without the ability to understand the situation fully and make the right choices accordingly.
She'd take a shine to me
Someone is still attracted to the singer.
Beacon don't fly too high
Don't set your expectations too high, as disappointments may follow.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: James Blake Litherland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Максим Кулик
[Chorus]
Kestrels breed
Looking farther than I can see
Without tact to read
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
[Verse 1]
For all your time
Playful crime in rain
Worth it being cold
Roofing for the lanes
A lesson lost again
A lesson lost again
[Verse 2]
Cute but I'll take the bus
With fees and favours gone
Cracks in savers pass
And a white that sometimes shone
Wanton borrowed gun
Wanton borrowed gun
[Chorus]
theCollectorCasanova
Kestrels breed,
Looking further than I can see
Without tact to read
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
For all your time
Playful crime in rain
Worth it being cold
Roofing for the lanes
A lesson lost again
A lesson lost again
Cute but I'll take the bus
With fees and favours gone
Cracks in savers pass
And a white that sometimes shone
Wanton borrowed gun
Wanton borrowed gun
Kestrels breed
Looking further than I can see
Without tact to read
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
endless nameless
In case you can't understand anything:
Kestrels breed,
Looking further than I can see
Without tact to read,
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
For all your time,
Playful crime in rain
Worth it being cold,
Roofing for the lanes
A lesson lost again
A lesson lost again
Cute but I'll take the bus,
With fees and favours gone
Cracks in savers pass,
And a white that sometimes shone
Wanton borrowed gun
Wanton borrowed gun
Kestrels breed,
Looking further than I can see
Without tact to read,
She'd take a shine to me
Beacon don't fly too high
Beacon don't fly too high
BellaBroBro
This is so incredibly beautiful. Been watching this for years and I keep coming back. It's haunting
Sione Teumohenga
I like weird videos like this because you have to think to get some sort of meaning out of it. It's not just there for you to accept as it is; there is room for interpretation, and people's interpretations are always a bit different because we are all different. That, to me, highlights the beauty of music, of film, of art.
Luis_mgarcia Martinez Garcia
Música que me hace olvidar del tiempo .... pasan los años y aquí sigue esta hermosa canción...
James, eres una persona especial con tus sonidos en mis oídos. Gracias
Musicman4504
Man, James Blake's stuff is so different than everything else, not a lot of people get it. Hell, I'm not sure I even get it, but I can certainly dig it. It's nice to hear something that is in a totally new direction.
Pedro Henrique
uma otima música !!!
Matthew Edwards
This is beautiful. This makes me feel totally at peace with the world.
Tom Ince
i cant believe that this many people dislike this... this music is just so close to my heart it just saddens me that people dont feel what i feel.
Blank Blank
i love how james is being very brave with this. not many artists are being as contemporary and abstract as he is. personally i prefer limit to your love cuz of the moisture, flow, jazzy influence, and the video is beautiful :). the simplest explanantions for this video would have to be that they're initializing the girl for a new life. or, they live alternative lifestyles as escapism?
Catie Brown
I love this song...I can't stop singing it lol!
Alyosha Samson
Amazing. The connection between these people is palpable. I love It