Isn't It A Lovely Night?
The Decemberists Lyrics
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And so alive
With fireflies
Providing us their holy light
And here we made a bed of boughs
And thistle down
That we had found
To lay upon the Dewey ground
And isn't it a lovely day
We got in from our play
Isn't it?
A sweet little baby
And wasn't it a lovely breeze
That swept the leaves
Of arbor reeves
And bent a brush of blushing knees
And here we died our little deaths
And we were left to catch our breaths
So swiftly lifting from our chests
And isn't a lovely way
We got in from our play
Isn't it?
A sweet little baby
The Decemberists' song "Isn’t It A Lovely Night?" is a poetic tribute to the beauty of nature and the way it can be experienced with a loved one. The lyrics describe a magical summer evening, where the air is full of fireflies that light up the night. The song takes poetic licence with language, including the idea of "holy light" provided by the fireflies. The singer and their partner sleep on a bed of boughs and thistle down, enjoying the gentle touch of the dewy ground. While the imagery in the lyrics is beautiful, it is the sense of connection between the singer and their partner that gives the song its emotional resonance. They play together, they rest together, and they share in the beauty of the natural world around them. In this way, the song celebrates not just the loveliness of the night, but the joy of being alive and connected with another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Isn't a lovely night
Isn't it a beautiful evening?
And so alive
It's full of energy.
With fireflies
The fireflies are lighting up the place.
Providing us their holy light
The fireflies are giving us their natural light.
And here we made a bed of boughs
We created a natural bed from branches.
And thistle down
We used thistle material.
That we had found
We located and used these materials.
To lay upon the Dewey ground
So we could sleep on the damp earth.
And isn't it a lovely day
Isn't it a great day?
We got in from our play
We finished playing and came back in.
Isn't it?
A rhetorical question asking if it is indeed lovely.
A sweet little baby
Perhaps a reference to a child or a term of endearment.
And wasn't it a lovely breeze
Wasn't the wind refreshing?
That swept the leaves
The wind moved the foliage around.
Of arbor reeves
These were probably trees in a specific area.
And bent a brush of blushing knees
The wind caused the knee-high plants to bend.
And here we died our little deaths
We had a small moment of pleasure or release.
And we were left to catch our breaths
After the moment of pleasure, we were left breathless and in a state of ecstasy.
So swiftly lifting from our chests
Our emotions were intense but fleeting.
And isn't a lovely way
Isn't this a fantastic way to spend our time?
We got in from our play
We returned after having some fun.
Isn't it?
A rhetorical question asking if it is indeed lovely.
A sweet little baby
Perhaps a reference to a child or a term of endearment.
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Written by: COLIN MELOY
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