baby blue
13th Floor Elevators Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You must leave now, take what you need
You think will last
But whatever you wish to keep
You better grab it fast

Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Strike another match, go start anew
It's all over now, Baby Blue

All your seasick sailors
They are rowing home
And all your empty handed armies
They are going home

Your lover who just walked out the door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
The carpet, too, is moving under you
It's all over now, Baby Blue

Leave your stepping stones behind
There's something that calls for you
Forget the dead you've left
They will not follow you

Your vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore




The sky, too, is falling over you
It's all over now, Baby Blue

Overall Meaning

The song "Baby Blue" by 13th Floor Elevators is a breakup song which encourages the subject of the song to move on from a past relationship. The lyrics suggest that the person must take only what they need to survive and leave everything else behind. The line "You better grab it fast" emphasizes the urgency of moving on from the relationship. The second verse suggests that the person's past love and everything associated with it is being left behind and will soon be forgotten. The line "Your lover who just walked out the door is standing in the clothes that you once wore" symbolizes the idea that the past love is not a real part of the person's life anymore.


The third verse implies that the person should forget about the past and embrace the future. The line "Leave your stepping stones behind, there's something that calls for you" suggests that there is something greater waiting for the person in the future. The fourth verse suggests that the person is being beckoned by a vagabond who is also wearing the clothes of the past love. This symbolizes the idea of the person leaving the past behind and moving on to new experiences.


Overall, the lyrics of "Baby Blue" encourage the listener to move on from a past relationship and embrace the future. The song speaks to the universal experience of heartbreak and encourages the listener to seize the opportunity for a better life.


Line by Line Meaning

You must leave now, take what you need You think will last
It's time for you to go, take only what you believe is valuable and will stay with you


But whatever you wish to keep You better grab it fast
Anything you want to keep, you should take quickly before it's too late


Yonder stands your orphan with his gun Crying like a fire in the sun
In the distance, your abandoned child is holding a gun and crying intensely


Strike another match, go start anew It's all over now, Baby Blue
Light a new fire, start fresh, because it's all finished now, Baby Blue


All your seasick sailors They are rowing home And all your empty handed armies They are going home
All the sick sailors and unproductive soldiers are heading back to their familiar places


Your lover who just walked out the door Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
Your former partner who just left you is wearing clothes that you previously owned


The carpet, too, is moving under you It's all over now, Baby Blue
Even the ground under your feet is shifting and changing, signifying that it's all done now, Baby Blue


Leave your stepping stones behind There's something that calls for you Forget the dead you've left They will not follow you
Abandon your past, as there's a new calling for you, don't dwell on those who have passed, they won't follow you


Your vagabond who's rapping at your door Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
The wanderer who's knocking on your door is wearing clothes that you used to wear


The sky, too, is falling over you It's all over now, Baby Blue
Even the sky is coming down on you, which indicates that it's all done now, Baby Blue




Contributed by Nicholas I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Aaron Abarca

You must leave now take what you need you think will last
But whatever you wish to keep you better grab it fast
Yonder stands your orphan with his gun
Crying like a fire in the sun
Strike another match, go start anew
It's all over now, Baby Blue

All your seasick sailors they are rowing home
And all your empty handed armies they are going home
Your love who just walked out the door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
The carpet too is moving under you
It's all over now, Baby Blue

Leave your stepping stones behind there's something that calls for you
Forget the dead you've left, they will not follow you
Your vagabond who's rapping at your door
Is standing in the clothes that you once wore
The sky too is falling over you
It's all over now, Baby Blue



All comments from YouTube:

Uncommon Media

There are many great versions of this song but this is just on another level. It sounds beautiful and bittersweet…like a current of sadness runs through it that aren’t in other versions

tezzasmif

I think Van's version conveys a fair bit of sadness too but yes Elevators even more

samovargas

RIP Roky Erickson, who defined early psychedelia and briefly found infinity though the raw power of distortion and enough LSD to melt 100 minds. Who turned reverb into a wall of walloping gnarled beauty and sang with a lost wail that will keep echoing -- to remain forever missed. - otto bon Biz Markie

kimberly owen

Propper.... 🙌💞💞

Douglas Taylor

I pray his soul found peace!

kollo duke

Imagine the band now upstairs with rocky , janis , moon, lemmy , jeff buckley .etc ...lol

HamSandwich09

It's amazing how Dylan wrote a song that would sound good no matter who played it. But this is just ridiculously amazing.

Daffy Duck

…as long as it wasn’t him

Priscilla Craft

I love this version. It’s beautiful and sad. ❤️

Marcus B. Goode

Bob Dylan has been quoted saying that this is his favorite version of this song ever recorded. Pretty big praise coming from the man who wrote the song. R.I.P. Roky, your music means more to us than words could ever express...

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