Adam Barnes is an Oxford born songwriter and performer, currently residing … Read Full Bio ↴Adam Barnes is an Oxford born songwriter and performer, currently residing in the countryside that surrounds the city. He is a folk artist; a haunting songwriter and an honest performer waiting for some more people to take a step back and listen in.

The 24-year-old singer took his first steps into then world of singer-song writing in 2010, with support slots for both William Fitzsimmons and Slow Club. Adam Barnes spent a summer recording a debut E.P entitled ‘Blisters’. What was to follow would project him to the heights of mountainous ranges in the Americas, the depths of lakes in the Alps and obscurities of Supermarkets in Wycombe. With an increasing reputation of allowing any space to become a feasible area for a performance, Adam Barnes endeavours to instil his charmingly presented folk songs to as many people as possible. Having since released his debut album 'The Land, The Sea & Everything Lost Beneath' and recent E.P ' One Day We'll Be Fine', he has accumulated over 3 million plays on Spotify worldwide to date.

What was to follow would project him to the heights of mountainous ranges in the Americas, the depths of lakes in the Alps and obscurities of Supermarkets in Wycombe. With an increasing reputation of allowing any space to become a feasible area for a performance, Adam Barnes endeavours to instil his charmingly presented folk songs to as many people as possible.. before being asked to leave.

With the natural ability to capture the emotional sentiment within a song, to twist and perceive lyrics to compliment his melodies, and give you the opportunity to fall in love with well written music, at such a young age still you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking this man is telling you stories beyond his years.

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Procession
Adam Barnes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You tied me to a chair and sailed me out to sea
Left me sinking in the ocean as the sharks circle me
Distance shadows 'neath my feet
Faded images and dreams

I woke up to a cool and sweat, the beads ran down my face
Painting pictures in the pillow as I turned so many ways
I wonder if it stops, if i finally saw the face I know

Lust has got me fallin' uncontrollable disease
My head in fully satisfied, my heart is never pleased
I'm fed up with the girls that just keep falling to their knees

'Cause envy is too curious, It's boldness never wins
Leaving murders in the corridors and bodies in the bins
I'm not sure if this jel will keep these feelings in

I hear death is very distant, it's agony's dispair
And the several homeless tissues can never really cure
The tears from the eyes of a funeral procession

So, I'm fighting with a wooden leg
A chair still floats beneath
Keeping hope inside it's cradle
As it's swaying in the wind
Distant lullabys are heard
As my mother slowly sings me back to sleep

I'm sorry but Pandora dear you'll see what you have done
And example of self sacrifice, I guess you finally won
If you close the box for good, you'll never get me back
I'm gone

So, she sits beside my chair tonight trying desperatly to dream
Her hands can only stop my sinking memories
I bet she never knew this box could never stop to dream
I bet she never knew that it would kill me in my sleep
I bet she never knew that these nightmares and their finally hers to keep

And I hear death is very instant
The body's in despair

And the family will follow as I'm lowered in the air
The tears from the eyes of the funeral concession

Overall Meaning

The song "Procession" by Adam Barnes tells a story of a relationship that has gone sour, leaving the singer feeling lost and floating adrift in the sea. The opening lines describe a violent abandonment, where the partner has tied the singer to a chair and set them adrift on the ocean. The imagery of the singer sinking with sharks circling them is a metaphor for the feeling of being consumed by negative emotions. The following lines describe the singer's sense of distance and faded images and dreams, a reflection of the stress and trauma they are experiencing.

The second verse continues with a description of the singer's internal battle. Despite feeling "fallin' uncontrollable disease," their head is never satisfied, and their heart is never pleased. They are fed up with the women who keep falling to their knees, a reference to the shallow relationships that have left them feeling empty. Envy is too curious; boldness never wins, and the singer is uncertain whether their jealousy will keep their feelings in check.

The final verse paints a picture of the singer's final moments. They are fighting with a wooden leg, indicating the physical toll the relationship has taken on them. They are holding onto hope, but their mother's distant lullabies remind them of the comfort they no longer have. The song concludes with a reference to the story of Pandora's Box, with the singer feeling that the box is no longer able to be closed. The funeral procession at the end is a metaphor for the end of the relationship and the sadness it caused.

Line by Line Meaning

You tied me to a chair and sailed me out to sea
You left me stranded in isolation, with no control over my fate

Left me sinking in the ocean as the sharks circle me
Abandoned to my fate, with danger lurking on all sides

Distance shadows 'neath my feet
Only vague, unclear images remain from the past

Faded images and dreams
Memories and desires are gradually disappearing

I woke up to a cool and sweat, the beads ran down my face
Roused from sleep by overwhelming anxiety and fear

Painting pictures in the pillow as I turned so many ways
Tossing and turning, helplessly trying to escape my thoughts

I wonder if it stops, if i finally saw the face I know
Imagining an end to the torment, if only I could find a way to face reality

Lust has got me fallin' uncontrollable disease
Overwhelming desire is consuming me, a sickness I can't seem to shake

My head in fully satisfied, my heart is never pleased
My mind is gratified, but my emotions remain unsatisfied

I'm fed up with the girls that just keep falling to their knees
I'm tired of shallow relationships, where passion is the only connection

'Cause envy is too curious, It's boldness never wins
Jealousy only leads to self-destruction, never to triumph

Leaving murders in the corridors and bodies in the bins
The aftermath of jealousy and envy is death, both literal and metaphorical

I'm not sure if this jel will keep these feelings in
I'm uncertain whether my jealousy and envy can be contained or controlled

I hear death is very distant, it's agony's dispair
The end may be far off, but the pain leading up to it is unbearable

And the several homeless tissues can never really cure
Tears may flow freely, but they don't bring true relief from pain

The tears from the eyes of a funeral procession
The sorrow that accompanies death is all-consuming

So, I'm fighting with a wooden leg
Trying to make the best of a bad situation, despite my limitations

A chair still floats beneath
A remnant of what was, providing some semblance of support

Keeping hope inside it's cradle
Trying to preserve a glimmer of optimism despite the circumstances

As it's swaying in the wind
Even in the midst of turmoil, there are moments of peace and beauty

Distant lullabys are heard
Faint echoes of comfort and safety, in the midst of chaos

As my mother slowly sings me back to sleep
Even as I struggle, I can take comfort in the love of those who care for me

I'm sorry but Pandora dear you'll see what you have done
A warning to those who blindly seek their desires, heedless of the consequences

And example of self sacrifice, I guess you finally won
A cautionary tale of the cost of seeking personal fulfillment at any cost

If you close the box for good, you'll never get me back
Once the damage is done, there's no going back

I'm gone
The consequences of our actions can be irreversible

So, she sits beside my chair tonight trying desperatly to dream
Someone who cares for me is trying to find solace and comfort, to no avail

Her hands can only stop my sinking memories
Even those who try to help us can't erase the past

I bet she never knew this box could never stop to dream
No matter how hard we try to escape, our nightmares can always catch up with us

I bet she never knew that it would kill me in my sleep
The inescapable consequences of our actions can lead to emotional destruction

I bet she never knew that these nightmares and their finally hers to keep
Harm caused by one's actions can often end up damaging others, even those who meant well

And I hear death is very instant
When the end comes, it may be swift and inescapable

The body's in despair
The finality of death can be hard to accept

And the family will follow as I'm lowered in the air
Death is not only a personal tragedy, but affects those left behind

The tears from the eyes of the funeral concession
Grief and sorrow are unavoidable after death

Contributed by Zoe D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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