Her 2006 debut album "Stages of the Sun" consists of all original material that she wrote (some with her father) between the ages of 11 and 14. Produced by Grammy winner, Steve Hodge.
half return
AdriAnne Lenker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every other step, there's a cross-eyed crow
Half return, half return
Minneapolis soft white snow
Thirty five bridge, hometown
Half return, half return
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The house is white and the lawn is dead
Illinois toll road, Indiana plain
Roll the windows down, shoot out the change
Half return, half return
Honey in your mouth when you gave me my name
Tears in your eyes when you pull it like a chain
Half return, half return
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The house is white and the lawn is dead
The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead
Half return, half return
Dusty swing set, plastic slide
Push me up and down, take me for a ride
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The house is white and the lawn is dead
The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead
The song "Half Return" by Adrianne Lenker is a reflection on the feeling of nostalgia and the longing for home. The opening line, "Shadow, shadow what a show," creates an image of something that is not quite real, something like a mirage. The following line, "Every other step, there's a cross-eyed crow," adds to this surreal atmosphere. The crow, a symbol of death and mystery, is cross-eyed, which suggests that it is not quite what it seems.
The repetition of "Half return, half return" creates a sense of being caught between two worlds, between the present and the past, between the real and the imaginary. The reference to "Minneapolis soft white snow" and "Thirty five bridge, hometown" reinforces this idea of longing for the comforts of home. The image of standing in the yard, dressed like a kid, suggests a desire to return to a simpler time, a time when things were uncomplicated and easy.
The song also touches on themes of loss and grief. The line "The house is white and the lawn is dead" is a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The repetition of "The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead" further emphasizes the finality of loss.
Overall, "Half Return" is a poignant reflection on the complexity of human emotions and our longing for a sense of belonging, rootedness, and nostalgia.
Line by Line Meaning
Shadow, shadow what a show
The singer observes how the shadow is being cast and is fascinated with the sight.
Every other step, there's a cross-eyed crow
The singer notices a crow that shows a physical disability, emphasizing the idea that something is off.
Half return, half return
The singer feels a sense of ambivalence; they are both leaving and returning.
Minneapolis soft white snow
The artist describes the snow in Minneapolis as soft and white, setting the tone for a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
Thirty five bridge, hometown
The artist provides a specific location of the place they are leaving/returning to, their hometown.
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The singer is portraying themselves as childish and nostalgic, reminiscing old memories.
The house is white and the lawn is dead
The singer describes the physical state of their home environment; the house is white but the lawn is dead, amplifying the sense of longing for the past.
Illinois toll road, Indiana plain
The artist is describing their journey, passing through different terrains and states on their way to their hometown.
Roll the windows down, shoot out the change
The artist is enjoying the experience of being in a car, letting the wind hit their face and shooting coins out of the window.
Honey in your mouth when you didn't even eat
The artist is describing the taste of longing/sentimentality in their mouth despite not having anything to eat.
Tears in your eyes when you pull it like a chain
The singer is experiencing an emotional/mental blockage that causes them to feel tears in their eyes and a sense of heaviness in their heart.
Dusty swing set, plastic slide
The artist portrays the scenescape which makes them remember their childhood; a dusty swing set and a plastic slide.
Push me up and down, take me for a ride
The singer wants to relive moments of their childhood and is asking for someone to push them up and down on the swing set.
The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead
The singer repeats the line to emphasize their homesickness and longing for their past memories in their hometown.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Adrianne Elizabeth Lenker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Mhmmhmmm
Shadow, shadow what a show
Every other step, there's a cross-eyed crow
Half return, half return
Minneapolis soft white snow
Thirty five bridge, hometown
Half return, half return
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The house is white and the lawn is dead
The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead
Illinois toll road, Indiana plain
Roll the windows down, shoot out the change
Half return, half return
Honey in your mouth when you gave me my name
Tears in your eyes when you pull it like a chain
Half return, half return
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The house is white and the lawn is dead
The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead
Half return, half return
Dusty swing set, plastic slide
Push me up and down, take me for a ride
Standing in the yard, dressed like a kid
The house is white and the lawn is dead
The lawn is dead, the lawn is dead
@liaarakal2130
absolute banger if i saw this live i would've started a mosh pit
@thompyle7636
Deadass it's so headbangable
@NITEBEARR
the lawn is dead
@swthrhschristodoulou8225
HONEY IN YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU GAVE ME MY NAME. TEARS IN YOUR EYES WHEN YOU PULLED IT LIKE A STRING.
@augustus0002
Pull it like a chain* 😆
@greg4change
If heaven exists, the notes that fall from above....the whole album.
@escape5737
WHEN I SEE YOU I SWEAR THERE'S NOTHING THAT I COULD SAY
@mcthuggus
https://youtu.be/M--MD_wGfTQ
@wednesdaygrey6978
SESH 💀
@slicepaperwrists
TeamSETH