Indian Summer
Al Stewart Lyrics
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The souvenir sellers are moving on
Like summer lovers
Indian summer
The earth is cracked beneath the midday sun
You've dragged your shadow round these streets too long
There is no cover
Come stay, we'll live gazebo lives
Right here in our Arabian Nights
Until the Northern Lights cross the sky
There is no other
Indian summer, the storm that drove you here is far behind
What keeps you waiting on this beach tonight
It's long been over
Come stay, we'll live gazebo lives
And let the world outside pass us by
Right here in our Arabian Nights
Until the Northern Lights cross the sky
There is no other
Come stay
Right here
The song "Indian Summer" by Al Stewart is about the fleeting nature of life and the desire to escape the hustle and bustle of the world. The opening lines of the song describe a deserted town in the aftermath of summer, with the souvenir sellers moving on and the crowds gone. The idea of "Indian summer" as a metaphor for the passing of time and the beauty of life is emphasized in the chorus, with its reference to the temporary nature of summer lovers. The singer of the song is looking for shelter from the heat and chaos of the world, and invites someone to join him in a peaceful existence in the shade of a gazebo. The reference to Arabian Nights gives the impression of a dreamlike oasis outside of time and place, where the world outside can be forgotten.
The verses of the song suggest a longing for a simpler existence while acknowledging the impossibility of truly escaping from the world. The image of the earth cracking beneath the sun is a reminder of the harshness of reality, and the idea of dragging one's shadow around is a metaphor for the inescapable burden of one's own identity. The storm that drove the singer to the beach is far behind, but the memory of it lingers as a reminder of the inevitable return to the world outside.
Overall, "Indian Summer" is a bittersweet tribute to the transience of life and the desire for a temporary escape from it. The imagery and language of the song suggest both the beauty and the longing of such a desire.
Line by Line Meaning
Indian summer, the shops are shuttered and the crowds are gone
Summer has come to an end and the shops and crowds that characterized it have disappeared
The souvenir sellers are moving on
The businesses that profited from summer are now closing down and leaving town
Like summer lovers
The souvenir sellers have a temporary relationship with the town, much like summer lovers
Indian summer
A continuation of the metaphorical summer theme, with autumn weather that is still warm and exotic
The earth is cracked beneath the midday sun
The heat of the sun has dried the earth and caused cracks to appear
You've dragged your shadow round these streets too long
The person being addressed has been wandering the streets with their shadow for an extended period of time
There is no cover
There is no shade or protection from the sun's rays
Come stay, we'll live gazebo lives
The singer is inviting the person being addressed to stay and live leisurely under the shelter of a gazebo
And let the world outside pass us by
The gazebo would provide a place to escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world
Right here in our Arabian Nights
The gazebo life would be reminiscent of the exotic tales found in Arabian Nights
Until the Northern Lights cross the sky
The experience in the gazebo would be so captivating that the person may not want to leave even after nightfall when the Northern Lights appear in the sky
There is no other
The experience being offered of living leisurely under a gazebo is unmissable and incomparable to other activities
Indian summer, the storm that drove you here is far behind
The person being addressed arrived in this town due to a tumultuous event, but that is now in the past and the pleasant Indian summer weather has replaced it
What keeps you waiting on this beach tonight
The singer is questioning why the person being addressed is still lingering on the beach, and inviting them to join in the gazebo life instead
It's long been over
Whatever was holding the person being addressed on the beach is finished and they are free to join in the invitation to live under the gazebo
Come stay, we'll live gazebo lives
The singer reiterates the invitation to live leisurely under the gazebo
And let the world outside pass us by
The gazebo would provide a place to escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world
Right here in our Arabian Nights
The gazebo life would be reminiscent of the exotic tales found in Arabian Nights
Until the Northern Lights cross the sky
The experience in the gazebo would be so captivating that the person may not want to leave even after nightfall when the Northern Lights appear in the sky
There is no other
The experience being offered of living leisurely under a gazebo is unmissable and incomparable to other activities
Come stay
The singer concludes with a final invitation to stay and live leisurely under the gazebo
Right here
The place in question is right here
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC, Spirit Music Group, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN C STEWART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind