Million Holes in Heaven
Amy Cook Lyrics
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We went flying down that highway.
I tried to memorize the way that you looked;
You were clutching a tall boy.
Cold gin was sweating clear through that worn-out paper sack
I got to thinking that maybe once you get this way you can never go back
And the sky above us is impossibly black,
What’s that you’d say about those stars as you wake me from my dreaming?
It’s like a million holes in heaven…
Through the speakers in that old truck
AM radio is playing,
We sing along with the windows rolled down
Until the singing turns to swaying.
The thunder storm comes rolling in,
Reminding you of everyone you’ve ever loved -
That exploding silver lining.
And the sky above is impossibly cracked,
As we stand out on the front porch watching the bolts cut the black.
What’s that you’d say to me love, as we’d start out at that lighting?
There are a million holes in heaven…
As I stare out at the city the streetlights stole the stars,
The crickets in the wind were taken by the sound of cars,
As I lie in my apartment and I wonder where you are…
There are a million holes in my heart.
You will drink the moonshine and I will drown in the sunshine
You will drink the moonshine and I’ll drown in the sunshine
You’ll be drinking moonshine and I’ll be drowning in the sunshine
You will drink the moonshine and I will drown in the sunshine
You’ll be drinking moonshine and I’ll be drowning in the sunshine
And I just hope you’ll think of me sometimes,
I hope you’ll think of me sometimes.
Come on and drink the moonshine…
The overall theme of Amy Cook's "Million Holes in Heaven" is nostalgia for a past love and memories of driving through the desert with that person. The song sets a peaceful and contemplative mood, inviting the listener to imagine what it would be like to experience a love that feels as vast and unchanging as the desert landscape. The first verse describes the singers driving down a highway in the desert, sharing a beer ("tall boy") while listening to AM radio. The singer reflects that "maybe once you get this way you can never go back," suggesting that this moment is both special and fleeting. In the second verse, the thunderstorm serves as a metaphor for the intensity of emotions experienced while in love.
The chorus then shifts the focus to the stars in the sky, representing the infinite number of possibilities a relationship can hold. The phrase "million holes in heaven" suggests the idea of a vast and complex universe, where each star represents a new opportunity or chance encounter. The third verse then brings the listener back to reality, where the city streets block out the stars and crickets are drowned out by the sound of cars. The singer longs for their past love and imagines them indulging in moonshine while they themselves are drowning in the light of the sun. The final lines express the singer's hope that their past love remembers them, even as they move on with their life.
Line by Line Meaning
In the desert, outside Norfolk,
We were driving down a highway in a desert area outside Norfolk.
We went flying down that highway.
We were driving very fast on the highway.
I tried to memorize the way that you looked;
I was trying hard to remember how you looked.
You were clutching a tall boy.
You had a tall alcoholic drink in your hand.
Cold gin was sweating clear through that worn-out paper sack
The cold gin was condensing and forming droplets on the outside of a paper bag that was worn out.
I got to thinking that maybe once you get this way you can never go back
I was contemplating that maybe once a person becomes accustomed to a certain way of life, it becomes difficult to return to their previous lifestyle.
And the sky above us is impossibly black,
The sky above us is extremely dark and without any visibility of the stars.
As we lie down on the desert on our back.
We were laying down on our backs on the desert.
What’s that you’d say about those stars as you wake me from my dreaming?
You said something to me about the stars as you woke me up from my sleep.
It’s like a million holes in heaven…
The sky looks like it has so many tiny holes that we can see through to another world.
Through the speakers in that old truck
The AM radio in the old truck started playing.
AM radio is playing,
We were listening to an AM radio station.
We sing along with the windows rolled down
We were singing along with the music while also having the windows opened.
Until the singing turns to swaying.
Gradually, our singing turned into swaying to the music.
The thunder storm comes rolling in,
A thunderstorm was approaching.
Reminding you of everyone you’ve ever loved -
This thunderstorm reminded you of all the people you have ever loved and lost.
That exploding silver lining.
The thunderstorm had a silver lining that was very beautiful and powerful.
And the sky above is impossibly cracked,
The sky above us looked like it was cracked and the thunderstorm made it even more apparent.
As we stand out on the front porch watching the bolts cut the black.
We were standing on the front porch watching the thunder strike through the darkness.
What’s that you’d say to me love, as we’d start out at that lighting?
You said something to me when we watched the lightning striking.
There are a million holes in heaven…
The sky, during the thunderstorm, had so many bright spots that could be considered holes leading to another world.
As I stare out at the city the streetlights stole the stars,
As I looked at the cityscape I realised that I could not see the stars anymore because of the streetlights.
The crickets in the wind were taken by the sound of cars,
The chirping of crickets we could hear through the wind was being drowned out by the sounds of cars.
As I lie in my apartment and I wonder where you are…
As I lay in my apartment, I found myself wondering about your whereabouts.
There are a million holes in my heart.
I feel like I have several large voids in my heart, where I miss and long for your presence.
You will drink the moonshine and I will drown in the sunshine
You will be enjoying the good things (moonshine) while I will be stuck in a tough situation (sunshine).
And I just hope you’ll think of me sometimes,
I hope that you will remember me occasionally and think about the good times we had together.
Come on and drink the moonshine…
Just enjoy the good things in life and don't worry about me, have some moonshine and relax.
Contributed by Adrian R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.