Useless Landscape
Antonio Carlos Jobim Lyrics

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There's no use
Of a moonlight glow
Or the peaks where winter snows

What's the use of the waves that will break
In the cool of the evening
What is the evening
Without you

It's nothing

It may be
You will never come
If you never come to me
What's the use of my wonderful dreams
And why would they need me
Where would they lead me
Without you
To nowhere

Just nowhere

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Antonio Carlos Jobim's song Useless Landscape explore the theme of loss and longing for someone special. The song talks about how the beauty of nature and dreams lose their meaning and essence without the presence of that one person. The first two lines of the opening verse set the tone for the rest of the song, as Jobim sings, "There's no use of a moonlight glow or the peaks where winter snows." The subsequent lines in the verse continue to paint a picture of a world devoid of significance without his lover's love. The waves breaking in the evening, the evening itself, and dreams that seem wonderful are all pointless if his lover is not there to share them. The theme of loneliness and the desire to be with someone is beautifully captured in this melancholic song.

The chorus of the song sums up the feeling of loss and loneliness perfectly. While it may be that the lover will never come back, the singer still holds on to the hope that she will return. In the lines "What's the use of my wonderful dreams? And why would they need me? Where would they lead me without you?" we see the singer's desperation at the thought of a life without his love. For him, life is nothing without her. The final line, "Just nowhere," encapsulates the void he feels without her.

Line by Line Meaning

There's no use
No point or purpose

Of a moonlight glow
The beauty of the moon's light is meaningless

Or the peaks where winter snows
Even the grandeur of snow-capped mountains is useless

What's the use of the waves that will break
The crashing of the waves has no significance

In the cool of the evening
Evening chill doesn't matter

What is the evening
The entire evening is irrelevant

Without you
If you are not here with me

It's nothing
Everything loses its value without you

It may be
Maybe, it is a possibility

You will never come
You might never arrive

If you never come to me
If you don't come to me