Quiet Dawn
Archie Shepp Lyrics

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It's quiet dawn
And life moves on.
The time has passed,
And I've been left.
I sing a prayer,
This love we share.
Oh come, let's love
Before dawn is gone.

Think that we both met,
Not long ago
My darling
Now you say our love is growing old
Let's talk about the fun that we had
Spinning 'round our brain
Like a ((huckanee frame?))

Come dawn, don't flee.
Come back to me.
Let's try one more night,
Before dawn is gone.

Think that we both met
Not long ago
My darling.
Now you say our love is growing old.
Let's talk about the fun that we had.
It's been around my brain
Like a ((humming airplane?).
Come dawn, don't flee.
Come back to me.
Let's try one more night.
Before dawn is gone.
Quiet dawn,

Quiet dawn
Quiet dawn.

Overall Meaning

In Archie Shepp's song "Quiet Dawn", the opening verse sets the scene for the rest of the song, "It's quiet dawn, and life moves on. The time has passed and I've been left." These lines suggest a feeling of melancholy and loss, however, Shepp then brings in a positive element with the line, "I sing a prayer, this love we share". This hints towards the belief that love can heal wounds and bring hope even in difficult circumstances. Shepp then urges his lover to join him in this feeling of hope and love, "Oh come, let's love before dawn is gone". The repetition of the phrase "quiet dawn" throughout the song evokes a feeling of calmness and serenity, possibly suggesting that there is no need to hurry or rush, and that this moment of solitude could be used to reflect on the feelings of love.

The second verse continues with the theme of time passing quickly and the fear that the love between the two individuals is growing old. However, Shepp suggests that they should focus on the "fun that we had" and the joyful memories that they have shared, rather than worrying about the future. The phrase "spinning 'round our brain like a ((huckanee frame?))" is not easily decipherable, but could possibly suggest the dizzying feeling of falling in love and the memories that stay with us long after the moment has passed. Shepp once again urges his lover to join him in experiencing more moments of love and joy, "Come dawn, don't flee. Come back to me. Let's try one more night, before dawn is gone", signifying a sense of urgency to not let the opportunity for love pass them by.

Overall, the song "Quiet Dawn" is a beautiful reminder to appreciate the moments of solitude that life offers us and to focus on the love and joy that can heal us. It encourages us to treat each moment as if it were our last, to not let time pass us by without cherishing those we love.

Line by Line Meaning

It's quiet dawn
The moment of quiet dawn has arrived

And life moves on.
Life continues its forward march

The time has passed,
Time has elapsed

And I've been left.
I have been abandoned

I sing a prayer,
I offer a prayer

This love we share.
The love that unites us

Oh come, let's love
Let us express our love

Before dawn is gone.
Before we reach the end of this brief moment

Think that we both met,
Consider the fact that we only recently met

Not long ago
It wasn't too long ago

My darling
My beloved