Long Goodnight
Badlees Lyrics
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A letter of acceptance, from an old forgotten friend
A little piece of history, you thought you'd never see again
Like the broken Plymouth, and the boat with the hole
It was a sticky situation, and you knew you had to roll
Well you knew you had to roll
You broke your standing record, when you let her in
Like the girl from the past, and your secret tryst
You wouldn't wanna let it go, with the flick of the wrist
Well, the flick of the wrist
But it's broken, final
Leather, vinyl, die dee die…
Long good night
Well, you made it through a long good night
You were looking for a long good night
All you wanted was a long good night
Terrible trauma, and a consummate kiss
With a leap-frog lover, in a timely twist
Passionate punch-line, and a prayerful past
With a lust for lifetimes, you wonder if you would last
Wonder if you would last
Broken, final
Leather, vinyl, die dee die…
Long good night
Well, you made it through a long good night
All you wanted was a long good night
You were looking for a long good night
All you wanted was a long good night
Well, you made it through a long good night
All you wanted was a long good night
You were looking for a long good night
Die die die
Broken, final
Leather, vinyl, die dee die…
Long good night
Well, you made it through a long good night
You were looking for a long good night
All you wanted was a long good night
You were waiting for a long good night
Well, you made it through a long good night
You were looking for a long good night
All you wanted was a long good night
The Badlees’ song “Long Goodnight” tells the story of someone who receives a letter of acceptance from an old friend and is suddenly taken back to memories of the past. The song is full of metaphors and cryptic references, but the general feeling of nostalgia and the passage of time lingers throughout. The lyrics paint a picture of broken dreams and situations, and the need to move on.
The singer in the song seems to be struggling with letting go of the past, whether it’s a secret tryst or a historic piece of either personal or global history. The reference to the broken Plymouth and the boat with a hole reinforce the idea of things that were once valuable and cherished, but now are of little use or value. The song’s message is both sad and hopeful as it acknowledges the pain of letting go but also the need to move on and start anew.
Throughout the song, the use of imagery and metaphor is expertly crafted. Lines such as “a finger under your conscience, pullin' at your skin” and “passionate punch-line, and a prayerful past” create vivid images that leave the listener questioning their meaning. The repetition of “Leather, vinyl, die dee die…” and “Long good night” throughout the song also reinforces the themes of nostalgia and the passage of time, while the haunting refrain of “you made it through a long good night” adds a sense of hope and triumph over past hurts.
Overall, “Long Goodnight” is a poignant song about acceptance, letting go, and moving on. It’s a song that will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss, heartbreak, or change in their lives.
Line by Line Meaning
A letter of acceptance, from an old forgotten friend
Receiving a letter of acceptance from an old forgotten friend reminds you of lost memories
A little piece of history, you thought you'd never see again
Getting this letter brings back a piece of your past that you thought you would never see again
Like the broken Plymouth, and the boat with the hole
The broken Plymouth and boat with a hole remind you of previous sticky situations in which you had to persevere through
It was a sticky situation, and you knew you had to roll
The past difficult situations serve as a reminder that you need to be flexible and roll with the punches
Well you knew you had to roll
Even though difficult situations can be daunting, you know you must keep moving forward
A finger under your conscience, pullin' at your skin
Your conscience is nagging at you and causing you to feel uneasy
You broke your standing record, when you let her in
You have made a decision that deviates from your usual behavior by letting someone in
Like the girl from the past, and your secret tryst
Similar to a past relationship, you now have a secret fling that threatens to come to light
You wouldn't wanna let it go, with the flick of the wrist
You don't want to end the relationship so quickly and easily
But it's broken, final
Despite your reluctance to end the relationship, it has reached its final breaking point
Leather, vinyl, die dee die…
This refrain emphasizes a sense of finality, suggesting that things have come to an end
Long good night
This phrase indicates a goodbye, a farewell to what has ended
Well, you made it through a long good night
You survived the goodbye and are still standing after it's all over
All you wanted was a long good night
The end was a relief for you and what you desired
Terrible trauma, and a consummate kiss
Memories of a traumatic event and a passionate kiss are brought back to mind
With a leap-frog lover, in a timely twist
The affair was unexpected, with a partner who was new and unpredictable
Passionate punch-line, and a prayerful past
The affair had a great impact and was a significant moment in your past, worthy of reflection
With a lust for lifetimes, you wonder if you would last
Despite the passion of the affair, you wonder if it would be able to last forever
Die die die
This is a repetitive refrain that again emphasizes finality and the end of something
You were waiting for a long good night
You had been anticipating the end, waiting for it to come
Contributed by Savannah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.