Then Came the Last Days of May
Blue Lyrics


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Parched land no desert sand, sun is just a dot
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughin' and smoking
In the back of a rented Ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far

Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all held the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far

Sky's bright, the traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They brought everything they needed
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff

It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been laid?

They're okay the last days of May, but I'll be breathin' dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there (all there)




You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here?
It's said the West is nice this time of year, that's what they say

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of the song "Then Came the Last Days of May" by Blue Öyster Cult tells the story of three friends who decide to go on a road trip to buy themselves a brand new car. The song paints a vivid picture of the sun-scorched desert and the three buddies driving in the back of a rented Ford. They are excited about their trip, smoking and laughing as they go.


As the song progresses, the trio seems to be getting closer to their destination, and they have all the equipment that they need to buy the car. However, the car suddenly stops in the middle of a cold and barren plain, and the driver tells the other two that the border is just over the bluff, but it's too late as they are trapped in a deadly ambush. Another guy turns and spills, and there is blood everywhere. The last days of May were good, but they didn't realize they wouldn't live to see the summer.


The song showcases the dangers of trusting strangers and the impact of desperation, greed, and naivety can have on a person's life. The lyrics also suggest that sometimes, no matter how good things seem, danger can lurk just around the corner, and our lives can change in a split second.


Line by Line Meaning

Parched land, no desert sand
The land is dry and barren like a desert


The sun is just a dot
The sun is so hot and intense that it appears small and insignificant


And a little bit of water goes a long way 'cause it's hot it's hot
There's a severe shortage of water, making every drop of it precious and invaluable


Three good buddies were laughin' and smokin'
Three friends were enjoying each other's company while smoking cigarettes


In the back of a rented Ford
They were riding in a rented car


They couldn't know they weren't going far
They assumed that they were going to travel a long distance


Each one with the money in his pocket
All of them had brought their savings with them


To go out and buy himself a brand new car
They had planned to use the money to buy cars


But they all held the money they had
They were saving the money for a brighter future


Money they hoped would take them very far
They were hoping to use the money for their personal progress in life


Sky's bright, the traffic light
The sky is clear and the traffic lights are working properly


Now and then a truck
Occasionally, a truck would pass by


And they hadn't seen a cop around all day what luck
They were happy that the police weren't around to check on them


They brought everything they needed
They had brought along all the necessary equipments


Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
They had brought along bags and scales to weigh their belongings


The driver said, "The border's just over the bluff"
The driver was confident that they would soon reach their destination


Wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
They were forced to stop their car unexpectedly


In the middle of a cold and barren plain
They were stranded in a desolate, icy landscape


And the other guy turned and spilled
One of the guys suddenly revealed something important


Three boys blood did they know a trap had been laid?
After being betrayed by someone, did they realize that they had fallen into a trap?


They're OK the last days of May
They were comfortable during the last days of May


But I'll be breathin' dry air
The singer will be experiencing a harsh and dry environment


I'm leaving soon
The singer intends to leave the desolate area soon


The others are already there all there
The others have already made it to their destination


Wouldn't be interested in coming along
The singer is not interested in joining them


Instead of staying here?
The singer is questioning the futility of their current situation


Its said the West is nice this time of year
The singer has heard that the western region is pleasant to visit at this time of the year


That's what they say
The singer is expressing doubt about the claims that he has heard




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Donald Roeser

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@neilparnell5712

Your taste is impeccable Tbone sir.
Secret Treaties, Tyranny and Mutation, Blue Oyster Cult = the 3 best albums with the 3 best album covers.
The Holy Trinity of B.O.C.

Definitely are other ''good'' albums, but for me these 3 were the absolute zenith of their work.



Reply



@Queerienlannister

"Then Came The Last Days Of May"

Parched land no desert sand, sun was just a dot
And a little bit of water goes a long way, 'cause it's hot
Three good buddies were laughing and smoking in the back
Of a rented ford
They couldn't know they weren't going far

Each one with the money in his pocket
Could go out and buy himself a brand new car
But they all had the money they had
Money they hoped would take them very far

The sky was bright, a traffic light, now and then a truck
And they hadn't seen a cop around all day (what luck)
They brought everything they needed
Bags and scales to weigh the stuff
The driver said the border's just over the bluff

It wasn't until the car suddenly stopped
In the middle of a cold and barren place
And the other guy turned and spilled
Three boys blood, did they know a trap had been lain?

They're ok the last days of may, I'll be breathing dry air
I'm leaving soon, the others are already there
You wouldn't be interested in coming along, instead of staying here
They say the west is nice this time of year, that's what they say



All comments from YouTube:

@cuttlefisch

A criminally underrated song.

@franciscoronaldotovarperez6709

I think the same, but 9 years later. Fun fact, I was 10 when you wrote this

@stephenconnors6848

The live version simply kicks ass.

@jorjoglou7818

made by a criminally underrated band in my opinion

@astroturf2957

@@franciscoronaldotovarperez6709 bruh I was 4 when he wrote this

@davidpalmer963

@@astroturf2957 : One of the best Tunes Ever. Ive been learning the chords on my STRAT.

30 More Replies...

@zoey__m

25/5/23
These are the last days of this May and I have this tradition in my head, to "celebrate" them by listening to this hymn of late spring. So, I'm once again here, as I've been doing for some years now.

To even more last days of May! 🎉🥂✨

@Psigrou22

Been doing the same since I discovered that song two years ago!

@dantheman4life

I will follow your tradition as the last days of May (25th) is my birthday. Keep playing this classic, ladies, and gentlemen!

@bacon-eatingpenguin8826

Easily the most underrated band, can't believe no ones considered them for the rock and roll hall of fame.

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