You Want That Picture
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics
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did you stand very still and did tears come falling?
O you want that picture don't you darling
of poor little me standing there bawling?
well it's true that I cried
but then I went outside
and I stood very still in the night
and knew someday I'd die
and then everything would be all right
it's all right
and everything comes
down to this
that everything there ever was
or will be
is all there is
Where did you go once you'd wrote me that note
was a weight lifted off of your shoulders did you fly?
O you want that picture, don't you darling
of heartless cold me
flying not falling?
well, it's true that I soared
but then I went outdoors
and I stood very still in the night
and I looked at the sky
and knew someday I'd die
and then everything would be all right
it's all right
and everything comes
down to this
that everything there ever was
or will be
is all there is
The singer in Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's song is reflecting on a past relationship and wondering what his partner did when he left. He questions whether she cried and stood very still when she saw he was gone. The singer also hints that he feels his former partner wants that picture of him being sad and crying. Despite the pain of the breakup, the singer suggests that he knows everything will be all right in the end because death is inevitable and everything that ever was or will be is all there is.
The second verse changes the focus to the partner and wonders where she went after writing a note to the singer. The singer suggests that she felt relieved and maybe even flew. He acknowledges that she wants a picture of a heartless him who is flying instead of falling. However, the singer reminds himself that death is coming for him and that acceptance of that fact will bring peace. He seems to suggest that everyone's life journey involves pain, happiness, and ultimately death, and that even though those experiences may differ significantly, the endpoint is the same.
Line by Line Meaning
What did you do when you saw that I'd gone
Did you freeze and cry, when you heard that I was gone?
did you stand very still and did tears come falling?
Did you stand motionless and let the tears fall from your eyes?
O you want that picture don't you darling
You want to capture that moment, don't you, my dearest?
of poor little me standing there bawling?
Of me, looking pitiful and crying out loud?
well it's true that I cried
It's a fact that I cried
but then I went outside
But then I stepped outside
and I stood very still in the night
And I stood very still amidst the darkness
and I looked at the sky
And I gazed up at the sky
and knew someday I'd die
And realized that someday I too will cease to exist
and then everything would be all right
And then I accepted my fate, and everything began to make sense
it's all right
Everything is as it should be
and everything comes
In the grand scheme of things,
down to this
it all comes down to this
that everything there ever was
Everything that has ever existed
or will be
Or will come to be
is all there is
Is all that there ever will be.
Where did you go once you'd wrote me that note
Where did you escape to, once you wrote me that note?
was a weight lifted off of your shoulders did you fly?
Did you feel lighter, and did you soar like a bird?
of heartless cold me
Of me, being cold and distant
flying not falling?
Did you see me as someone soaring fearlessly, not falling?
well, it's true that I soared
It's true, I took off and flew
but then I went outdoors
But then I stepped into the open
and I stood very still in the night
And I stood motionless under the night sky
and I looked at the sky
And once again, I looked at the sky
and knew someday I'd die
And I understood that I had a limited amount of time left on earth
and then everything would be all right
And once again, I found comfort in this realization
Contributed by Nicholas K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Imptheshrimp
been feeling like this
Phillip Dye
♡