Harlem Nocturne
Bunker Fongheiser Pierce Piltch Lyrics
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Lately I've been alive
Cause I found my reason in nothing
So I won't close my eyes
Cause I don't want to miss one second
And I don't want to feel so cold
And I don't want to be so sad that we are who we are
Cause we had no control
But only by the night
Will we ever make headlines
Will we ever make things right
When we've only ourselves to blame
When we've only ourselves to blame
So I won't sleep
No more
No I won't sleep
No more
I won't sleep
No more
No DMT will stop me
Dream
No more
So get this doubt out of my head
It's only real if you let it
And I've been letting go of my ghosts
I'll never let them catch me no more
But these words are all I have
So I'll just keep dreaming out loud
And if I just keep talking
Maybe I'll figure all this out
But only by the night
Will we ever make headlines
Will we ever make things right
When we've only ourselves to blame
When we've only ourselves to blame
So I won't sleep
No more
No I won't sleep
No more
No I won't sleep
I always thought that there'd be more than just wishing
No more
Like i could always
No DMT will stop me
Figure it out and never have to abandon what's in-front of me
Dream
No more
In Bunker Fongheiser Pierce Piltch's song Harlem Nocturne, the lyrics talk about the singer's recent realization that despite feeling like they have no purpose, they don't want to miss a single moment of life. They don't want to be sad about the uncontrollable circumstances of their lives, and so they choose to keep their eyes wide open and stay awake as long as possible. They acknowledge that it's only at night that they can make headway in their life and make things right, but that ultimately they are responsible for their own actions and choices.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of letting go of past trauma and not allowing them to haunt and define us. The singer wants to dream out loud and talk through their issues to figure things out, hoping that by doing so they will eventually find clarity and happiness. The use of the phrase "No DMT will stop me" suggests that the singer refuses to allow any barriers or obstacles to hold them back from their dreams and goals.
Line by Line Meaning
So I've been thinking 'bout something
I have been pondering over something that has been on my mind
Lately I've been alive
Recently, I have been feeling truly alive and present
Cause I found my reason in nothing
My purpose in life seems to come from nothing in particular
So I won't close my eyes
I want to stay awake and not miss a single moment of life
Cause I don't want to miss one second
I fear that if I close my eyes, I will lose out on an important experience
And I don't want to feel so cold
I do not want to feel disconnected or indifferent to the world
And I don't want to be so sad that we are who we are
I do not want to become so hopeless that I accept things as they are without trying to change them
Cause we had no control
We are powerless over certain aspects of life
But only by the night
It is only in the darkness of night
Will we ever make headlines
That we will make a significant impact or achieve recognition
Will we ever make things right
Can we ever fix the things we have done wrong
When we've only ourselves to blame
When we are the ones responsible for our own mistakes
So I won't sleep
I will stay awake and alert
No more
I will not let myself become lethargic or unmotivated
No I won't sleep
I am determined to remain conscious
No DMT will stop me
Even the powerful psychedelic drug DMT will not make me lose consciousness
Dream
I will keep my mind active and imagining
No more
I will not let myself slip into unconsciousness or fatigue
So get this doubt out of my head
I need to rid myself of these uncertainties that are affecting my thoughts
It's only real if you let it
Things can only happen and be realized if you believe in them
And I've been letting go of my ghosts
I have been releasing my past traumas and regrets
I'll never let them catch me no more
I will not allow my past to control or affect me any longer
But these words are all I have
My only outlet and expression comes from these words
So I'll just keep dreaming out loud
I will continue to let my thoughts and imagination flow freely
And if I just keep talking
Perhaps, if I keep vocalizing my thoughts aloud
Maybe I'll figure all this out
I might eventually come to understand or find clarity on these matters
No I won't sleep
I will stay alert and energized
I always thought that there'd be more than just wishing
I believed that there would be more to life than merely dreaming or hoping for something
Like i could always
As if I could always
Figure it out and never have to abandon what's in-front of me
That I could solve any problem and not have to give up on anything that I can see ahead of me
Dream
I will continue to imagine and dream
No more
But I will not let my dreams lull me to sleep or make me lose focus
Contributed by Josiah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ogjacob216
My grandma is 92, passing away and can no longer speak. She told me that this was her favorite song the last time we talked 💔
@michellemoffett9458
My neighbor upstairs just played this and I absolutely love it. I've heard it before in the past and never knew what it was. Even ice skaters have skated to this song.
I held my tablet up to the window and Google gave me the title of the song by the melody my neighbor was playing. Awesome piece of music!
@siukong
Love that we have this ability now with technology. So many times in the past I would hear a song out in public somewhere and never be able to track it down. If I was lucky I might remember a snippet of lyric to search online when I got home. Nowadays you can easily search with stuff like Shazam, or if you're lucky you can even just hum part of a song into your phone and get the right result.
@michellemoffett9458
@@siukong Yes technology is so nice! I had to hum a song not too long ago that my tablet picked up. I remember the old days when I liked a song that I didn't know the title and I'd listen to any words I could and I'd go in the cassette store and look for song titles that would resemble something they were singing. I knew the band so that helped. I did find what I was looking for it was Depeche Mode's song Halo.
@hectorrodriquez3182
You have good taste in music im 45 years old remeber my dad a zoot suiter in his 64 impala playing this ,
@MikeMc442
A brilliant cross of classic jazz and surf rock. One of the most overlooked classics of the '60s.
@finntastique3891
You, Sir hit the nail on the head, I tried to define it myself, but your analysis is what I was looking for.
@ronmitchell5597
Not overlooked by me!
@Squee_Dow
@Mike McCann
Well defined. If I could add one thing -- a very sexy song. As another has said, it hasn't been overlooked by me.
P.S. BTW, it wasn't a movie that brought me here. I'm fortunate to have been born to the era when this first hit the airwaves and to have danced to it for years.
@timothythorne9464
This is a timeless piece of music that suavely drifts between jazz night clubs and rock and roll. Just sensational.
First released in December 1959; made Cashbox Top 40. Released again in December 1965 whereby it reached the Billboard Top 40 then.