Empty Chairs
Don McLean Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning | Line by Line Meaning

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright
Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane
Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go


Until you did I never thought you would

Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face
While chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did I never thought you would

Never thought the words you said were true
Never thought you said just what you meant
Never knew how much I needed you
Never thought you'd leave, until you went

Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can't forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood

That although you said you'd go
Until you did I never thought you would

Overall Meaning

In "Empty Chairs," Don McLean narrates the pain and heartbreak he feels in the aftermath of a failed relationship. The song captures the emptiness that lingers in the aftermath of a breakup. The first few lines depict the restlessness and unease the narrator feels, unable to sleep as thoughts of his lost love occupy his mind. He describes the moon shining through the window, casting a blue light that resembles gypsy moths fluttering around a flame.


The second verse provides some context for the relationship. The narrator reflects on the intimacy he shared with his lover, including a memory of her chestnut hair falling on the pillow beside him. He also notes the presence of a bouquet of flowers left behind, a final gift from his love that now represents the death of their relationship.


The final verse focuses on the aftermath of the breakup. The narrator describes the emptiness of the rooms that were once filled with love, with only echoes remaining as he walks up the stairs. The sight of empty clothes draped over chairs serves as a reminder of the absence of his lover. The song ends with the narrator reflecting on his disbelief that his lover is truly gone, despite her warning.


Overall, "Empty Chairs" captures the sense of loss and confusion that comes with a relationship's end. It is a poignant reminder of the depths of emotion associated with heartbreak.


Line by Line Meaning

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night
Insomnia plagues me, and I can't stop tossing and turning


Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright
The moon is shining bright, but I can barely hold onto it through my anxiety


Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane
I see flashes of blue light filtering in through my window


Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame
The beams of light dance around like moths around a flame


And I wonder if you know
I question if you truly understand


That I never understood
I couldn't comprehend


That although you said you'd go
Even though you promised to leave


Until you did I never thought you would
I never believed that you would actually go


Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face
I remember how the moon shone on your face


While chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case
Your chestnut hair used to cascade around the pillow


And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
The scent of your flowers still lingers where my head once lay


A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead
The bouquet you left was a symbol of our love that's now gone


Never thought the words you said were true
I never believed that your words were sincere


Never thought you said just what you meant
I always felt like there was a hidden meaning behind what you said


Never knew how much I needed you
I didn't realize how much I relied on you


Never thought you'd leave, until you went
I didn't expect you to leave, until you did


Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
I wake up every morning with no regrets about our past


And evening brings the memories I can't forget
But as the day goes on, memories flood my mind that I can't shake


Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
The empty rooms around me seem to reverberate with every step I take


And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs
I see your empty clothes hanging off the chairs, a constant reminder of your absence




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON MCLEAN

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

Ong JH

"Empty Chairs"

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright
Beams of blue come flickering through my windowpane
Like Gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would

Moonlight use to bath the contours of your face
Chestnut hair fell all around the pillowcase
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
A sympathy bouquet left with a love that's dead

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would

Never thought the words you said were true
Never thought you said just what you meant
Never knew how much I needed you
Never thought you'd leave, until you went

Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can't forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would



야단법석 제니퍼씨

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night 
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright 
Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane 
Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame
And I wonder if you know 
That I never understood 
That although you said you'd go 
Until you did I never thought you would
Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face 
While chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case 
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head 
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead
And I wonder if you know 
That I never understood 
That although you said you'd go 
Until you did I never thought you would
Never thought the words you said were true 
Never thought you said just what you meant 
Never knew how much I needed you 
Never thought you'd leave, until you went
Morning comes and morning goes with no regret 
And evening brings the memories I can't forget 
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs 
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs
And I wonder if you know 
That I never understood 
That although you said you'd go 
Until you did I never thought you would



Incredible Similarity

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright
Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane
Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did I never thought you would

Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face
While chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead

And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did I never thought you would

[Lyrics continue on second comment below]



gai liao

I feel the trembling tingle of a sleepless night
Creep through my fingers and the moon is bright
Beams of blue come flickering through my window pane
Like gypsy moths that dance around a candle flame


And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did I never thought you would


Moonlight used to bathe the contours of your face
While chestnut hair fell all around the pillow case
And the fragrance of your flowers rest beneath my head
A sympathy bouquet left with the love that's dead


And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would


Never thought the words you said were true
Never thought you said just what you meant
Never knew how much I needed you
Never thought you'd leave, until you went


Morning comes and morning goes with no regret
And evening brings the memories I can't forget
Empty rooms that echo as I climb the stairs
And empty clothes that drape and fall on empty chairs


And I wonder if you know
That I never understood
That although you said you'd go
Until you did, I never thought you would



All comments from YouTube:

Andrea

I saw McLean perform twice in small venues in the 80s. He was my dream guy, an unattainable poetic god. I wore out several copies of his albums. Nowadays, my eyes are less starry, but I still adore his music. A few broken hearts and a few decades of experiences later, his poetry is even more amazing to me. :-)

william johnson

Beautifully (and almost poetically) said, Andrea. Don has had a similar effect on my life. Hugs! Hearing Don sing this song in a live performance prompted Lori Lieberman's "Killing Me Softly with His Song". Roberta Flack heard it, and the rest is history. 😊😊

BLUE MONSTROSITY

Shame he abused his daughter

Catalina Maria

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Catalina Maria

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SHe SiNGS

@Andrea Oh yes, absolutely! It was really well written and I felt it deeply. I definitely empathize with going through the heartbreak and not feeling as optimistic as you once did. Take care and be well! ♡

12 More Replies...

traylorvh

It still brings tears to my eyes when I listen to this song.  Takes me back to the night my husband died in my arms.  He had fought such a long hard battle, he had to go but it was just so hard to believe when he finally did. Don Mclean's words and his voice brings comfort to me, thank you for the video.

Elias brissy

Heartbreaking,. I'm so sorry, ....😥🇦🇺🌹.....god bless you,🙏,

Curtis Shavers

Thank you for such a sweet heartfelt comment. You really honor your husband immortaly by doing so. He lives forever through your words! Thank you!

SHe SiNGS

❤️

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