Secret Oktober
Duran Duran Lyrics
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In a world full of surprising fireworks
And sudden silence
Lying on a stranger's bed
A new day breaks like a speeding train
Or an old friend
Ever expected but never knocking
Holding your own in a battered car
All night parties
Cocktail bars
You smile
when the butterfly escapes the killing jar
Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over
Wise or naked in secret oktober
Freefall on a windy morning shore
Nothing but a fading track of footsteps
To prove that you'd never been there
Spoken on a cotton cloud
Like the sound of gunshot
Taken by the wind
And lost in distant thunder
Racing on a shining plane
Tomorrow won't be content
To watch as the lightning
Plays along the wires
And you'll wonder...
Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over
Wise or naked in secret oktober
Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over
Wise or naked in secret oktober
The lyrics of Duran Duran's song Secret Oktober describe a feeling of adventurous, unpredictable and fleeting energy that exists within a world that's full of noise and silence, fireworks and sudden stops. The song starts with the image of a wise person sitting in the middle of a birthday party, observing the chaos and excitement around them. The wise person is lying in a stranger's bed, where a new day is breaking like a speeding train. The sense of urgency and excitement is met with a certain kind of nostalgia, as the lyrics describe the feeling of an old friend, ever expected but never knocking.
The song then moves on to describe the feeling of a person "holding [their] own in a battered car" in the midst of all-night parties and cocktail bars. The singer smiles when a butterfly escapes the killing jar, perhaps a metaphor for freedom and hope in the midst of chaos. The lyrics then describe a sense of anticipation and apprehension as the dancing ends and one's sure eyes awaken in Secret Oktober. The song moves into a more abstract terrain, describing a feeling of being lost in a distant thunder, of racing on a shining plane, and wondering what tomorrow will bring.
Overall, the lyrics of the song describe a sense of adventure, unpredictability, and nostalgia for a moment that is fleeting yet eternal. "Secret Oktober" seems to be a reference to a special time, place or feeling that is hidden from view or inaccessible, yet somehow present in the singer's memory.
Line by Line Meaning
Wise on a birthday party
Feeling knowledgeable and experienced amidst the excitement and surprises of a celebration
In a world full of surprising fireworks
Living in a society that is unpredictable and full of unexpected events
And sudden silence
Occasional moments of peace and stillness amidst the chaos of life
Lying on a stranger's bed
Being in an unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation
A new day breaks like a speeding train
The start of a new day comes quickly and powerfully
Or an old friend
As familiar and comforting as an old friend
Ever expected but never knocking
Something that is anticipated but arrives unexpectedly
Holding your own in a battered car
Staying resilient and strong in difficult situations
All night parties
Celebrations that last all night
Cocktail bars
Places where people come together to socialize and drink
You smile
Finding pleasure and delight in moments of joy
when the butterfly escapes the killing jar
Feeling relief when a difficult situation is averted
Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over
Being aware and alert even as the party comes to an end
Wise or naked in secret oktober
Feeling both knowledgeable and vulnerable in a private and mysterious time
Freefall on a windy morning shore
Feeling unmoored and adrift in a wild and unpredictable environment
Nothing but a fading track of footsteps
Leaving only a faint memory of having been there
To prove that you'd never been there
Leaving no trace of ever having existed in that place
Spoken on a cotton cloud
Talking softly and dreamily, as if in a dream
Like the sound of gunshot
Loud and jarring, like the sudden noise of a gun firing
Taken by the wind
Whisked away and lost, like being carried by the wind
And lost in distant thunder
Completely overwhelmed and overshadowed by a loud and powerful force
Racing on a shining plane
Moving quickly and powerfully through the world
Tomorrow won't be content
The future holds bigger and greater things than the present moment
To watch as the lightning
To sit back and observe as the world changes in dramatic and sudden ways
Plays along the wires
Electrifying and energizing the environment with its unpredictability
And you'll wonder...
Pondering the possibilities and potential of the future
Sure eyes awake before the dancing is over
Being alert and aware even as the party comes to an end
Wise or naked in secret oktober
Feeling both knowledgeable and vulnerable in a private and mysterious time
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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