Sorrow About to Fall
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a silence in the city
There's nobody around
And everyone that we knew
Moved to higher ground

There's a shadow hanging overhead
It lingers there alone
Changing all we ever knew
The changes start to show

There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall

There's a new sound in the wires
And ears are to the ground
And everything that once was ours
Has slowly turned around

Something happened to the seasons
Started falling with the rain
And something changed forever
We gotta find a way

There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall

There's people in the photographs
But they all had to run
They went away to somewhere
Beyond the setting sun

There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall

There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall

Sorrow about to fall, fall, fall, fall
Sorrow about to fall




Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall

Overall Meaning

The song "Sorrow About to Fall" by Electric Light Orchestra is a poignant description of a city on the verge of change. The lyrics speak of a silence that has descended on the city as people have moved away to "higher ground," leaving only the singer and the "shadow hanging overhead." The changes are palpable as the seasons seem to have shifted along with the rain, and the sound in the wires is different.


There is a sense of urgency in the lyrics as the singer acknowledges that something has changed forever, and that they must find a way to deal with it. The people in the photographs, who were once familiar and present, are now gone, having fled to somewhere beyond the setting sun. The repeated refrain of "sorrow about to fall" echoes this sense of impending doom and the need to act quickly, even as the changes continue to unfold around them.


Taken together, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a city in flux, with the singer standing at the center of it all, watchful and wary. The sorrow may be inevitable, but there is still a chance to mitigate its effects or perhaps even prevent it altogether. It's a haunting and evocative song that speaks to the universal experiences of change and loss.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a silence in the city
The city is empty and quiet


There's nobody around
There are no people or activity present


And everyone that we knew
All the people that we were acquainted with


Moved to higher ground
Left for a safer or more prosperous location


There's a shadow hanging overhead
A sense of darkness or negativity is present


It lingers there alone
The feeling remains for an extended period of time


Changing all we ever knew
Alterations are being made to everything we once understood


The changes start to show
The effects of these alterations are becoming visible


There's a sorrow about to fall
A feeling of grief or sadness is imminent


There's a new sound in the wires
A different, perhaps ominous, tone is detectable in electronic media


And ears are to the ground
People are listening carefully and paying attention


And everything that once was ours
All the things we previously possessed


Has slowly turned around
Have changed direction or become less familiar over time


Something happened to the seasons
Changes occurred to the weather patterns


Started falling with the rain
The precipitation began to have different effects


And something changed forever
A permanent shift took place


We gotta find a way
We need to find a solution to the problem at hand


There's people in the photographs
The people in the pictures


But they all had to run
But they had to evacuate or flee


They went away to somewhere
They departed for an unknown or distant location


Beyond the setting sun
Beyond where the sun disappears from view


Sorrow about to fall, fall, fall, fall
A recurring sense of sadness is approaching


Sorrow about to fall
A feeling of grief or sorrow is imminent


Sorrow about to fall
A sense of sadness is approaching


Sorrow about to fall
Grief or sorrow is about to arrive




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JEFF LYNNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

RamboSyl

Sorrow About to Fall
Electric Light Orchestra
There's a silence in the city
There's nobody around
And everyone that we knew
Moved to higher ground
There's a shadow hanging overhead
It lingers there alone
Changing all we ever knew
The changes start to show
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a new sound in the wires
And ears are to the ground
And everything that once was ours
Has slowly turned around
Something happened to the seasons
Started falling with the rain
And something changed forever
We gotta find a way
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's people in the photographs
But they all had to run
They went away to somewhere
Beyond the setting sun
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall, fall, fall, fall
Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall



yo

La difusión del álbum , "Balance of power " ( 1986 ) , al que pertenece esta estupenda canción , que no fue single , se vio perjudicada por una huelga de los funcionarios de la empresa discográfica , encargada de su distribución , tanto del long play , como de los discos singles.
Por tal razón , no ranqueó muy bien. Pero es un muy buen álbum , con una propuesta interesante . De él , recomiendo :

" Calling America " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn_XsOUC9s0
" Getting to the point " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSbvZMLJjeU
" So serious " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KvC-m6K9wY
" Heaven only knows " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW6YD9dwEDE
" Sorrow about to fall " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnAbyd8oT-E
" Without someone " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJXqSjCbl8A

Hay canciones que Jeff Lynne ( Líder y cerebro compositor de esta extraordinaria banda inglesa ) compuso durante su permanencia en el Caribe , y otras , en Europa central , durante la estación invernal. Es por esa razón , que algunos temas se palpan fríos y otros , mucho más cálidos.
Por aquella época , Electric Light Orchestra , eran solo cuatro integrantes y , se dice , que la mayor parte del trabajo en este álbum , la realizaron Lynne y Richard Tandy , el tecladista.
Lynne realizó este disco , solo porque había un contrato que lo comprometía con la discográfica.
Ya se habían notado los roces entre los integrantes de la banda . Situación que se venía arrastrando desde comienzos de los años 80´s. Por ejemplo , el tema " Getting to the point " , retrata esos sinsabores de Jeff , quien , en forma muy metafórica e indirecta , relata sus pesares por el fin de esta agrupación , en dicha desgarradora canción.

Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.

1



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también raya en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4


Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , hermana , entre otras , de :
" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4


Feliz navidad , y qué tengas un excelente año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también raya en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4



Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también raya en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , hermana de :
" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4


Gracias por subir esta excelente música.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



Donald's trump

There's a silence in the city
There's nobody around
And everyone that we knew
Moved to higher ground

There's a shadow hanging overhead
It lingers there alone
Changing all we ever knew
The changes start to show

There's a sorrow about to fall
Now there's a sorrow about to fall

There's a new sound in the wires
And ears are to the ground
And everything that once was ours
Has slowly turned around

Something happened to the seasons
Started falling with the rain
And something changed forever
We gotta find a way

There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall


There's people in the photographs
But they all had to run
They went away to somewhere
Beyond the setting sun

Yes, there's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall

Yeah, there's a sorrow about to fall
Now there's a sorrow about to fall

Sorrow about to fall, fall, fall, fall
Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall...



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.



All comments from YouTube:

RamboSyl

Sorrow About to Fall
Electric Light Orchestra
There's a silence in the city
There's nobody around
And everyone that we knew
Moved to higher ground
There's a shadow hanging overhead
It lingers there alone
Changing all we ever knew
The changes start to show
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a new sound in the wires
And ears are to the ground
And everything that once was ours
Has slowly turned around
Something happened to the seasons
Started falling with the rain
And something changed forever
We gotta find a way
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's people in the photographs
But they all had to run
They went away to somewhere
Beyond the setting sun
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
There's a sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall, fall, fall, fall
Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall
Sorrow about to fall

Spazzoid Studio

Underrated album

Davinia

The best my favorite

zarrowthenorse

i prefer their orchestral songs

yo

La difusión del álbum , "Balance of power " ( 1986 ) , al que pertenece esta estupenda canción , que no fue single , se vio perjudicada por una huelga de los funcionarios de la empresa discográfica , encargada de su distribución , tanto del long play , como de los discos singles.
Por tal razón , no ranqueó muy bien. Pero es un muy buen álbum , con una propuesta interesante . De él , recomiendo :

" Calling America " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn_XsOUC9s0
" Getting to the point " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSbvZMLJjeU
" So serious " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KvC-m6K9wY
" Heaven only knows " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW6YD9dwEDE
" Sorrow about to fall " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnAbyd8oT-E
" Without someone " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJXqSjCbl8A

Hay canciones que Jeff Lynne ( Líder y cerebro compositor de esta extraordinaria banda inglesa ) compuso durante su permanencia en el Caribe , y otras , en Europa central , durante la estación invernal. Es por esa razón , que algunos temas se palpan fríos y otros , mucho más cálidos.
Por aquella época , Electric Light Orchestra , eran solo cuatro integrantes y , se dice , que la mayor parte del trabajo en este álbum , la realizaron Lynne y Richard Tandy , el tecladista.
Lynne realizó este disco , solo porque había un contrato que lo comprometía con la discográfica.
Ya se habían notado los roces entre los integrantes de la banda . Situación que se venía arrastrando desde comienzos de los años 80´s. Por ejemplo , el tema " Getting to the point " , retrata esos sinsabores de Jeff , quien , en forma muy metafórica e indirecta , relata sus pesares por el fin de esta agrupación , en dicha desgarradora canción.

Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.

1

Speedgoy

Under-rated song, album and band

bronco devil

Always thought this was a hit. One of my favorite ELO songs that no one knows.

Elbert Hardy

I keep finding more great songs I love! This is one I liked the first time I heard it (today). I loved his concert in Tampa 7-7-19. My adult sons and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks, Jeff.

yo

Hola.
Qué gran tema.
Una canción estilo new romantic , que también incursiona en el tecno pop.
Una de las mejores pistas del álbum " Balance of power " ( 1986 ).
Para mí , de alguna manera , entre otras , hermana de :

" Above the clouds " ( 1976 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DGrxZdxv0E
y de
" Train of gold " ( 1983 )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yq1gHomxjG4

Feliz año 2021.
Saludos desde Chile , Sudamérica.

Daniel Stewart

This is absolutely brilliant! 

More Comments

More Versions