Turn To Stone
Electric Light Orchestra Lyrics

The city streets are empty now
The once-busy and vibrant streets are now deserted with no sign of life or activity.

(The lights don't shine no more)
The lights that used to brighten up the city aren't shining anymore, making the city look glum and empty.

And so the songs are way down low
Because of the lack of activity and excitement on the streets, the songs or the liveliness is now hard to find, lost in the silence.

A sound that flows into my mind
A noise or sound that goes through the mind, which could be the memories or thoughts of a past time that once filled the streets.

(The echoes of the daylight)
The echoes or after-effects of the once-bright daylight, now vanished without any signs.

Of everything that is alive
Memories of everything that once brought life and vibrancy to the city, now lost in the stilled streets.

(In my blue world)
This personal and secluded world in which the singer is trying to find their place, surrounded by emptiness.

I turn to stone when you are gone
The artist becomes emotionally numb, akin to turning into stone, when the person they care for is absent.

I turn to stone
A phrase repeated to reinforce the aforementioned emotional state, whereby the artist is unable to function without the person they care for.

I turn to stone, when you comin' home
An appeal to the person the artist cares for as they constantly wonder when they will return and alleviate their emotional burden.

I can't go on
An admission by the singer that they cannot carry on without the person they care for and their presence.

The dying embers of a night
The residual and fading reminiscence of the night that once was, which soon will be gone entirely.

(A fire that slowly fades 'till dawn)
A reference to the dwindling and dying out of a fire, to indicate the naivety and hopeful sentiments of the individual.

Still glow upon the wall so bright (turning, turning)
The remnant shadow of light in the darkness, which slowly fades away with the passage of time, as everything seems to revolve repetitively.

The tired streets that hide away
The streets are not only empty but appear to be tired and lifeless, almost retreating into a state of hibernation.

(From here to everywhere they go)
The tired streets are not limited to a specific geographic location but extend everywhere implying that the artist is alone and with no direction.

Roll past my door into the day
The streets continue to roll and carry on without stopping, while the artist is isolated and unable to keep up with the motion of everyday life.

In my blue world
A phrase repeated to enforce the state of seclusion, the despaired emotions, and the lack of happiness that are contained in the singer's world.

Yes, I'm turnin' to stone
The singer is once again admitting their state of emotional numbness as they turn to stone, highlighting the severity of their emotional fragility.

'Cause you ain't coming home
An admission that the artist's emotional frailty is linked to the absence of their loved one, and the pain that this causes for the artist.

Why ain't you comin' home
A question asked by the artist, showing their desperation for their loved one to return and alleviate their emotional burden.

If I'm turnin' to stone
An acknowledgement that the emotional state of the artist is deteriorating, possibly beyond the point of no return.

You've been gone for so long
The loved one of the singer has been absent for so long, driving the singer to desperation and to the often-imagined state of turning to stone.

And I can't carry on
An admission that the artist is unable to continue living without their loved one's presence, further emphasizing their emotional burden.

The dancing shadows on the wall
The singer, with nothing but shadows dancing on the wall, further amplifying their loneliness and depressed state.

(The two-step in the hall)
A nod to a time when all seemed normal and positive for the singer, represented by couples dancing, implying that their loved one was once present.

Are all I see since you've been gone (turning, turning)
With their loved one gone, the only thing that they can think about continuously are the shadows on the wall, which highlights their painful and unchanging perception of the world around them.

Through all I sit here and I wait
Implies the static and unchanging state of the artist's life, as time goes by with nothing ever changing as they sit and wait.

(I turn to stone, I turn to stone)
Reiteration of the artist's emotional state, that they turn to stone due to the absence of their loved one.

You will return again some day
A hopeful message to the loved one of the singer that they will return someday, alleviating their emotional pain.

To my blue world
Once again, the world the singer is living in is referred to as a blue world, emphasizing the lonely, sad, and desolate nature of their existence.