Country Darkness
Elvis Costello & The Imposters Lyrics
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A mystery you can solve
Some burnt out filament
Flies buzzing around the bulb
Country darkness
He thought of traveling
Drown out his desperate pulse
A song with no refrain
Country darkness
She daydreams forbidden sings
There must be something more
The prison she lives in
The one with the open door
Country darkness
The veil is covering
A glistening and cruel blade
Suffer little children
Repent, unfaithful maid
Country darkness
The lyrics of the song "Country Darkness" by Elvis Costello & The Imposters paint a picture of a bleak, melancholic world where everything appears to be in tatters. The opening lines of the song set the tone, with the reference to a tattered document as a source of mystery that needs to be solved. This is followed by a metaphor of a burnt-out filament and flies buzzing around the bulb, hinting at a sense of decay and neglect.
As the song progresses, the focus shifts to two characters - a man and a woman - who are both struggling in their own ways. The man is desperate to escape his current situation and hears an approaching train that he hopes will drown out the sound of his own pulse. The woman, on the other hand, daydreams of something more, a life beyond the prison she feels trapped in - a prison that has an open door.
The chorus of the song, "Country Darkness," is a refrain that ties these themes together. It seems to evoke a sense of the countryside at night, with its oppressive silence and eerie darkness. However, it also serves as a metaphor for the emotional darkness that the characters are living in - a darkness that is suffocating and all-encompassing. The song's final lines "The veil is covering a glistening and cruel blade / Suffer little children / Repent, unfaithful maid" suggest that redemption is possible but also that there is a cost to be paid.
Line by Line Meaning
This tattered document
The old, worn-out paper document that is being referred to
A mystery you can solve
The document may seem unclear or confusing, but it's still possible to decipher its meaning
Some burnt out filament
A light bulb that has stopped working due to a burned-out filament inside
Flies buzzing around the bulb
Dead insects that are stuck or attracted to the light bulb
Country darkness
Referring to the isolation and darkness of country living
He thought of traveling
Someone is contemplating leaving their current situation for something new
Heard an approaching train
The person hears a train, which may represent adventure or escape
Drown out his desperate pulse
The sound of the train overpowers his frantic heartbeat
A song with no refrain
The train's sound is like a song, but it doesn't have a repeating melody or chorus
She daydreams forbidden sings
A woman is fantasizing about something she's not supposed to do, and singing in secret
There must be something more
She feels like there's something missing in her life, and wants to find it
The prison she lives in
Her life feels like it's confined or restricted
The one with the open door
Despite feeling trapped, she recognizes that there are opportunities and choices available to her
The veil is covering
Something is being hidden or obscured
A glistening and cruel blade
A sharp and dangerous weapon that sparkles or shines
Suffer little children
A phrase often attributed to Jesus, it's a warning or rebuke to someone who has done wrong
Repent, unfaithful maid
Someone who has been unfaithful (either literally or metaphorically) is being told to apologize and make amends
Country darkness
The refrain repeats, emphasizing the loneliness and isolation of rural life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind