Autumn Sun
Emilíana Torrini Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Her hands set in a wave
Like no more evening and day
Now I see the beauty I failed to see when she was me
Life undress me of her, step by step
Like a silk dress, she fell to my feet
She brought me flowers
I thought she couldn't do us any harm
He never liked that kind of charm
But how could he resist
When her dress let in the autumn sun?
I used to watch the sparrows
Perched on electric wires
Like notes of a song waiting to be sung
For you, I wrote them down
He laughed at life that kept me sane
In a world of dark dark games
She brought me flowers
Said she liked my work
I thought she couldn't do us any harm
He never liked that kind of charm
But how could he resist
When her dress let in the autumn sun?
She watered the garden and played with the kids
For her birthday, let her try on his wedding ring
She brought me flowers
Said she liked my work
I thought she couldn't do us any harm
He never liked that kind of charm
But how could he resist
When her dress let in the autumn sun?
The opening lines of Emiliana Torrini's "Autumn Sun" paint a vivid picture of youth that has been lost, represented by a girl standing by the harbor with her hands set in a wave. The singer, who is now mature and reflective, talks about how she failed to appreciate the beauty of youth when it was within her grasp. Life stripped her gradually of this youth, "undressing" her step by step like a silk dress, until it fell to her feet.
The song's themes of beauty, loss, and regret are captured in the chorus where Torrini sings about a woman who brings flowers and expresses admiration for her work. The singer doesn't believe that this woman could do any harm, but her partner does not appreciate her charm. The woman's dress, which lets in the autumn sun, is an irresistible force that her partner cannot resist. The song contrasts the fleeting beauty of youth and the warmth of the autumn sun with the cold and dark world that surrounds it.
In the second verse, the singer talks about watching sparrows perched on electric wires and seeing them as notes of a song waiting to be sung. She writes down the notes for the woman who brought her flowers. Her partner laughs at her, but she remains steadfast in a world of dark games. The final verse talks about how the woman who brought the flowers watered the garden and played with the kids, and for her birthday, the singer's partner let her try on his wedding ring. Despite the happiness of the moment, the singer cannot help but lament the beauty that will inevitably slip away.
Line by Line Meaning
My youth stood by the harbor
The singer recalls a time in their life when they were youthful and full of hope, standing by the water.
Her hands set in a wave
The gesture of a waving hand is frozen in the singer's memory, representing a fond farewell.
Like no more evening and day
The moment felt timeless and eternal, as if it would last forever.
Now I see the beauty I failed to see when she was me
Looking back on this experience from a more mature perspective, the artist realizes the value of the moment they once took for granted.
Life undress me of her, step by step
As time goes on, the artist feels like they are losing pieces of their past and their former self.
Like a silk dress, she fell to my feet
The memory of this person and this moment is delicate and beautiful, like a luxurious piece of clothing.
She brought me flowers
The person the singer is remembering was thoughtful and caring, giving them a small token of affection.
Said she liked my work
The artist's efforts were appreciated and recognized by this person, boosting their confidence.
I thought she couldn't do us any harm
The artist initially saw no negative effects of this person's presence in their life.
He never liked that kind of charm
Another person in the artist's life did not appreciate this person's attention.
But how could he resist
Despite this, the singer suggests that even the disapproving person couldn't help being drawn to the person they remember.
When her dress let in the autumn sun?
The artist remembers a specific moment of beauty, when sunlight shone through the person's clothing onto the ground.
I used to watch the sparrows
The singer recalls a specific detail of their daily routine that brought them small, meaningful moments of joy.
Perched on electric wires
The sparrows were in an unlikely, man-made setting, which made the singer pay closer attention to them.
Like notes of a song waiting to be sung
The singer sees beauty and meaning in the small moments of life that others might overlook.
For you, I wrote them down
The artist wants to capture and preserve these moments for someone else to appreciate.
He laughed at life that kept me sane
The disapproving person in the artist's life found humor in the small things that made the artist happy.
In a world of dark dark games
The singer describes the world around them as dark, but they still try to find light and beauty wherever they can.
She watered the garden and played with the kids
In addition to bringing flowers to the singer, the person they remember was nurturing and playful with children.
For her birthday, let her try on his wedding ring
The artist remembers a sweet, symbolic gesture made by the disapproving person towards the person they remember.
But how could he resist
Despite his usual stoicism, the disapproving person was ultimately swayed by the sweetness of the other person.
When her dress let in the autumn sun?
The artist repeats this line, emphasizing the importance of this specific moment and the beauty of the person they remember.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DANIEL DE MUSSENDEN CAREY, EMILIANA TORRINI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MegaWavesMusic
She's a real gem!!!
@AntonyKein
Brilliant !!!
@twicefontana
glorious