Where Will I Be
Emmylou Harris Lyrics
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And there's glass everywhere
And a baby stares out
With motherless eyes
Under long gone beauty
On fields of war
Trapped in lament
To the poet's core
Oh where oh where will I be
Oh where oh when that trumpets sounds
Met an Indian boy in Ottawa
He laid me down on a bed of straw
Said don't waste your breath
Don't waste your heart
Don't blister your heels
Running in the dark
Oh where oh where will I be
Oh where oh when that trumpets sounds
Yeah I like the heat
Of your body laying under me
May your wild lip get you where your going
With your inventions your intentions, your laughter
Your forever yearning
Oh where oh where will I be
Oh where oh when that trumpets sounds
I walked to the river
And I walked to the rim
I walked through the teeth of the reaper's grin
I walked to you rolled up in wire
To the other side of desire
Oh where oh where will I be
Oh where oh when that trumpets sounds
Oh where oh where oh where when that trumpet sounds
Oh where oh where oh when that trumpet sounds
Well the heart opens wide like it's never seen love
And addiction stays on tight like a glove
Oh where oh where will I be
Emmylou Harris's song "Where Will I Be" portrays a dark and foreboding atmosphere. The lyrics of the song are metaphorically dark and the image portrayed is that of devastation and brokenness. The opening lines describe the cracked streets and broken glass, while a motherless baby watches on, adding to the sadness of the scene. The "long gone beauty" paints the picture of a world that once was beautiful, but now lies in ruins, with just fields of war remaining. The poet is trapped in lament at the core of it all, giving words to the world's despair.
The chorus of the song is focused on the question of where one will be when the trumpet sounds. The trumpet referred to is the trumpet from the Book of Revelation, where it is said to sound when the end of the world is near. The question here is of immense importance and seeks to prompt the listeners to introspection, asking them where they will be when the time comes.
The song gives the impression of the world being in a state of decline and chaos, but there is also a message of hope. The Indian boy she met advised her not to waste her heart, breath, or blister her heels, trying to run away from problems. The song advises one to face problems, the teeth of death, and to walk towards their desires, hoping to reach the other side of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
The streets are cracked
The roads are in a bad state
And there's glass everywhere
The streets are littered with broken glass
And a baby stares out
A child looks out
With motherless eyes
The child is an orphan
Under long gone beauty
Under the remnants of a once beautiful place
On fields of war
On a battlefield
Trapped in lament
Trapped in sadness
To the poet's core
Deeply felt by a person who writes poems
Oh where oh where will I be
Where will I be when it's all said and done?
Oh where oh when that trumpets sounds
Where will I be when the world ends?
Met an Indian boy in Ottawa
Talked to a Native American boy in Ottawa
He laid me down on a bed of straw
He lay with me on a bed of straw
Said don't waste your breath
Said don't say anything unnecessary
Don't waste your heart
Don't love someone unworthy
Don't blister your heels
Don't tire yourself unnecessarily
Running in the dark
Blindly chasing after something
Yeah I like the heat
I enjoy the warmth
Of your body laying under me
When you're lying beneath me
May your wild lip get you where your going
May your rebellious nature take you where you want to go
With your inventions your intentions, your laughter
With all the things that make you unique - your ideas, your goals, your happiness
Your forever yearning
Your unquenchable desire for something more
I walked to the river
I went to the river on foot
And I walked to the rim
And climbed to the edge
I walked through the teeth of the reaper's grin
I faced death with courage
I walked to you rolled up in wire
I went to you, even though it was difficult
To the other side of desire
To the place where what we want lies
Oh where oh where oh where when that trumpet sounds
Where will I be when the world ends and the trumpet sounds?
Well the heart opens wide like it's never seen love
Our hearts open up when we love someone deeply
And addiction stays on tight like a glove
But our addictions can hold us back like a tight glove
Oh where oh where will I be
Where will I be when it's all over?
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DANIEL LANOIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind