Tales Of Brave Ulysses
Eric Clapton; Cream Lyrics
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But you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun.
And the colors of the sea blind your eyes with trembling mermaids,
And you touch the distant beaches with tales of brave Ulysses:
How his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing,
For the sparkling waves are calling you to kiss their white-lace lips.
And her footprints make you follow where the sky loves the sea.
And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body,
Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind.
The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.
Her name is Aphrodite and she rides a crimson shell,
And you know you cannot leave her for you touched the distant sands
With the tales of brave Ulysses: how his naked ears were tortured
By the sirens sweetly singing.
The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.
In "Tales of Brave Ulysses," Eric Clapton sings about a journey of escapism from the cold, stark reality of winter to the vivacity of summer. The metaphorical ride on a steamer to the violence of the sun represents the quest for adventure and the escape from mundane life. Once he reaches the destination, the colors of the sea and the mermaids captivate him, and he becomes a storyteller who recounts the myth of Ulysses's journey. He does this not just through words but by experiencing it himself, such as when he sees a girl's brown body dancing in the turquoise and follows her to the land where the sky meets the sea.
The underlying theme of the song is the conflict between the desire for adventure and the fear of loss. The singer becomes so enamored with the summer and the girl that he wishes to take her with him to the hard land of the winter. However, he is in conflict with himself because he knows he cannot leave her behind once he has touched the distant sands with tales of brave Ulysses. The line about the sirens sweetly singing and Ulysses's naked ears being tortured suggests that leaving the summer paradise behind can be as painful as being tormented by the mythical sirens.
Line by Line Meaning
You thought the leaden winter would bring you down foever,
You believed that the bleak winter would make you feel hopeless and that it would last forever.
But you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun.
But you took a steamship to the scorching heat of the sun's rays.
And the colors of the sea blind your eyes with trembling mermaids,
The sight of the colorful ocean overwhelms your senses, and you see mermaids that make you tremble.
And you touch the distant beaches with tales of brave Ulysses:
You explore faraway shores and recount the epic tales of the courageous Greek hero, Ulysses.
How his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing,
You narrate the story of how Ulysses' exposed ears were tormented by the luring and enchanting songs of the Sirens.
For the sparkling waves are calling you to kiss their white-lace lips.
The glistening waves are enticing you to come closer and caress their frothy, delicate crests.
And you see a girl's brown body dancing through the turquoise,
You catch sight of a woman with a tanned body dancing amidst the turquoise waters.
And her footprints make you follow where the sky loves the sea.
You become mesmerized by her footprints in the sand and trace them to where the sky meets the sea.
And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body,
When you touch her, she overwhelms you with her sensuality, and it feels like you're drowning in her embrace.
Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind.
She leaves a lasting impression on your thoughts and memories with her actions and movements that evoke the image of deep blue ripples.
The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers,
You can feel small, purple fish swimming between your fingers and tickling you as they swim.
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.
You desire to take her with you to the harsh, cold winters back home.
Her name is Aphrodite and she rides a crimson shell,
The woman you admire is named Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, and she's depicted riding a red seashell.
And you know you cannot leave her for you touched the distant sands
You realize that you can't bear to part with her since you've been touched by the faraway beaches she's shown you.
With the tales of brave Ulysses: how his naked ears were tortured
You recall the story of Ulysses and his traumatic experience with the Sirens through which he had to expose his ears.
By the sirens sweetly singing.
The Sirens had a sweet-sounding voice that enticed and ensnared anyone who heard them.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC PATRICK CLAPTON, MARTIN SHARP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind