Tales of Brave Ulysses
Eric Clapton Lyrics


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You thought the leaden winter would bring you down forever,
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 laced lips.
And you see a girl's brown body dancing through the turquoise,
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 tales of brave Ulysses; how his naked ears were tortured
By the sirens sweetly singing.





The tiny purple fishes run lauging through your fingers,
And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Eric Clapton's "Tales of Brave Ulysses" depict a journey of discovery, both physical and metaphorical. The lead singer tells the story of a traveler who sets sail in the winter and finds himself transported to a world of color and sun, where the sea and sky blend into each other. As he travels, he encounters a host of fascinating creatures, from mermaids to tiny purple fish, and his senses come alive.


The story builds around the legend of Ulysses, the hero of Homer's epic Odyssey, and the temptation and danger he faced while traveling the seas. The traveler in the song is drawn to these tales, fascinated by the way Ulysses was able to resist the lure of the sirens' song, while still being drawn to the beauty of the sea. The song also tells the story of a woman named Aphrodite, who becomes the traveler's muse, inspiring him to see the world in a new way.


Line by Line Meaning

You thought the leaden winter would bring you down forever
You believed that the dull, gloomy winter season would permanently bring you down and make you unhappy


But you rode upon a steamer to the violence of the sun
Instead, you traveled on a ship towards the intense, powerful heat of the sun


And the colors of the sea blind your eyes with trembling mermaids
The vibrant colors of the ocean overwhelm your vision with shaking, alluring mermaids


And you touch the distant beaches with tales of brave Ulysses
You arrive at faraway shores and share the stories of the courageous Ulysses


How his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing
You describe the harrowing tale of how the alluring yet dangerous sirens caused Ulysses immense auditory anguish


For the sparkling waves are calling you to kiss their white laced lips
The gleaming waves beckon you to embrace their frothy, enchanting crests


And you see a girl's brown body dancing through the turquoise
You observe a young woman's tawny, swaying form amid the turquoise waters


And her footprints make you follow where the sky loves the sea
Her footsteps entice you to pursue her path where the sky adorns the sea


And when your fingers find her, she drowns you in her body
When you reach out to touch her, she figuratively engulfs you with her physical presence


Carving deep blue ripples in the tissues of your mind
She leaves a lasting mental imprint, causing profound and affecting emotions to echo within you


The tiny purple fishes run laughing through your fingers
You play with and try to catch the small, delighted purple fish gliding through your grasp


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, wintry terrain where you initially felt so downtrodden


Her name is Aphrodite and she rides a crimson shell
This particular woman is named Aphrodite and visualized riding atop an eye-catching crimson shell


And you know you cannot leave her for you touched the distant sands
You realize you cannot separate from this woman as you have embarked on a journey far from your starting point


With tales of brave Ulysses; how his naked ears were tortured by the sirens sweetly singing
Once more, you recount the story of Ulysses being distressed by the beguiling song of the sirens


The tiny purple fishes run lauging through your fingers
Again, you playfully try to catch the gleeful purple fish slipping through your fingers


And you want to take her with you to the hard land of the winter
You still ardently wish to take this woman with you back to the cold, harsh winter environment you were previously in




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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Comments from YouTube:

@aprendizdebrujo100

For me, the best song of Cream. I'm sorry for Sunshine of your Love. Tales of Brave Ulysses is the perfect combination between great music, and Deep psychedelic poetry.

@lucapasseroni6371

much better than sunshine !

@alexiadylon6142

Great song, but I love We're Going Wrong, such brilliance.

@Anthus.

Gustavo De la Camara Montes I couldn't agree more. This is the best song Cream ever did. For me it's because it never got the radio play that songs like "White Room" or "Sunshine of Your Love" got through the years so I'm not burned out on it. Plus it is truly a kick ass song.

@GeoffEustice

1rst Heavy Metal Song....IMO...The greatest band ever...

@tigerarmyrule

Tales of Brave Ulysses is the perfect 3 minute rock song. The guitar is gorgeous, the song is perfect.

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@matthewburgar2626

The lyrics are just so darn clever. Super trippy and so psychedelic.

@jeffparsons3188

Pete Brown I believe

@patrickhorvath2684

@@jeffparsons3188
Homer too.
Excerpts from "The Oddesey"

@LindaMerchant-bq2hp

Greek mythology meets 60s psychedelic

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