The Park
Feist Lyrics


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Why would he come back through the park?
You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
It's not him coming across the sea to surprise you
Not him who would know where in London to find you

Sadness so real that it populates
The city and leaves you homeless again
Steam from a cup and snow on the path
The seasons have changed from the present to past

The past
There's hope to have
In the past

Why would he come back through the park
You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
Who can be sure of anything through
The distance that keeps you from knowing truth

Why would he think, the boy could become
The man who could make you sure he was the one
The one




My one
My one

Overall Meaning

The song "The Park" by Feist is a melancholic reflection on an ended romantic relationship. The lyrics express a longing to see the ex-lover one more time, to reconcile, and perhaps regain what was lost. The line "Why would he come back through the park?" refers to a specific location where the singer believes she saw her ex-lover, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a stranger. The repetition of this line suggests that the singer is still fixated on the possibility of seeing the ex again, despite the fact that it may be unlikely.


The second verse describes the sense of loss and displacement that the singer feels after the breakup. The sadness and confusion are so intense that it feels like she is homeless, even when she is in her own city. The contrasting images of steam from a cup and snow on the path create a sense of nostalgia and time passing, as the present becomes the past. The repetition of the word "past" at the end of the verse alludes to the idea that there is still hope to be found in the past.


Line by Line Meaning

Why would he come back through the park?
Why would the person being sung about return to the park?


You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
You believed you recognized him, yet it wasn't actually him


It's not him coming across the sea to surprise you
The actual person isn't travelling from overseas to surprise you


Not him who would know where in London to find you
The person who really knows where you are in London wouldn't be coming to see you


Sadness so real that it populates
The extreme sadness is ever-present


The city and leaves you homeless again
It feels like you've lost everything and you're stranded


Steam from a cup and snow on the path
Visual and sensory descriptions of the present


The seasons have changed from the present to past
The current moments have turned into memories


The past
Reflecting on what has already happened


There's hope to have
Hope still exists


In the past
Looking back for relief


Why would he come back through the park
Questioning the reason for the person's hypothetical return


You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
Reiterating that the person previously believed to have been seen wasn't actually there


Who can be sure of anything through
Uncertainty clouds thinking


The distance that keeps you from knowing truth
Being apart restricts the ability to know reality


Why would he think, the boy could become
Why would the person believe that the boy could evolve


The man who could make you sure he was the one
The man who could prove that he was the right one for you


The one
The ideal love and partner


My one
That person is their one true love




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Leslie Feist

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@rika4010

Why would he come back through the park
You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
It's not him coming across the sea to surprise you
Not him who would know where in London to find you
Sadness so real that it populates
The city and leaves you homeless again
Steam from a cup and snow on the path
The seasons have changed from the present to past
The past
There's hope to have
In the past
Why would he come back through the park
You thought that you saw him, but no you did not
Who can be sure of anything through
The distance that keeps you from knowing truth
Why would he think, the boy could become
The man who could make you sure he was the one
The one
My one
My one



All comments from YouTube:

@shannonguthrie5375

Picture this....your only love is gone...and you are walking to try and see that life is still worth living without him...and then you see him!!! He is coming towards you through the park!! Such joy fills your heart! But ....it was SO not him. Not him at all. Devastation and sadness overwhelm you. Still...memories of a time when he would come to find you. And all the sudden ..life is about missing him and hoping next time it will be him. PUNCH ME IN THE STOMACH PAIN. FEIST BRILLIANT.

@a.m.c.7667

Anybody here after seeing Dermot post a cover of this on IG today? 🙋🏼‍♀️ Then, of course, I notice Justin Vernon has also covered this, albeit 11 yrs ago, as well; wonder if that's how DERMOT 1st heard it. Dermot Kennedy: the artist who gives the world the most beautiful art whilst consistentently exposing us to other artists' beautiful work; forever grateful for the bliss this brings me! 🥰🎶🤟

@misemags

I saw that too and really liked his take on it.

@adamdavid3938

This could be the saddest, loneliest thing I've ever heard.

@mannyftw

+Adam David Check out Portishead - Roads

@JustinHaynes123

Adam David you haven’t heard Justin Vernon’s cover of it

@FishBoneYard

And the most beautiful...

@lawrenceleong8747

Good Lord Leslie. What a song. Still so heart wrenching after all these years.

@chrismm25

The onnnnnnnne. OH MY GOD! The way she holds that note resurfaces in my mind every few years.

@neurodivergent_lux

I think I heaqrd her the first time five or six years ago.. and I still know all the lyrics. I´m so happy that I found her again, she´s got such a powerful and beautiful voice. It sounds exactly the way I feel about the world <3

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