Elegy
Free Design Lyrics


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When he went away for the last time
It wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
And the cows in the barn knew it was milking time
Must of been real hard to leave everything behind,
Over there a moonless night shivering a secret fright
It wasn't so easy.
And how many missions more, where to and what for?
Ask the government, tell it to the cows in the barn

Then there was the moon, what did the moon see?
Saw the blade of grass in one boy's eye
And pain that'll make you glad you're dying

Hands that dribbled the basketball
Voice that sang out of tune
Love that ended too soon
A nose that bled for better reasons.

When he went away for the last time
It wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
And the cows in the barn knew it was milking time
It was milking time but he was so far away,
So far away that even prayers could not reach
So he died there.

When he came back for the last time
It wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
And we buried him before it was milking time




The preacher said it was all right, the Lord is my Shepherd
But I shall want to know why.

Overall Meaning

The Free Design's Elegy is a contemplative song about the human cost of war. It tells a story of a soldier, who went away for the last time, leaving behind the only life he knows. The first verse speaks to the difficulty of saying goodbye, which is especially hard in the face of an uncertain future. The second verse is a commentary on the senselessness of war. The moon, a metaphor for the universe, is used to represent the wider scope of life beyond the individual. The moon sees pain, both emotional and physical. The verse underscores the devastating impact of war, both physically and emotionally, on those impacted by it. The third and final verse is about the soldier's return home, but the return is not a happy one, as he has returned in death. The preacher gives a eulogy, but the singer is left wondering why the soldier had to die.


Line by Line Meaning

When he went away for the last time
The departure of the person being referred to was a difficult event.


It wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
The singer found it difficult to articulate their emotions about the person leaving.


And the cows in the barn knew it was milking time
The departure was occurring at a specific time, evident from the cows needing to be milked.


Must of been real hard to leave everything behind
The act of leaving caused the person to have to abandon all aspects of their life.


Over there a moonless night shivering a secret fright
The event of leaving occurred during a dark and fearful night.


It wasn't so easy.
Reiterating that the act of leaving was difficult for those affected.


And how many missions more, where to and what for?
The singer is questioning the purpose of the person leaving and where they may be headed.


Ask the government, tell it to the cows in the barn
The artist believes they are not able to receive a satisfactory answer and is deflecting responsibility elsewhere.


Then there was the moon, what did the moon see?
The artist asks a rhetorical question about the moon as if to illustrate its omnipresence.


Saw the blade of grass in one boy's eye
The moon witnessed a small, insignificant detail that may have gone unnoticed by others.


And pain that'll make you glad you're dying
The singer suggests that the pain experienced by the person leaving was so intense that the thought of dying may have been a relief.


Hands that dribbled the basketball
This describes a pastime and a skill that the person had.


Voice that sang out of tune
This describes a flaw or imperfection of the person that the singer recalls.


Love that ended too soon
The singer references an unfinished relationship with the person leaving.


A nose that bled for better reasons.
The singer is metaphorically implying that the person had more meaningful or worthwhile struggles in their life.


When he came back for the last time
The return of the person being referred to was also a difficult event.


It wasn't so easy, words were hard to find
Just as before, the artist finds it difficult to express their emotions about the person's return.


And we buried him before it was milking time
The person returning has passed away before it was time to milk the cows.


The preacher said it was all right, the Lord is my Shepherd
The religious leader comforts the mourners by saying the deceased is in a better place under divine care.


But I shall want to know why.
The artist is not satisfied with just believing in a divine plan and wants a deeper explanation for why the person had to pass away.




Lyrics © LAMPLIGHTER MUSIC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER DEDRICK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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