Virginia May
Isakov Gregory Alan Lyrics
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Set my clock for californ-I-ey-aye
And I dreamed up somethin' special to give that ocean
Man, she cuffs me anyway
So i'm banking on virginia
To keep me clear and calm and straight
Just like clock work seems to tell us
So light my way, virginia may
I can't sit still, just pace across this hallway
We spent all this time
Just trading crimes
While the tune-smith packed a lunch
He's headed down the coastline
There's a loneliness that's blowin'
Well I heard it from the radio man
He's been locked up in the belfry
Listening close, to a string upon a can
Me, i'm sailin' on to that savior
She's a pilgrim living on the modern time
And ever since I found her magic
Now every car or cloud that passes is a sign
Light my way, virginia may
I can't sit still just pace across this hallway
We spent all this time
Just trading crimes
And i'm saving all my sleep for another life
I'm saving all my sleep for another life
The lyrics of Gregory Alan Isakov's song Virginia May tell the story of a man who has set his sights on California but finds himself struggling against the relentless ocean. He is searching for something to keep him "clear and calm and straight," and he turns to Virginia as his guiding light. Virginia is presented as a mystical force that can "light his way" and give him a sense of purpose as he navigates a turbulent world. The lyrics are rich with imagery and metaphors, suggesting that the ocean and the passing storm represent the challenges and uncertainties of life that can only be overcome through the guidance of something greater than oneself.
The first verse introduces the theme of the song, with the opening line "slept high up in the rockies" suggesting that the singer has a high vantage point from which he can survey the world. However, he is still vulnerable to the power of the ocean, which he dreams of giving something special to, but which still "cuffs" him. The second verse introduces the figure of the tune-smith, who is packing a lunch and heading down the coastline. This image suggests that the singer is not alone in his search for meaning and that there are others like him who are engaged in their own spiritual journeys. The third verse introduces the idea of loneliness and suggests that it is a pervasive force that can be felt from a great distance, even by a radio man locked up in a belfry.
Line by Line Meaning
Slept high up in the rockies
I slept at a high altitude in the Rockies.
Set my clock for californ-I-ey-aye
I set my clock for California.
And I dreamed up somethin' special to give that ocean, Man, she cuffs me anyway
I had a special gift for the ocean, but it doesn't matter because it still pushes me around and causes trouble.
So i'm banking on virginia, To keep me clear and calm and straight
I'm relying on Virginia to keep me calm and focused.
Just like clock work seems to tell us, With every passing storm there's just a harder hail
Just as there's always harder hail with passing storms, there are always challenges in life.
So light my way, virginia may, I can't sit still, just pace across this hallway, We spent all this time, Just trading crimes, While the tune-smith packed a lunch, He's headed down the coastline
Virginia, guide me and give me direction. I can't sit still and am always pacing, swapping stories and ideas with my musician friend who is heading down the coastline.
There's a loneliness that's blowin', Well I heard it from the radio man, He's been locked up in the belfry, Listening close, to a string upon a can
There's a feeling of emptiness that's spreading and I heard about it from a man on the radio who's isolated and listening intently to a string on a can.
Me, i'm sailin' on to that savior, She's a pilgrim living on the modern time, And ever since I found her magic, Now every car or cloud that passes is a sign
I'm heading towards my saving grace, a woman living in the modern world. Ever since I met her, every passing car or cloud seems to be a sign from the universe.
Light my way, virginia may, I can't sit still just pace across this hallway, We spent all this time, Just trading crimes
Virginia, show me the way and help me find peace. I can't sit still and am always sharing stories with my musician friend.
And i'm saving all my sleep for another life, I'm saving all my sleep for another life
I'm saving up rest and relaxation for another period in my life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Syed Muddassir Iftikhar
slept high up in the Rockies
set my clock for californ-i-ey-aye
and i dreamed up somethin’ special to give that ocean
man, she cuffs me anyway
so i’m banking on virginia
to keep me clear and calm and straight
just like clock work seems to tell us
with every passing storm there’s just a harder hail
so light my way, Virginia May
i can’t sit still, just pace across this hallway
we spent all this time
just trading crimes,
while the tune-smith packed a lunch,
he’s headed down the coastline
there’s a loneliness that’s blowin’
well i heard it from the radio man
he’s been locked up in the belfry
listening close, to a string upon a can
me, i’m sailin’ on to that savior,
she’s a pilgrim living on the modern time
and ever since i found her magic
now every car or cloud that passes is a sign
light my way, Virginia May
i can’t sit still just pace across this hallway
we spent all this time
just trading crimes
and i’m saving all my sleep for another life
i’m saving all my sleep for another life.
R Smith
The best musicians are always underrated
Idk
R Smith that's not true
CateDoge
yuh
bustermot
Use of the word underrated says more about the commenter than the artist.
Not a Failure
This was released on my father's birthday over 10 years ago. He's no longer here but now I know why I find so much comfort in Gregory's voice. I miss my father so much and I can't wait to meet him again so we can listen to this together while looking out of Heaven's gate. I search for little pieces of him everywhere and I end up finding comforting things like these that make me think he really is looking out for me still.
CowboylikeMayo🇺🇦
I feel for you 💖💖
TH22
🕊️🕊️
Michael Gar
Nice song. My grandmothers name was Virginia May. She was a perfect person in my eyes.
Tanya Tomasch
I loved my grandma too. she was a Rose ♥🌹
Jesse
My grandma is named Virginia but has always been Ginger