The song was based on an instrumental song called "Rise Up To Be" written by Buckley's collaborator, Gary Lucas. Jeff wrote lyrics inspired by his saying goodbye to his girlfriend at the airport on a rainy day, and the melody came naturally. In Buckley's words, "(It's about) not feeling so bad about your own mortality when you have true love."
Buckley invited Lucas to play on the album, along with "Mojo Pin"; two songs that Lucas had created the main riffs for, and Buckley had expanded upon, making up the "Grace" heard on the album, and earlier on Songs to No One 1991–1992; These songs were prominent in gigs around 1991 onwards.
Grace
Jeff Buckley Lyrics
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Long enough for the clouds to fly me away
Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid
Afraid to die
My fading voice sings of love
But she cries to the clicking of time
Oh, time
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Fire
And she weeps on my arm
Walking to the bright lights in sorrow
Oh, drink a bit of wine, we both might go tomorrow
Oh, my love
And the rain is falling
And I believe my time has come
It reminds me of the pain I might leave
Leave behind
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Fire
(It reminds me of the pain) I might leave
Leave behind
And I feel them drown my name
So easy to know and forget with this kiss
I'm not afraid to go
But it goes so slow, ooh-oh
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Oh-oh-oh!
(Wait in the fire, wait in the fire) yeah, yeah, ooh
(Wait in the fire, wait in the fire)
(Wait in the fire, wait in the fire)
The lyrics to Jeff Buckley's song Grace are haunting and filled with raw emotion. The song starts off with the moon asking to stay, prolonging the moment before the clouds come and take him away. It's a metaphor for life, begging for more time before death takes us away. Although Buckley's voice fades, he sings of love and passion until the very end. The clicking of time in the background is a reminder that the clock is ticking, and there's limited time to savor and appreciate life.
The chorus rings with a sense of urgency, urging listeners to wait in the fire, wait for their time to come. The fire is symbolic of the trials and tribulations in life, denoting a sense of relentlessness and unyielding passion to keep going, even in the face of obstacles. The same passion is reflected in his lover's eyes as she weeps on his arm, walking to the bright lights in sorrow. Together, they drink wine, knowing that tomorrow might be their last.
Towards the end of the song, Buckley realizes that his time has come when he hears the rain falling. The rain is symbolic of the pain he might leave behind, prompting him to wait in the fire until his time is up. Buckley is not afraid to go, but the realization that death is imminent is a slow and painful process. The lyrics are laden with sorrow, reminding listeners of the fleeting nature of life, making Grace a truly powerful song.
Line by Line Meaning
There's the moon asking to stay
The moon is illuminating the singer, and they are asking it to stay for a little while longer.
Long enough for the clouds to fly me away
The singer wants to stay in the moonlight until they are carried away by the clouds.
Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die
The singer knows that their time to die is approaching, but they are not afraid.
My fading voice sings of love,
The artist's voice is weakening, but they are singing about love.
But she cries to the clicking of time, oh, time.
Despite the artist's love, someone is weeping because time is running out.
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
The singer is waiting to face death, even if it means being consumed by fire.
And she weeps on my arm
Someone is crying on the singer's arm, expressing their sadness.
Walking to the bright lights in sorrow
The artist and someone else are walking towards bright lights, despite their sorrow.
Oh drink a bit of wine we both might go tomorrow
The artist suggests drinking wine with someone, acknowledging that they might both die tomorrow.
Oh my love
The artist is addressing someone they love.
And the rain is falling and I believe my time has come
As the rain falls, the singer feels like their time to die is approaching.
It reminds me of the pain I might leave, leave behind,
The rain reminds the artist of the pain they might cause others when they die.
And I feel them drown my name
The singer is aware that their name and memory will eventually be forgotten.
So easy to know and forget with this kiss
The singer feels that their existence is fleeting, and can be easily forgotten with a single kiss.
I'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow
The singer is not afraid to die, but it feels like it's taking forever.
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire, oh oh yea oh oh oh yeah unh
The artist is repeating their desire to wait in the fire until they face death.
Wait, wait, wait in the fire, wait in the fire
The artist is urging themselves to wait in the fire until the end.
Wait in the fire, wait ah uh unh ah
The singer is once again expressing their desire to wait in the fire until the end comes.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeffery Buckley, Gary Lucas
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Adelia Hogarth
There's the moon asking to stay
Long enough for the clouds to fly me away
Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die
My fading voice sings of love,
But she cries to the clicking of time, oh, time.
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
And she weeps on my arm
Walking to the bright lights in sorrow
Oh drink a bit of wine we both might go tomorrow
Oh my love
And the rain is falling and I believe my time has come
It reminds me of the pain I might leave, leave behind,
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
And I feel them drown my name
So easy to know and forget with this kiss
I'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire, oh oh yea oh oh oh yeah unh
Wait, wait, wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait ah uh unh ah
Songwriters
BUCKLEY, JEFF / LUCAS, GARY
Read more: Jeff Buckley - Grace Lyrics | MetroLyrics
Daisy Alberto
[Verse 1]
There's the moon asking to stay
Long enough for the clouds to fly me away
Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die
My fading voice sings of love
But she cries to the clicking of time, oh, time
[Chorus]
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
[Verse 2]
And she weeps on my arm
Walking to the bright lights in sorrow
Oh drink a bit of wine we both might go tomorrow, oh my love
And the rain is falling and I believe my time has come
It reminds me of the pain I might leave, leave behind
[Chorus]
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
[Bridge]
(It reminds me of the pain)
I might leave, leave behind
And I feel them drown my name
So easy to know and forget with this kiss
I'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow
[Chorus]
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire, oh oh yea oh oh oh yeah unh
Wait, wait, wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait ah uh unh ah
Gman4MF
In Buckley's words: "It's about not feeling so bad about your own mortality when you have true love."
Wikipedia:
The song was based on an instrumental song called "Rise Up to Be" written by Buckley's collaborator, Gary Lucas. Jeff wrote lyrics inspired by his saying goodbye to his girlfriend at the airport on a rainy day, and the vocal melody came naturally.[1] In Buckley's words, "It's about not feeling so bad about your own mortality when you have true love."
Here's what Jeff about Grace during a 1994 interview:
"It's about not fearing death, or fearing any of those countless slings
and arrows that you suffer sometimes on this earth, because somebody
loves you. You're not afraid to go, you're not afraid to withstand what
you need to withstand because there's a tremendous fuel that you feel
regenerating inside because of someone else's love for you. That's what
Grace is about. And it's just about life sometimes being so long. At the
time I was anticipating leaving Los Angelos for New York. So I was
waiting to go. I'm not afraid to go, I'm not afraid to die, I'm not
afraid to go away from this place or from any place but it just goes so
slow. And I had somebody who loved me in New York. A lot. And it was
amazing. It still is."
Rebecca Vocal Athlete
All humans must listen and learn
Deniz Bade Akkoyun
You can never really learn this. That's why it's so special.
Deniz Bade Akkoyun
I mean of course you might learn from it but no one can ever come close to creating what Jeff created...
james fannnon
Listen and yearn
Grey Matters
@Deniz Bade Akkoyun "knowledge speaks, wisdom listens." "creativity is more important than knowledge." it is our hope that incomparably beautiful stars will shine as bright, if not, even moreso, it'd be vanity not to embrace that possibility
Nada
@Deniz Bade Akkoyun I think the vocals could be learned through hard work tho
ValhallaRaven
Today is the 25th Anniversary of Jeff’s passing. Rest In Peace to a man who was years ahead of his time, but taken far too soon.
Don Boscorelli
To this day he’s still ahead.
DYLN JSHUA
Look at the banner
Rhiana Jackson
Thank you ValhallaRaven.. I knew it was close cause every year between June 22-July 22 one his songs come to me be it in my head, or in a shop. Then I have a Jeff binge every year for the last 12-14 years. Now I get why. And this song, ❤️ espesh how he passed. The lyrics are so him all the way. He knew when his tune was coming and did amazing work leading up to it. Bless his Angel voice 🙏🏾❤️✊🏽