Panther
Jennifer Warnes Lyrics


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I had a dream, woke up shaking
The moon breaking through the tress
And in the stillness of the evening
I heard a rustling in the leaves
And I saw a panther in the yard
Moving slow across the ledge
With silver eyes and a cool regard
And hunger with a cutting edge

Open the door, let it in
This mystery you found
It's all yours now
Come lay the panther down

So I called the eagle and the raven said
My prayer to the sky with the moon as my witness
I looked the panther in the eye and beheld
His violent beauty
That cut so deep and hard
Through my civilized indifference
And reckless disregard

So I open the door and let it in




This mystery I found is all mine now
Time to lay the panther down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Jennifer Warnes's song "Panther" present a metaphorical journey of self-discovery and acceptance of one's wild, untamed nature. The song starts with the singer describing a dream in which she sees a panther, a symbol of strength, danger, and freedom, moving slowly in her yard with its silver eyes and cutting edge hunger. The woman is shaken by her encounter with the panther and hears a rustling in the leaves which emphasizes her fear and confusion in the face of the unknown. However, as the chorus suggests, she decides to open the door and let the panther in, embracing the mystery and the power that comes with it.


The second verse emphasizes the woman's prayer to the sky with the moon as her witness, invoking the eagle and the raven as symbols of spiritual and mystical guidance. Looking the panther in the eye, the singer realizes how its violent beauty and untamed nature cut through her civilized indifference and reckless disregard. By accepting the panther's presence and power, she claims it as her own and decides to lay it down, implying a sense of surrender and humility but also a recognition of the transformative potential of embracing one's primal nature.


Overall, "Panther" is a song about the courage to face one's inner demons, embrace the wild and unapologetic parts of one's personality, and connect with a deeper sense of authenticity and freedom. Jennifer Warnes's soulful voice and the haunting melody add to the evocative and mystical quality of the lyrics.


Line by Line Meaning

I had a dream, woke up shaking
I had a frightening dream that left me shaking when I woke up.


The moon breaking through the trees
The moonlight was shining through the trees, creating a shadowy effect.


And in the stillness of the evening
In the quiet of the evening, I noticed a disturbance.


I heard a rustling in the leaves
I could hear the leaves rustling as if something was moving through them.


And I saw a panther in the yard
I finally saw a powerful panther in my yard, prowling around.


Moving slow across the ledge
The panther was creeping along slowly on the ledge, plotting its next move.


With silver eyes and a cool regard
The panther's eyes were a glinting silver color and it had a composed expression.


And hunger with a cutting edge
The panther was fiercely hungry and ready to pounce at its prey.


Open the door, let it in
I realized I needed to embrace this wildness and welcome it into my life.


This mystery you found
The discovery of this panther was a mystery to me.


It's all yours now
Now that I have encountered this dangerous animal, it's up to me to handle it.


Come lay the panther down
I needed to confront the panther and control it to bring it down to my level.


So I called the eagle and the raven said
I sought guidance from the eagle and raven in dealing with this enigmatic creature.


My prayer to the sky with the moon as my witness
I prayed to the vast sky, and its mystical energy along with the moon, as my witness.


I looked the panther in the eye and beheld
I locked eyes with the panther and recognized its true nature.


His violent beauty
The panther had a striking appearance, blending both beauty and brutality.


That cut so deep and hard
The panther's aura was so intense that it struck me deeply and left an impression.


Through my civilized indifference
The panther brought me to the realization of my own indifference towards nature and my wilder side.


And reckless disregard
The panther made me recognize how recklessly I had been disregarding the natural world.


This mystery I found is all mine now
The mystery that I encountered, in the form of the panther, is my responsibility to manage.


Time to lay the panther down
It's time for me to take control and tame the panther, bringing it down to a reasonable level.




Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, KAREN SCHAUBEN PUBLISHING ADMINISTRATION, BMG Rights Management
Written by: DOYLE BRAMHALL, JENNIFER WARNES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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