The original orchestral suite was written by Bach for his patron Prince Leopold of Anhalt sometime between the years 1717 and 1723.
The title comes from violinist Wilhelmj's late 19th century arrangement of the piece for violin and piano. By transposing the key of the piece from its original D major to C major and transposing the melody down an octave, Wilhelmj was able to play the piece on only one string of his violin, the G string.
Air on a G String
Johann Sebastian Bach Lyrics
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Miscellaneous
Hanging on a String
I can't sleep I'm incomplete
as long as you don't tell me baby
the one thing I need to know right know
If only you would, call me
and put on hold
just let me know, let me know where I belong
I can't go on like this
I'm caught up in this twilight
until you come around and set me free
I don't wanna hang on a string
I don't wanna wait for you to ring
tell me I can't read your mind
don't keep me waiting
keep me calling
keep me hanging here on a string
Maybe, you hesitate
twice shy, that's why your waiting
maybe, I set my hopes to high
But all I wanna, do now
is hold you close
and tell you the way I'm feeling
it's like you got, you got a hold on me
I can't go on like this
I'm caught up in this twilight
until you come around and set me free
I don't wanna hang on a string
I don't wanna wait for you to ring
tell me I can't read your mind
don't keep me waiting
keep me calling
keep me hanging here on a string
Every moment twenty 4-7
and everything in between
I wait for you to call me
I wait for you to tell me
I wait for you to set me free
The lyrics for "Hanging on a String" convey the intense longing and desperation of the singer for their significant other to communicate their true feelings. The singer is unable to sleep and feels incomplete without knowing where they stand with their loved one. The reference to "twice shy" suggests that there has been hesitation in the past, but the singer still holds onto hope that their relationship can progress beyond the current state of uncertainty. The repetition of the phrase "I don't wanna" reinforces the singer's desire for their loved one to take action: to call them, hold them close, and set them free from the limbo they are currently experiencing.
The lyrics express a sense of both emotional and temporal captivity. The singer is "caught up in this twilight" and "hangs on a string," unable to move forward or fully live their life until their loved one communicates their true feelings. The reference to "every moment twenty 4-7" reinforces the obsessive nature of the singer's thoughts and their deep yearning for resolution. Ultimately, the lyrics evoke a yearning for liberation and the desire to be free from the emotional limbo created by lack of communication.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't sleep I'm incomplete
The author feels unfulfilled and restless without the person they are addressing.
as long as you don't tell me baby
The author desires information that only the person they are addressing can provide.
the one thing I need to know right know
The author feels that the information they desire is crucial for their current state of mind.
If only you would, call me
The author yearns for the person they are addressing to make contact.
and put on hold
The author wants the person they are addressing to pause their current activity and focus on communication.
those dreams your lost in baby
The author suspects that the person they are addressing is distracted by their own ambitions and goals.
just let me know, let me know where I belong
The author is seeking validation and a sense of belonging from the person they are addressing.
I can't go on like this
The author is struggling to maintain their current emotional state without the person they are addressing.
I'm caught up in this twilight
The author is in a state of emotional limbo, unable to move forward or back without the person they are addressing.
until you come around and set me free
The author believes that only the person they are addressing can liberate them from their current emotional state.
I don't wanna hang on a string
The author is weary of waiting for the person they are addressing to engage with them.
I don't wanna wait for you to ring
The author is tired of the uncertainty around the person they are addressing's communication.
tell me I can't read your mind
The author believes that the person they are addressing is not being forthcoming about their thoughts and feelings.
don't keep me waiting
The author desires more active engagement from the person they are addressing.
keep me calling
The author wants the person they are addressing to encourage communication by picking up the phone.
keep me hanging here on a string
The author feels like they are suspended in emotional limbo by the person they are addressing.
Maybe, you hesitate
The author considers that the person they are addressing might be unsure or indecisive about how they feel.
twice shy, that's why your waiting
The author acknowledges that the person they are addressing might be hesitant due to negative experiences in the past.
maybe, I set my hopes to high
The author reflects on the possibility that they are asking too much from the person they are addressing.
But all I wanna, do now
The author is now focusing solely on their desire for intimacy with the person they are addressing.
is hold you close
The author wants physical proximity and intimacy with the person they are addressing.
and tell you the way I'm feeling
The author wants to be open about their emotions with the person they are addressing.
it's like you got, you got a hold on me
The author feels controlled by the person they are addressing, in a way that is both powerful and potentially harmful.
Every moment twenty 4-7
The author is waiting for the person they are addressing all hours of the day and night.
and everything in between
The author's thoughts and feelings are consumed by their longing for the person they are addressing.
I wait for you to call me
The author desires that the person they are addressing take initiative in communication.
I wait for you to tell me
The author is asking for the person they are addressing to be direct and clear in their communication.
I wait for you to set me free
The author is placing their emotional well-being in the hands of the person they are addressing.
Contributed by Sadie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@likea9959
Red Velvet really said, "it's not your regular comeback. It's a comebach."
@axx4357
This killed me xdd
@jvlixn
🥹
@Be.my.chill.kill.127
♡♡♡♡♡
@glennyglen
please 😭
@gdonairos111
no, it's ✨comebach✨
@sirtron7259
to everyone asking why Mozart, Bach, and Beethoven arent making any music anymore, its actually because they've been working on an extremely big collab together for the last 400 years, so stay tuned for it because its gonna be absolutely fire
@Zargex
Only those in heaven can hear it
@opticalreticle
cap
@bladeofgrass216
Don’t forget Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich