John K. Samson is a singer-songwriter from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He used to p… Read Full Bio ↴John K. Samson is a singer-songwriter from Winnipeg, Manitoba. He used to play the bass in the band Propagandhi, and is now the singer & guitarist in The Weakerthans. In 1993 he released a 15 track cassette called Slips and Tangles on Fresh Bread Records. Some of those songs were also on a split CD with the band Painted Thin. In addition to The Weakerthans he has a project with his wife, Christine Fellows, called The Subscription, and he pronounces it like "sore-ee."

The Last And
John K. Samson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

So, I'm the first one in again,
With the quiet and the window growing snow,
When I hear the furnace rouse itself
From its slumber, somehow suddenly I know,
As my eye stops on one curled up in my lesson plan
That I'm just your little ampersand.

When your voice springs from the intercom

With announcements, and reminders, and a prayer,
I remember how you made me feel,
I was funny, I was thoughtful, I was rare,
But like the jokes about my figure
Kids think that I don't understand
I know I'm just your little ampersand

After Christmas holiday
You never asked to drive me home again
Sometimes in the staff room I
Catch your eye with "why'd it have to end,"
But I know from how you worry at your wedding band
That I'm just your little ampersand

At the last conjunction after every other and
I was just your little ampersand

Overall Meaning

The song "The Last And" by John K. Samson is a somber reflection on unrequited love and the isolation that comes with being stuck on the sidelines of someone else's life. The verses present a scene of a teacher going to work early, alone as the snow falls outside. The mention of the "quiet" and the "window" show the loneliness that this teacher feels in the early mornings. The teacher hears the furnace turn on and is reminded of someone who they care deeply for, someone who they consider to be their whole world. However, this person only sees the teacher as an insignificant afterthought, represented by the line "I'm just your little ampersand". The chorus of the song has the teacher reminiscing about how this person previously made them feel seen and valued, but that time has passed, the person has moved on, and now the teacher is left longing for something that they will never have.

The song's final verse is the most poignant, with the teacher remembering how their relationship with the person deteriorated after the Christmas holiday. The person stopped driving the teacher home and now the only interaction they have is a fleeting moment in the staff room where they exchange glances. The line "But I know from how you worry at your wedding band" shows that the person in question has moved on and is now married. The song ends with one final reminder of the teacher's insignificance, "At the last conjunction after every other and, I was just your little ampersand". The song is a heartbreaking reminder of the pain that can come with unrequited love and how it can leave someone feeling small and insignificant.

Line by Line Meaning

So, I'm the first one in again,
I arrive at work early, before anyone else does.

With the quiet and the window growing snow,
The snow outside is silently falling and accumulating on the windowsill.

When I hear the furnace rouse itself
I notice the sound of the furnace turning on and warming up.

From its slumber, somehow suddenly I know,
I have an intuition or feeling that something is about to happen.

As my eye stops on one curled up in my lesson plan
I notice an object (possibly a paperclip) curled up in my lesson plan.

That I'm just your little ampersand.
I am aware that I am insignificant and small in comparison to others.

When your voice springs from the intercom
I hear your voice coming through the school's intercom system.

With announcements, and reminders, and a prayer,
You make various announcements, reminders, and even say a prayer.

I remember how you made me feel,
I reminisce about how you used to make me feel in the past.

I was funny, I was thoughtful, I was rare,
I felt unique and special, possessing a good sense of humor and thoughtfulness.

But like the jokes about my figure
However, there were insensitive jokes made about my appearance.

Kids think that I don't understand
Children believe I am unaware of their teasing and making fun of me.

I know I'm just your little ampersand
I acknowledge that I am merely an insignificant connection or symbol (like an ampersand) in the grand scheme of things.

After Christmas holiday
Following the holiday break in December.

You never asked to drive me home again
You no longer offer to carpool with me after work.

Sometimes in the staff room I
Occasionally, while in the teachers' lounge,

Catch your eye with "why'd it have to end,"
I make eye contact and silently ask the question, "why did our relationship have to end?"

But I know from how you worry at your wedding band
I gather from observing you play with your wedding ring that you are committed to your spouse and have moved on.

That I'm just your little ampersand
I remind myself that I am no longer a significant person in your life, and that I am only a tiny and insignificant part of your past.

At the last conjunction after every other and
In the final linking word ("and") when listing various items,

I was just your little ampersand
I was nothing more than a small and insignificant part of your life, treated like just another connecting symbol.

Lyrics © FOX MUSIC, INC.
Written by: JOHN POWELL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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