Counting Stars
Kate Anna McGarrigle Lyrics
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Seems like so much more
Time goes by than that
Hard to believe it's all real time
I'm sorry I can't be there with everyone on Christmas
To help bring in wood for the fire
And carry a stack of warm plates
I got in damned trouble again
It's like every year I get in trouble at Christmas time
Is to where I expect in the rain and the darkness of November
Leaves me feeling lost and hopeless
So I went to a bar by myself to try and forget
That I had nothing and no one
And I got into a fight with a big loud jock
He left me counting stars on the floor
Every damn year is the same
I say I'll come home
Once I got a little more to show for myself
Than just getting in trouble
We were counting stars on the ski slopes
Wearing all our clothes up against winter's snap
Scampering up hell to steal a run
On the Mohawk toboggan
And later on we watched the hockey game
With beer and cigarettes
And finally we lay down to sleep
In the small beds of our childhood
Counting stars with the wavy glass
Of the old storm windows
On the big, long, crazy
Mohawk toboggan
The song “Counting Stars” by Kate and Anna McGarrigle is a beautiful ballad that explores the themes of nostalgia, homesickness and regret. The lyrics convey a deep sense of longing for home, family and loved ones and the pain of being away from them during special occasions like Christmas. The song starts with the singer expressing her desire to come back home every year but realizing how much time has gone by since she left. The reality of time passing by makes it hard for her to believe that it's all happening in real-time.
The chorus, “I'm sorry I can't be there with everyone on Christmas, To help bring in wood for the fire, And carry a stack of warm plates, To the table where the goose is served” conveys the sadness and regret of not being able to be with family on special occasions. The verses also express the singer’s feelings of loneliness and isolation, as she finds herself in a bar trying to forget her troubles, only to get into a fight with a jock and end up counting stars on the floor. The song ends with a beautiful image of childhood memories and counting stars on a toboggan, highlighting the nostalgia for simpler times and the joy of being with loved ones.
Overall, “Counting Stars” is a poignant song that conveys the emotions of longing and regret in a heartfelt and relatable way. Through vivid imagery and emotive lyrics, the McGarrigle sisters capture the essence of what it means to be away from home and loved ones and the pain of missing out on special moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Every year I think about coming back
I ponder each year about returning home
Seems like so much more
It feels like time passes way slower
Time goes by than that
Time passes faster than I think
Hard to believe it's all real time
It's difficult to believe that it's all actually happening
I'm sorry I can't be there with everyone on Christmas
I apologize for not being able to join everyone on Christmas
To help bring in wood for the fire
To assist with carrying firewood
And carry a stack of warm plates
And transport a pile of heated dishes
To the table where the goose is served
To the location where the goose is being served
I got in damned trouble again
I got myself into troublesome circumstances once again
It's like every year I get in trouble at Christmas time
It seems as though every year I encounter issues around Christmas
Is to where I expect in the rain and the darkness of November
I am accustomed to finding myself there in the rain and November's darkness
Leaves me feeling lost and hopeless
Causes me to feel disoriented and hopeless
So I went to a bar by myself to try and forget
I went to a bar by myself to attempt to erase it from my mind
That I had nothing and no one
That I possessed nothing and no one was with me
And I got into a fight with a big loud jock
And I became involved in a scuffle with a rowdy athlete
He left me counting stars on the floor
He left me unconscious and seeing stars lying on the ground
Every damn year is the same
Each and every year it's the identical scenario
I say I'll come home
I say I will return home
Once I got a little more to show for myself
After I have achieved a little more success
Than just getting in trouble
Than just getting myself into problematic situations
We were counting stars on the ski slopes
We were gazing at the stars while skiing down hills
Wearing all our clothes up against winter's snap
Wearing all of our warm clothing to fight against winter's chill
Scampering up hell to steal a run
Hastily ascending the slope to steal a run downhill
On the Mohawk toboggan
On the toboggan called Mohawk
And later on we watched the hockey game
And afterwards we watched a hockey game
With beer and cigarettes
Drinking beer and smoking cigarettes
And finally we lay down to sleep
And eventually we settled down to sleep
In the small beds of our childhood
In the small beds from our youth
Counting stars with the wavy glass
Observing the stars through wavy glass
Of the old storm windows
Of the windows that are resistant to inclement weather
On the big, long, crazy
On the large, lengthy, bizarre
Mohawk toboggan
Mohawk toboggan
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Vincent Dow, Anna McGarrigle, Kate McGarrigle
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind