Walnut Tree
Keane Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Once there was a great storm,
Pushed my head beneath the waves,
I was gone.

Underneath the walnut tree,
Where you said you'd wait for me,
And I waited a long, long time
I waited a long, long time,
I waited a long, long time,
I waited a long, long time,
I waited a long, long time.

Why, why do I come here?
Seeking out the memories I hold dear,
'Cause you put your spell on me,
Made me live a memory,
And I'm frozen in just the wrong time.

I waited a long, long time,
I waited a long, long time,




I waited a long, long time,
I waited a long, long time.

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Keane's song "Walnut Tree" depict a turbulent event - a great storm that pushes the singer's head beneath the waves, submerging them in danger and chaos. The storm symbolizes a difficult time in the singer's life, perhaps a personal struggle or emotional upheaval that threatens to overwhelm them. Despite the severity of the storm, we do not hear any sense of panic or fear in the singer's voice - this may suggest that they have already weathered the worst of the storm and are now in a place of relative calm.


The second verse, however, introduces a new element to the story - the image of a walnut tree where the singer's loved one has promised to wait for them. This image is full of both hope and longing, as the singer has been waiting for their loved one for a long time beneath its branches. There is a sense of bittersweet nostalgia here, as the singer's memories of this person are intertwined with the tree, making it a symbol of their love and loss.


The chorus repeats several times, emphasizing the theme of waiting and the passage of time. The final verse continues the theme of memory, as the singer returns to this place again and again, seeking out the memories that they hold dear. However, they are also aware that this obsession with the past has left them "frozen in just the wrong time," unable to move forward with their life. In this sense, the walnut tree becomes a haunting symbol of nostalgia, love, and the passage of time.


Line by Line Meaning

Once there was a great storm,
There was a time when there was a terrible storm.


Pushed my head beneath the waves,
The storm caused me to be submerged under water.


I was gone.
I disappeared.


Underneath the walnut tree,
I found myself beneath a certain tree.


Where you said you'd wait for me,
You said you would be waiting for me there.


And I waited a long, long time
I waited for a very long time.


I waited a long, long time,
I continued to wait, seemingly endlessly.


Why, why do I come here?
I wonder why I keep returning to this place.


Seeking out the memories I hold dear,
I am searching for the memories that I cherish.


'Cause you put your spell on me,
You enchanted me with your influence.


Made me live a memory,
You made me dwell on a specific memory.


And I'm frozen in just the wrong time.
I am trapped in a specific moment that has the wrong connotations.


I waited a long, long time,
I continued to wait for what seems like an eternity.


I waited a long, long time,
I continued to wait endlessly.


I waited a long, long time,
I have spent an interminable amount of time waiting.


I waited a long, long time.
I endured an angst-ridden wait for an extraordinarily long period of time.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JAMES KEITH WARNOCK SANGER, RICHARD DAVID HUGHES, TIMOTHY JAMES RICE-OXLEY, TOM CHAPLIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

Sandi


on I Need Your Love

meanest

Leanest

More Versions