The lyrics suggest that what could have been is just an idea and can only exist in the realm of speculation, implying that regrets are futile. The perpetual possibility of what could have been represents missed opportunities and decisions that were not made. The passage and door metaphorically represent alternate paths and choices that could have been taken, and the rose-garden symbolizes the potential for beauty and happiness that could have been achieved.
Overall, the interlude highlights the complexities of time and the importance of making decisions in the present moment that will ultimately shape the future. It also suggests that focusing on what could have been is not productive and that it's better to focus on the present moment and the future that it can bring.
Burnt Norton
Lana Del Rey Lyrics
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Are both perhaps present in time future
And time future contained in time past
If all time is eternally present
All time is unredeemable
What might have been is an abstraction
Remaining a perpetual possibility
Only in a world of speculation
Point to one end, which is always present
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never opened
Into the rose garden
In Lana Del Rey's song Burnt Norton, she borrows heavily from T.S. Eliot's poem of the same name, from his Four Quartets collection. Here, she speaks of the fluidity and interconnectedness of time, suggesting that the past, present, and future are all intrinsically linked. She posits that the past and present may inform the future, and that the future may be contained within the past.
She also touches upon a common human experience - the perpetual what-ifs and maybes that we carry with us. She notes that the idea of what could have been is an abstraction, a perpetual possibility that exists only in the realm of speculation. Here, she seems to be suggesting that the present is the only true reality, and that dwelling on the past or daydreaming about the future can be limiting.
The final lines of the song provide a fitting metaphor for the rest of the piece. Lana describes the memory of footfalls echoing down a passage, leading towards a door that was never opened, and into a rose garden. The rose garden is often seen as a symbol of beauty and love, and here it may represent a potential future that was never actualized due to past choices or circumstances. The idea of doors and passages left unexplored speaks to the idea of missed opportunities - the paths not taken, the chances not seized.
Line by Line Meaning
Time present and time past
The current moment and the past moment is equally important.
Are both perhaps present in time future
Current and past events will shape the future.
And time future contained in time past
The future is shaped by past events.
If all time is eternally present
Time is an everlasting entity that exists always.
All time is unredeemable
Time once passed can never be regained or changed.
What might have been is an abstraction
The things that could have happened are uncertain and non-existent.
Remaining a perpetual possibility
The possibility of what could have been will always remain.
Only in a world of speculation
One can only imagine in a hypothetical world.
What might have been and what has been
The events that could have happened and the past events lead to present.
Point to one end, which is always present
All events that happen in the past and future will always point to the present.
Footfalls echo in the memory
Memories are like footprints that leave an echo in our minds.
Down the passage which we did not take
The path that we did not take will always lead to what could have been.
Towards the door we never opened
The possibilities that we never explored.
Into the rose garden
A romantic and utopian world that we never got to explore.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ELIZABETH GRANT, KEEFUS CIANCIA, KEITH CIANCIA, T.S ELIOT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on West Coast
Amazing how the film maker lifted the filming of this video directly from the Chet Baker documentary Let's Get Lost - black & white hanging at the beach and cruising in the backs of convertables
ciggywater
on National Anthem
such a goddess
Abygail Fernandez Smith
on West Coast
ganda
Inside Bilderberg
on Cruel World
Love this song.
Romatizzalid Bozin Veda Loca
on West Coast
barcelona akhawa
Dawit Dawit
on Ultraviolence
nice
Dawit Dawit
on West Coast
best