Emily
Lenny Breau Lyrics
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Has the murmuring sound of may
All silver bells, coral shells, carousels
And the laughter of children at play
Say Emily, Emily, Emily
And we fade to a marvelous view
Two lovers alone and out of sight
As my eyes visualize a family
They see Emily, Emily
(and we fade to a marvelous view)
Two lovers alone and out of sight
Seeing images in the firelight
As my eyes visualize a family
They see Emily, Emily
Too
The lyrics to Lenny Breau's "Emily" seem to describe a young woman, Emily, who brings about the light and joy of the month of May. Through the use of poetic words such as "silver bells, coral shells, carousels," the song creates a vibrant picture of the world through the perspective of a child playing. As the song progresses, the tone shifts and becomes more romantic as it describes a pair of lovers who envision a future together, with Emily as the centerpiece of the family.
What seems to be apparent in this song is the power of imagination and memory. By focusing on Emily and the memories that she conjures up, the singers of the song are able to escape into a world of wonder and possibility. Through Emily, they are able to see the beauty in the everyday world and imagine a life filled with love and family. Overall, the song is an ode to youthful innocence, imagination, and the power of love to create meaning and beauty in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Emily, Emily, Emily
The repetition of Emily's name creates a rhythm that highlights her importance.
Has the murmuring sound of may
Emily's presence is gentle and soothing, like the whispered arrival of spring.
All silver bells, coral shells, carousels
Emily is associated with happy, shiny things that bring joy and light into people's lives.
And the laughter of children at play
Emily's influence elicits innocent, carefree joy in others.
Say Emily, Emily, Emily
The repetition of Emily's name prompts the listener to focus on her presence.
And we fade to a marvelous view
Mentally saying Emily's name causes a transformative effect where a beautiful view becomes visible.
Two lovers alone and out of sight
The view reveals a scene of intimacy shared between two people hidden away from view.
Seeing images in the firelight
The lovers see visions reflected in the flames of the fire before them.
As my eyes visualize a family
The singer's own thoughts turn to his own idealized vision of a happy family.
They see Emily, Emily
The lovers in the scene perceive Emily's spirit watching over them, granting them happiness.
Too
This interjection is unclear in its context/meaning.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ricky Ross, Scott Fraser, Pete Webb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@FrancoisLeduc
Another one of the early transcriptions I made now corrected and re-edited! This might be my favorite of them. So ingenious and fun to play! There are some missed notes in the tremolo section, I didn't tried to guess what was intended so just replace them with a note of the chord that feel right to your ear. Have Fun!
@mattberger3657
Thank you sir
@user-sb3wh3dd4v
Beautiful playing, lovely arrangement, and THANK YOU for including the real notation!
@chrispoulin5902
Thanks. I'm inspired to play through this. Lenny is close to my heart so thank you for helping to spread his music with this transcription.
@AdamPatterson12
One small mistake on measure 30. It's actually an F/A being barred on the fifth fret (a chord Lenny commonly uses). The line flows right through that chord structure rather than awkwardly climbing up the first string. Thanks Francois!
@AdamPatterson12
Measure 25 is also a dominant 7 instead of a major.
@billanderson2767
CLASSIC👏
@lofimijo208
so nice
@leswhitetrash697
Lots of grunt work here.... Lenny would say "Loo Loo Like Man, that's far-out"... Do you play 7-string with high A, ala Lenny?... Thanks much for this gift...
@nikk-r5308
Beautiful! Any interest in Jimmy Raney - Pennies From Heaven?