Focusing primarily on instrumental composition and playing, Kottke also sings sporadically, in an unconventional yet expressive baritone described by himself as sounding like "geese farts on a muggy day".[1] In concert, Kottke intersperses humorous and often bizarre monologues with vocal and instrumental selections from throughout his career, played solo on 6- and 12-string guitars.
All Through the Night
Leo Kottke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For I'm always so alone till the day draws to an end,
But when the sun goes down and the moon comes through,
To the monotone of the evening's drone I'm all alone with you.
All through the night,
I delight in your love,
All through the night you're so close to me!
From a height far above,
You and your love brings me ecstasy!
When dawn comes to waken me,
You're never there at all!
I know you've forsaken me
Till the shadows fall,
But then once again I can dream, I've the right
To be close to you all through the night.
The verse of "All Through the Night" by Leo Kottke is an ode to the comfort of the nighttime. According to the lyrics, the day is a foe since it leaves the singer feeling lonely until sunset. However, the night is a savior as it brings with it the warmth and companionship of their loved one. It is right from the opening line that the listener recognizes the song's message is about the difference between day and night, and how the solitude of day gives way to the solace of night.
The chorus brings in a beautiful twist regarding the singer's feelings towards their loved one. The lyrics suggest that the love between the singer and their partner is stronger during the night. The singer finds delight and ecstasy in their love with their partner through the night. The chorus is certainly the highlight of the song with its romantic and melodic essence. That being said, the lyrics are ambiguous enough that the song may also be interpreted as a love song to the night itself.
Line by Line Meaning
The day is my enemy, the night my friend,
I prefer the night over day, as I feel more lonely during the day and my loneliness subsides once it's nighttime.
For I'm always so alone till the day draws to an end,
Throughout the day, I constantly feel disconnected or separated from others, which changes once it's dark outside.
But when the sun goes down and the moon comes through,
At dusk, a shift in mood and feelings happens, and I feel as if I'm entering a new world or phase in the day.
To the monotone of the evening's drone I'm all alone with you.
Once night hits, I feel like I'm bonded with someone else, even though we may just be experiencing the stillness of our surroundings together.
All through the night, I delight in your love,
The nighttime brings me immeasurable happiness and joy when I'm with the person I love.
All through the night you're so close to me!
I feel as if I'm in someone's company all night, even though it may just be their presence and close proximity.
All through the night, From a height far above,
Even when I'm on my own, I'm in a heightened state of bliss just knowing that the person I love is nearby.
You and your love brings me ecstasy!
Being in love with you gives me so much joy that I feel like I'm on a cloud or experiencing sheer ecstasy.
When dawn comes to waken me, You're never there at all!
As soon as the morning comes and nighttime fades away, I feel like the person I love is no longer with me.
I know you've forsaken me Till the shadows fall,
I understand and accept that the person I love can't always be with me, but I'm glad I have the night to feel united with them.
But then once again I can dream, I've the right To be close to you all through the night.
Even though I know the person I love won't be there during the day, I have the right to cherish the memories of our nighttime bonding and hold onto the hope of having that feeling again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL WESTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Peter Scharf
Nice one - you keep coming up with LK tunes I've never heard, and I thought I'd heard them all. And I wasn't expecting to hear the chirping of the dawn chorus (proof I listened all the way through! :-)) 5*'s
bunnyhuntress
I have the album. And this and Pamela Brown are my favorites on the album
XIIstring
Beautiful!
bunnyhuntress
Still enjoying this video :)
john rijsdijk
Bert, Dat heb je geweldig gedaan! Overigens is een knappe prestatie een krappe anderhalf minuut te spreiden over een hele nacht. Absoluut 5*. Aanzetten de beoordelingslijst!
richard van den bos
Grappig dat sommige nummers ook in een andere stemming goed klinken dan waarin ze geschreven zijn, dit nummer bijvoorbeeld speelt Kottke in open C stemming maar in G gaat het ook.
richard van den bos
@Bert Bouwhuis Natuurlijk is dat het belangrijkst dat het goed klinkt..Toch nog even over die C stemming, dat heb ik van Leo zelf dus in dit geval hebben de tabs geen gelijk. Ik speel bijvoorbeeld Poor Boy van Kottke altijd in G stemming terwijl het in D stemming geschreven staat maar ik ben lekker eigenwijs ha ha groeten Richard.
Bert Bouwhuis
Ok, wist ik niet... even gegoogled, maar de meeste tabs zeggen toch Open G (plus capo). Maakt niet uit, als het maar klinkt!