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.
Morning Is the Long Way Home
Leo Kottke Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
By the river shore
I saw your child sleeping
Behind an open door
The moon was in the river
Shining up from the floor
And the fish swam like moonlight
Through your child's closing door
The fisherman was drowning
By his broken heel
His screams were tiny bubbles
And his tongue made of steel
When he died his teeth made stones
For your lonely child to feel
And his eyes like prayers were quiet
When you heard his tongues of steel
And morning is the long way home
The ghost of ghosts was passing
And the grasses waved like hair
I Knew I'd die forgotten
I'm the whisper of your care
The water would surround me
And my body would despair
But my heart would understand
The door that's closing there
And morning is the long way home
In Leo Kottke's "The Fisherman," the singer recalls a mystical and surreal encounter by the river shore. The singer heard a voice at midnight and saw a child sleeping behind an open door. The moon's reflection was in the river, shining up from the floor, and fish swam like moonlight through the closing door. The singer suggests that morning is the long way home.
A fisherman is drowning by his broken heel, and his screams are described as tiny bubbles with a tongue made of steel. He dies, and his teeth become stones for the child to feel. The fisherman's eyes, like prayers, were quiet when his tongues of steel were heard. The singer again asserts that morning is the long way home.
The ghost of ghosts passes by, and the grasses wave like hair. The singer accepts that they will die forgotten as the whisper of somebody's care. The water would surround the singer's body and cause despair, but the heart would understand the closing door. Once more, morning is the long way home.
Line by Line Meaning
I heard your voice at midnight
I was awake at midnight and heard your voice
By the river shore
Your voice was by the river
I saw your child sleeping
I saw your child asleep
Behind an open door
Your child's door was open
The moon was in the river
The moon's reflection was in the river
Shining up from the floor
The moon's reflection was shining on the river's floor
And the fish swam like moonlight
The fish appeared to be swimming like moonlight
Through your child's closing door
The fish appeared to be swimming through your child's door as it closed
And morning is the long way home
Time seems to be taking a long time to pass until morning comes
The fisherman was drowning
A fisherman was drowning
By his broken heel
The fisherman's heel was broken
His screams were tiny bubbles
His screams were small bubbles
And his tongue made of steel
His tongue was strong
When he died his teeth made stones
After he died, his teeth became rocks
For your lonely child to feel
Your child might later find the rocks and be reminded of the fisherman
And his eyes like prayers were quiet
The fisherman's eyes were closed peacefully
When you heard his tongues of steel
Before he died, he spoke with a strong voice
And morning is the long way home
Time seems to be taking a long time to pass until morning comes
The ghost of ghosts was passing
A ghostly apparition was passing by
And the grasses waved like hair
The grass appeared to be waving like hair
I knew I'd die forgotten
I had the premonition that I would die and be forgotten
I'm the whisper of your care
I believe I am the thing you care about deeply and quietly
The water would surround me
If I died, the water would cover me
And my body would despair
My body would be helpless
But my heart would understand
My heart would know
The door that's closing there
The closing of the door, perhaps symbolic of something
And morning is the long way home
Time seems to be taking a long time to pass until morning comes
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: LEO KOTTKE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tom Roger Lilleby
This piece is from his "Ice Water" LP.
I bought it the same day I went to Oslo to see him in concert here in Norway.
It must have been in late summer of 1979 - and he was promoting his "Balance" album.
Just before the show I sneaked in backstage and had a little chat with him and had him sign my
newly bought record. I felt starstruck - but I did my best to tell him how much his music means to me.
The album I love the most is his "Burnt Lips" LP !
I'd wish that was the one that had his autograph - but i've only seen him perform this one time.
Favourite track from the same record : the instrumental "Orange Room".
Christopher DiOrio
I'm a hardcore punk . . . but this song turned me onto the folk/singer/songwriter genre. Absolutely stunning playing.
George Power
My favourite Leo Kottke track. His 12 string playing on this reinvented how a 12 string could be played.
walfred.swanson@gmail.com
Never understood why this track has nearly disappeared from distribution. One of my favorite Kottke tracks - haunting lyrics, amazing guitar playing. Bought this album in 1974, and this track just sticks in my mind.
dave austintx
the most incredible piece of music i've ever heard. ever. absolutely stunning.
Michele Walfred - Hydrangea Queen
+dave austintx I have always thought so too. Never tire of it. My CD is fairly worn out. Wish iTunes had this version
Quintessentguy
Not only vocals, but drums and bass make this a great cut by Leo. It made me a fan as soon as my roommate played it in about 1974 at UC Davis. So glad to have found this recording! I love Leo live but he talks too much between songs, haha!
Mike Madden
Listen to this tripping! Or have you??? I notice you mention
1974, the year I saw God on 4 hits of supposedly weak acid.
itisofmyopinionthat
Interesting. I was at Davis listening to Kottke at that time too.
George Power
Leo Kottke is and always was an amazing talent. I’ve just rediscovered him via the many videos on this platform. Morning Is The Long Way Home is, for me at least, the crowning jewel of his oeuvre. What a showcase for the 12 string guitar!
Grey Wolf
This is in the top ten favorites of my own lifetime soundtrack, great album too-but this, ............................. wow~!