Northern Star
Molly Johnson Lyrics


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(S. MacKinnon/M. Johnson)

Little man ,Where'd you go?
What'd you do? In a flash
Fingerprints, All that's left
On your way, Key in hand

Go set the world on fire with your big ideas
Say it good and loud for them all to hear
And Lord have mercy on those virgin ears
And don't you forget this

With every bridge you burn
With every lesson you unlearn
You can always find your way back home

And when it's all confused
You're overwhelmed and underused
Set your compass to the northern star
And find your way back home

Little girl, All grown up
So you think, In a whirl
Faded pink, All that's left
On your way, Swim or sink

Go set the world on fire with your courage and grace
Find your own way to your special place
And lord show some mercy on those who get in your way
And don't you forget this

CHORUS

Through the crack in the concrete
Through the grit in your eye
Through the dirt on the window
Try to find your light in the sky
In the dead of morning
In the still of night
The place that you come from
Is always in sight





CHORUS
BRIDGE

Overall Meaning

The song "Northern Star" by Molly Johnson is a powerful ballad that provides words of comfort and inspiration to all those who feel lost, confused, or overwhelmed. In this song, Johnson offers words of guidance to both little man and little girl, who are going through different phases of their life. The lyrics suggest that no matter how lost one may feel, there is always a way back home. The 'little man' is implored to go set the world on fire with his big ideas, speak his thoughts clearly, and not worry about who hears him. The 'little girl,' on the other hand, is encouraged to find her own place, set the world on fire with her courage and grace, and not let anyone stop her from achieving her dreams.


The chorus of the song emphasizes finding one's way back home, no matter how far they may have strayed from it. The lyrics remind listeners that every bridge can be burned, but we can always find our way back home. Even when everything seems confused, and we are overwhelmed and underused, we can set our compass to the northern star, and it will guide us back home. The bridge of the song suggests that one should keep looking for their light in the sky, even when everything seems dark and grim.


Overall, "Northern Star" is a song that provides words of encouragement and guidance to all those going through difficult times. Whether it is a little man with big ideas or a little girl struggling to find her place, the message of the song is that we should keep looking for our way back home and never give up on our dreams.


Line by Line Meaning

Little man ,Where'd you go?
Asking where someone has gone, what they've done, and wondering where they're headed.


What'd you do? In a flash
Asking what the person did, implying it was done quickly.


Fingerprints, All that's left
Only evidence that remains of the person's existence.


On your way, Key in hand
Leaving with purpose, ready to start something new.


Go set the world on fire with your big ideas
Encouraging the person to pursue their ambitious plans.


Say it good and loud for them all to hear
Encouraging the person to express their ideas boldly and clearly.


And Lord have mercy on those virgin ears
Acknowledging that some people may not be ready to hear these new ideas.


And don't you forget this
Important reminder to hold onto these thoughts.


With every bridge you burn
For every relationship or connection that you end or damage.


With every lesson you unlearn
For every belief or practice that you discover to be wrong or misguided.


You can always find your way back home
You can always return to your roots and foundational beliefs.


And when it's all confused
When everything feels uncertain or overwhelming.


You're overwhelmed and underused
Feeling like one has too much capacity or too many skills that are not being utilized.


Set your compass to the northern star
Use those foundational beliefs to guide you.


And find your way back home
Find stability and comfort.


Little girl, All grown up
Referring to a woman who has matured.


So you think, In a whirl
Implying confusion despite the appearance of confidence.


Faded pink, All that's left
Only traces of something once vibrant and youthful.


On your way, Swim or sink
Continuing onward, facing challenges head on.


Go set the world on fire with your courage and grace
Encouraging the person to pursue their goals with bravery and poise.


Find your own way to your special place
Encouraging the person to discover their own unique path.


And lord show some mercy on those who get in your way
Acknowledging that obstacles may arise, and hoping for empathy in those encounters.


Through the crack in the concrete
Through the cracks in something solid, reflecting the idea of finding hope in unlikely places.


Through the grit in your eye
Facing obstacles and overcoming them.


Through the dirt on the window
Obstructions preventing a clear view, but still searching for a way to see through them.


Try to find your light in the sky
Looking for hope, inspiration and guidance.


In the dead of morning
At the darkest time of day, when it is most difficult to see hope.


In the still of night
Implies stillness bringing a moment of clarity when it is most needed.


The place that you come from is always in sight
One's origin and beginning is always present.




Contributed by Claire C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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