Morning
NEIL.YM Lyrics
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And an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand
I'm a long way from home and I miss my loved ones so
In the early morning rain with no place to go
Out on runway number nine, 707s set to go
And I'm stuck here in the grass where the cold wind blows
And the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver bird on high
She's away in westward bound, far above the clouds she'll fly
Where the morning rain don't fall, where the sun always shines
She'll be flying over my home in about three hours time
This old airport has brought me down, it's no earthly good to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be
You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train
So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain
The lyrics to "Early Morning Rain," originally written and performed by Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot, narrate a story of a man who finds himself stranded in an airport with no money, missing his loved ones, and no way to get home. The singer's desperation is palpable as he watches airplanes take off and fly away, leaving him behind with nothing but his thoughts and aching heart. The song highlights the themes of loneliness and isolation, as well as feelings of helplessness in uncertain situations.
The first verse sets the stage for the story, with the singer standing alone in the early morning rain with nothing but a dollar in his hand and an aching heart. He feels a painful longing for his family and loved ones, whom he is far away from. The second verse depicts him alone on an airport runway, watching airplanes take off, and getting intoxicated to pass the time. The imagery of the "women all were fast" suggests a desire for companionship but also suggests the singer has serious personal problems with alcohol and women.
In the final verse, the singer faces the unfortunate reality that he's going to be stuck in the airport. He realized that this "old airport" has brought him nothing but trouble and that he needs to move on. The final lines suggest an urgency to leave and move on from the situation, implying that it's time to shake off the past and move forward with his life.
Line by Line Meaning
In the early morning rain with a dollar in my hand
I am standing in the rain with only a dollar in my hand
And an aching in my heart and my pockets full of sand
I feel pain in my heart and have sandy pockets
I'm a long way from home and I miss my loved ones so
I am far from my home and my loved ones, and I miss them
In the early morning rain with no place to go
I have nowhere to go while it's still raining
Out on runway number nine, 707s set to go
The planes are ready to leave from runway number nine
And I'm stuck here in the grass where the cold wind blows
I am stuck outside where it's windy and cold
And the liquor tasted good and the women all were fast
I had some good liquor and the women were promiscuous
Yeah, there she goes my friend, she's going down at last
A plane is going down and my friend is watching it happen
Hear the mighty engines roar, see the silver bird on high
I hear the engines and see the plane flying high
She's away in westward bound, far above the clouds she'll fly
The plane is heading west and flying above the clouds
Where the morning rain don't fall, where the sun always shines
There's a place where it doesn't rain and the sun always shines
She'll be flying over my home in about three hours time
The plane will pass over my house in three hours
This old airport has brought me down, it's no earthly good to me
This airport is hopeless and useless to me
'Cause I'm stuck here on the ground as cold and drunk as I can be
I'm stuck on the ground, feeling cold and drunk
You can't jump a jet plane like you can a freight train
You can't hop on a jet plane like you can catch a freight train
So, I'd best be on my way in the early morning rain
I should leave now while it's still morning and raining
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Gordon Lightfoot
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind