Tomorrow Is A Long Time
Nick Drake Lyrics
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If tonight were not a crooked trail
If tomorrow weren’t such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
And if I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
I can’t see my reflection in the water
Can’t speak the sounds that show no pain
I can’t hear the echo of my footsteps
Can’t remember the sound of my own name
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
And if I could hear he heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then I’d lie in my bed once again
There’s beauty in the silver, singing river
There’s beauty in the sunrise in the sky
None of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
That I remember in my true love’s eyes
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
And if I could hear he heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
And she could lie in my bed once again
In Nick Drake’s song Tomorrow Is a Long Time, he sings about the emptiness of life without love. The lyrics speak to the idea that without love, life is lonely, and time can seem to drag on endlessly. He uses the imagery of an “endless highway” and a “crooked trail” to emphasize the feeling of being lost without someone to share the journey with. Drake’s longing for his “own true love” is palpable throughout the song, and he dreams of a life where they can be together.
The idea that love can bring beauty to life is also conveyed through Drake’s description of nature. He writes about the “beauty in the silver, singing river” and the “beauty in the sunrise in the sky,” but ultimately concludes that the beauty he remembers is in his true love’s eyes. The absence of love leaves Drake feeling disconnected from his surroundings - he can’t see his reflection in the water, can’t hear the echo of his footsteps, and can’t remember his own name.
Overall, Tomorrow Is a Long Time is a poignant reflection on the importance of love in life. Drake’s lyrics are deeply personal and emotional, and speak to his own experiences of loneliness and longing.
Line by Line Meaning
If today were not an endless highway
If life wasn't a never-ending journey without any rest or break
If tonight were not a crooked trail
If every night was not a complicated, confusing, and uncertain path
If tomorrow weren’t such a long time
If the future wasn't uncertain, distant, and infinite
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
If things were different than they are, I wouldn't feel so alone
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
The only thing that would make everything worth it is if my significant other awaited me
And if I could hear her heart softly pounding
If I could listen to her heartbeat that signifies the power of her love for me
If only she was lying by me
If only she was physically present, comforting me through my thoughts
Then I’d lie in my bed once again
Then I'd be able to rest peacefully, thinking of her and her presence beside me
I can’t see my reflection in the water
I cannot find any resemblance of myself anymore; I am lost within myself
Can’t speak the sounds that show no pain
I am unable to speak my true feelings and emotions because they would only highlight my pain and sadness
I can’t hear the echo of my footsteps
I am so lost in my thoughts and my feelings that I can't even hear the sound of my footsteps
Can’t remember the sound of my own name
I have lost all touch with myself; I don't even recognize my own identity anymore
There’s beauty in the silver, singing river
Nature can be beautiful, but it can't compare to the beauty I found in my true love
There’s beauty in the sunrise in the sky
The sunrise can be a breathtaking sight, but it pales in comparison to the beauty of my significant other
None of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
Nothing else can come close to the beauty I experienced with my true love
That I remember in my true love’s eyes
The beauty I see is in my lover's eyes; her gaze alone sends my heart racing
And she could lie in my bed once again
If she were here with me, I could feel her warmth and find some peace in my thoughts
Contributed by Alexander R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Preston
on Kimbie
And I need a Mackinaw
Preston
on Kimbie
hawl
Preston
on Kimbie
It's not a show. It's a shawl. The point here is that can be once a luxury item, a shawl that costs $9, while the speaker needs a Mackinaw, which is a practical warm coat. She "wants" something, but he "needs" something.
Preston
on Kimbie
Kimbie wants a nine dollar show
Kimbie desires a performance that costs exactly nine dollars
Kimbie wants a nine dollar show
Kimbie repeatedly expresses her desire for a nine dollar performance
She wants a nine dollar show
Kimbie is insistent on attending a nine dollar show
And I need
The artist has a need that is yet to be revealed
Well Kimbie let your hair hang down
The artist is telling Kimbie to let her hair loose and relax
Kimbie let your hair hang down
The singer repeats his request to Kimbie, urging her to let go of her worries
Let your hair hang down
The singer encourages Kimbie to let her hair down, implying that she should stop worrying and enjoy herself
T'il it touches the ground
The artist suggests that Kimbie should let her hair down completely
Well Kimbie let your hair hang down
The artist reminds Kimbie to let go of her worries as he intends to depart soon
Kimbie let your hair hang down
The artist emphasizes the importance of Kimbie letting her hair down before he leaves
Cause come the morning I’ll be gone
The singer implies that he will not stay for long
Well Kimbie where you been so long
The artist questions Kimbie's whereabouts since he last saw her
I’ve been down in your state pen
Kimbie has spent time in a prison located in the singer's state
With those rough and rowdy
Kimbie has been surrounded by aggressive and unruly people
Rough and rowdy men
The people Kimbie has been surrounded by in prison are male and are known for their aggressive behaviour
Well Kimbie where you been so long
The artist repeats his question, wondering where Kimbie has been and why she has been away for so long
And I gotta go back again
Kimbie reveals that she has to return to prison once again
Well I wished I was a mole in the ground
The singer expresses his wish to be a mole that burrows underground
I wished I were a mole in the ground
The singer repeats his desire to become a mole
I was a mole in the ground
The artist imagines himself as a mole burrowing beneath the surface of the earth
And that I’d tear this mountain
The artist imagines himself digging through a mountain
I’d tear this mountain down
The artist would use his strength to destroy a mountain if he were a mole
Wished I was a mole in the ground
The singer repeats his desire to become a mole, implying that he wants to be free from the burdens of the human world
Dave
on Free Ride
That interpretation isn't correct at all.