Empty Bottles
Nico/John Cale/Lou Reed Lyrics
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Lying side by side
Used up empty bottles
Remembering long lost wine
Keep our empty bottles
Making empty wine
Marking our intentions
And the summer make you lazy
A day at a time
And good company evades you
Passing you by
But I do love you against all odds
Though you don't know what I want
We're much poorer than that bottle
More foolish than that wine
Maybe we can make it
Though we failed before
You keep getting closer
Closer to me once more
And I'll try to entertain you
A day at a time
Try to make myself much clearer
From your wine
But I do love you against all odds
Though you don't know what I want
Seeing you and seeing me
We're much poorer than that bottle
More foolish than that wine
The lyrics for "Empty Bottles" are complex and poignant. The first stanza speaks to the aftermath of a night of revelry, as the singer sees the empty, used up bottles lying side by side, and begins to reminisce about the wine that was once inside them. In the second stanza, the singer reflects on the emptiness of their own life, symbolized by the empty bottles that they keep around. The third stanza evokes the lazy days of summer, but the imagery is tinged with loneliness, as the singer longs for good company that seems to pass them by.
The fourth stanza is the most emotionally charged, as the singer expresses their love for someone against all odds, despite that person not knowing what they want. The fifth stanza is filled with hope, as the singer believes that they can still make it work, despite having failed before. The final stanza brings the song full circle, as the singer tries to connect with their loved one, and reflects on their mutual foolishness, symbolized by the empty bottles and wine.
Line by Line Meaning
Empty, empty bottles
There are multiple empty bottles lying around
Lying side by side
The bottles are placed next to each other
Used up empty bottles
The bottles are no longer useful
Remembering long lost wine
The bottles remind the artist of the wine they used to have
Keep our empty bottles
The artist wants to hold on to the empty bottles
Making empty wine
The singer is trying to create something valuable out of something worthless
Marking our intentions
The bottles and wine are symbolic of something deeper
Sadly out of time
Despite their efforts, it is too late for the artist's intentions
And the summer make you lazy
The artist suggests that summer can have a negative effect on one's productivity
A day at a time
The artist is suggesting taking things slowly and one step at a time
And good company evades you
The singer is feeling lonely and isolated
Passing you by
Opportunities for good company are being missed
But I do love you against all odds
The singer's love for the other person persists despite the odds against them
Though you don't know what I want
The singer's intentions may not be clear to the other person
We're much poorer than that bottle
The singer and the other person are lacking in some way
More foolish than that wine
Their actions and decisions are not wise
Maybe we can make it
The artist is hopeful that the situation can improve
Though we failed before
The past has not been successful for the singer and the other person
You keep getting closer
The singer feels that the other person is coming closer to them
Closer to me once more
The artist desires to be close to the other person again
And I'll try to entertain you
The artist is willing to make an effort to make the other person happy
Try to make myself much clearer
The artist wants to communicate clearly to the other person
From your wine
The wine is used as a symbol for something deeper
Seeing you and seeing me
The artist is reflecting on their relationship
We're much poorer than that bottle
The singer and the other person are lacking in some way
More foolish than that wine
Their actions and decisions are not wise
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind