It Has Not Taken Long
Nico Lyrics


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It has not taken long, it has not taken long
The hunters they are hiding from me
A wooden hand, a golden reed
A waiting end for them to bleed

La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la

It has not taken long, it has not taken long
To feast our naked eye upon
The open blade
The hungry beast have found her calling
Calling "help me, please"

La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la

La la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la

Overall Meaning

Nico's "It Has Not Taken Long" is a haunting and mysterious song that seems to be about a hunter who is being hunted. The lyrics describe a sense of foreboding and violence, with references to a wooden hand and golden reed as well as a waiting end for those who are being hunted. The repetition of the phrase "it has not taken long" adds to the sense of urgency and danger in the song.


One interpretation of the lyrics is that they represent the cycle of violence and death in nature. The hunter becomes the hunted, and the "hungry beast" finds her calling in the kill. The phrase "help me, please" could be seen as a plea for mercy from the victim or a cry for help from the hunter. The la-la-las that punctuate the song only add to its unsettling atmosphere, suggesting a sense of madness or hysteria.


Overall, "It Has Not Taken Long" is a deeply poetic and evocative song that leaves much to the imagination. It is a haunting reminder of the fragility of life and the brutality of the natural world.


Line by Line Meaning

It has not taken long, it has not taken long
The singer points out that whatever has recently occurred has happened very quickly.


The hunters they are hiding from me
The hunters are in hiding, probably from the singer, who represents a danger to them.


A wooden hand, a golden reed
These items may be symbolic or metaphorical and don't necessarily have a literal meaning, though they may relate to ideas of fragility or value.


A waiting end for them to bleed
The hunters are anticipating a violent end where they will be wounded and bleed.


La la la la la la la la
This is a nonspecific vocalization (like singing 'tra-la-la') that doesn't have a direct meaning in the lyrics.


To feast our naked eye upon
Something has been exposed that can be seen directly and in detail.


The open blade
This is a dangerous object that is now visible and in use.


The hungry beast have found her calling
This may be a metaphor, but it suggests that an animal or some other creature has found a purpose, possibly related to the previously mentioned danger.


Calling 'help me, please'
This is a plea for assistance from someone or something that is in trouble, suffering, or under duress.




Contributed by Layla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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