Drums
Norman and Nancy Blake; Gillian Welch and David Rawlings; Emmylou Harris Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I always meant to ask you about the war
And what you saw across a bridge too far
Did it leave a scar
Or how you navigated wings of fire and steel
Up where heaven had no more secrets to conceal
And still you found the ground beneath your wheels
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost
And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed
There was still that line that you would never cross
At any cost
I meant to ask you how you lived what you believed
With nothing but your heart up your sleeve
And if you ever really were deceived
By the likes of me
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
Gone now is the day and gone the sun
There is peace tonight all over Arlington
But the songs of my life will still be sung
By the light of the moon you hung
I meant to ask you how to plow that field
I meant to bring you water from the well
And be the one beside you when you fell
Could you tell
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
To dust be returning from dust we begin
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Above and below me world without end
Drums is a song about unspoken words to a loved one who has passed away. The singer expresses regret about not having asked their loved one about their life and experiences while they were still alive. They mention wanting to ask about their loved one's war experiences, and how they managed to land their airplane on the ground. Additionally, they wished to have asked about how their loved one lived their life so genuinely and if they ever felt deceived. They mention how the songs of their life will still carry on, even though their loved one is gone.
The chorus of the song "Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly, to dust be returning from dust we begin, Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy, above and below me world without end" is a solemn reminder of mortality and how all things come to an end.
The song features a slow, mournful melody that echoes the themes of death and loss. The lyrics, combined with the melody, bring out a sense of helplessness and regret over the missed opportunities to connect with a loved one. Ultimately, the song serves as a reminder to cherish every moment that we have with our loved ones before it's too late.
Line by Line Meaning
I meant to ask you how to fix that car
I always wanted to know how to repair that vehicle, but I never got the chance to ask you.
I always meant to ask you about the war
I intended to inquire about your experiences in the war, but I never got around to it.
And what you saw across a bridge too far
I also wished to know what you witnessed when you were too far away to help.
Did it leave a scar
Did those painful memories affect you profoundly?
Or how you navigated wings of fire and steel
I wonder how you managed to control an aircraft in such dangerous circumstances.
Up where heaven had no more secrets to conceal
In the skies, where the heavens were laid bare.
And still you found the ground beneath your wheels
Despite all the danger, you were able to land your plane safely.
How did it feel
What was the sensation like when you piloted that craft?
Bang the drum slowly play the pipe lowly
Beat the drum gently and sound the pipes mournfully.
To dust be returning from dust we begin
We are born from dust and die to return to it.
Bang the drum slowly I'll speak of things holy
Drum slowly as I talk about sacred things.
Above and below me world without end
To the ends of the earth, above and below.
I meant to ask you how when everything seemed lost
I intended to inquire about how you persevered when everything seemed hopeless.
And your fate was in a game of dice they tossed
When your destiny was determined by the roll of the dice.
There was still that line that you would never cross
There was always a boundary that you refused to cross, no matter the consequence.
At any cost
Regardless of the price.
I meant to ask you how you lived what you believed
I wanted to know how you managed to stay true to your convictions.
With nothing but your heart up your sleeve
While being completely open with your feelings and beliefs.
And if you ever really were deceived
I was curious if anyone had ever taken advantage of you or misled you.
By the likes of me
Perhaps even by someone like myself.
Gone now is the day and gone the sun
Night has fallen, and the day has come to an end.
There is peace tonight all over Arlington
There is calm all through Arlington tonight.
But the songs of my life will still be sung
Nonetheless, my story and songs will still be told.
By the light of the moon you hung
Under the moon's light that you provided.
I meant to ask you how to plow that field
I always wished to know how to cultivate the land in that way.
I meant to bring you water from the well
I wanted to provide you with water from the well.
And be the one beside you when you fell
I wanted to be there to support you when you needed it most.
Could you tell
Could you sense my devotion?
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: GUY CLARK, EMMYLOU HARRIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind