Autumn
Nutini Paolo Lyrics


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Autumn leaves under frozen souls,
Hungry hands turning soft and old.
My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.

Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
Too young to say though I swear he knew.
I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
While these autumn leaves float around everywhere.

I look at you and I see me, making noise so restlessly,
But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.

Autumn leaves have faded now
That smile I lost well I've found somehow,
Cause you still live on in my father's eyes.





These autumn leaves, oh these autumn leaves,
Oh these autumn leaves are yours tonight.

Overall Meaning

The song "Autumn" by Paolo Nutini is a powerful ballad that reflects on the transience of life and the pain of loss. The lyrics evoke a melancholic mood, as the singer describes the falling autumn leaves and the passing of time. The opening lines set the scene with an image of frozen souls and hungry hands, suggesting a sense of emptiness and longing. The reference to "my hero" who cried in the cold adds to the emotional weight of the song and hints at a personal connection to the lyrics.


The second verse introduces a beautiful and mysterious character wearing handsome shoes and singing softly in a chair. The singer recalls seeing himself in this figure and feeling restless, but now the quietness of the autumn leaves allows him to hear his loved one's words reassuring him not to cry. The final verse brings closure to the song with the realization that the autumn leaves have faded and the singer has found a smile he thought he had lost. He cherishes the memory of his loved one through his father's eyes, and the autumn leaves become a symbol of his loved one's presence.


Line by Line Meaning

Autumn leaves under frozen souls,
The leaves that have fallen off trees are now frozen and symbolize how people's souls can become cold and distant as well.


Hungry hands turning soft and old.
Our hands can be worn out and weak just like age can make people become frail, despite our youthful hunger once before.


My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
The person, whom the singer looked up to, was brought to tears while standing in the cold, reflecting the disappointment or sadness that life can bring even to a hero.


Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.
Similar to leaves being blown around by the wind, the singer feels lost and empty, without anything to hold onto in life.


Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
Describing someone who has a charming appearance and is seemingly confident and yourthful.


Too young to say though I swear he knew.
Although the person was young at the time, it hints that they had insight and understanding beyond their youth.


I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
The memory of the person is evoked by hearing the sound of them singing, and this memory is comforting and healing.


While these autumn leaves float around everywhere.
The continuation of the image of autumn leaves drifting aimlessly around, and likening it to how memories and experiences can float aimlessly in our minds.


I look at you and I see me, making noise so restlessly,
Seeing oneself in another person and recognizing that both of them are somewhat aimless and not fulfilled in life, symbolized by making restless noise.


But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
Following the previous line, there is a sense of peace and quiet in the present moment, a chance to listen and take in the sound of the other person's (memory) words.


My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.
The words spoken by the other person are comforting and consoling, like a parent comforting a child that is scared or upset.


Autumn leaves have faded now
The leaves that were so vivid and vibrant have faded away, just like how memories of events and people can fade over time.


That smile I lost well I've found somehow,
Despite the fading away of memories, there are still chances to remember those parts of life that have been lost and find comfort in them once again.


Cause you still live on in my father's eyes.
The person whom the song is about may have left this world, but their memory still lives on in the singer's life, their father's life, and others who remember them.


These autumn leaves, oh these autumn leaves,
Reiterating the theme of the autumn leaves, and how they represent memories and experiences that may have seemed fleeting or brief, but still carry meaning and impact.


Oh these autumn leaves are yours tonight.
The final line embodies the idea that despite the pain and fading of memories, they are still special and worthwhile to hold onto, and honoring them is an act of respect and love.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JIM DUGUID, PAOLO GIOVANNI NUTINI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@baotuancaothien5459

"Autumn"

Autumn leaves under frozen souls,
Hungry hands turning soft and old,
My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.

Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
Too young to say, though I swear he knew,
And I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
While these autumn leaves float around everywhere.

And I look at you, and I see me,
Making noise so restlessly,
But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
'My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.'

Autumn leaves have faded now,
That smile I lost, well I've found somehow,
Because you still live on in my father's eyes,
These autumn leaves, all these autumn leaves, all these autumn leaves are yours tonight.



All comments from YouTube:

@alrichford9154

This song still gets me every time , it brings back so many memories of ones passed , this is possibly the one song I'd pick over every other song I've ever heard ever and I'm not 21 anymore, so thanks Paolo you are a lyrical genius

@tracyjohnson1922

This man doesn't sing he whispers into your soul ❤

@tricia251

Paolo words cannot begin to explain what this song means to me. It helped me get over the loss of my grandmother, a woman I one day hope to be like. Simply Euphoric. <3

@captaindeadpool2655

This man put me, my dad and little sister on his guest list when we were going through a terrible time in life. 2014/15 in a petrol station Applegreen in Ireland when it looked like my family was going to be broken up. We got to see him that night in Dublin. "Cosy brother"

@thealexlad

I think this is one of Paolo Nutinis best pieces of work - soooooooo beautiful... what a great way to remember his dad.

@wildflowerband4926

its about his grandfather - too beautiful

@alrichford9154

His dad is still here running his fish and chips shop like he's done for years

@baotuancaothien5459

"Autumn"

Autumn leaves under frozen souls,
Hungry hands turning soft and old,
My hero cried as we stood out there in the cold,
Like these autumn leaves I don't have nothing to hold.

Handsome smile, wearing handsome shoes,
Too young to say, though I swear he knew,
And I hear him singing while he sits there in his chair,
While these autumn leaves float around everywhere.

And I look at you, and I see me,
Making noise so restlessly,
But now it's quiet and I can hear you saying,
'My little fish don't cry, my little fish don't cry.'

Autumn leaves have faded now,
That smile I lost, well I've found somehow,
Because you still live on in my father's eyes,
These autumn leaves, all these autumn leaves, all these autumn leaves are yours tonight.

@dandirindina

This is so perfect I could not help crying when I heard it. a sincere love tribute to those who are not here anymore but somehow never left.

@cisemucar3850

On the very first minutes of September 2020, here i am..

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