Mayfly
Ofln - Belle & Sebastian Lyrics
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You are tired of staying in
You are waiting for a sign
Mayfly, woken up when skies are clear
I don't mind you coming near
Keep me company 'til she comes again
You are the one who's making do
I am the one who's privy too
'Cause you saw him at the bridges with the people in the dark
Cana was the start of something big
You were there in the beginning
You were there to see him play
Mayfly, woken up when skies are blue
I don't mind the sight of you
Keep me company 'till she comes again
You are the one who's making do
I am the one who's privy too
Because you saw him at the celebrations standing at the side
He had the moves to save the day
And you would love him anyway
Lovesick, it came back upon yourself
You are the one left on the shelf
You are incapable of playing the fool
Longing so what's different today?
You sent the boy and girl away
You are concerned with matters lofty
But puzzled so it makes you sick
Your diary's looking like the bible with its verses lost in time
And lost in meaning for the people who surround you
It's a crying shame
You know it's a crying shame
The song "Mayfly" by Belle & Sebastian tells the story of unrequited love and longing. It describes a person who is lovesick on a sunny afternoon and tired of staying inside, waiting for a sign from the person they love. The "Mayfly" serves as a representation of fleeting love, as it wakes up when the skies are clear and disappears quickly. The singer doesn't mind the Mayfly's company until their true love comes back again. The lyrics mention that the singer knows about their love interest's whereabouts because they saw them in the park and at the bridges with people in the dark.
The next verse talks about Cana, which was the start of something big. The singer was there in the beginning, watching their love interest play. The Mayfly wakes up again when the skies are blue, and the singer doesn't mind its presence. The singer is the one who's making do with the Mayfly's company, while the singer is the one who's privy to all their thoughts and emotions. The lyrics describe how the singer saw their love interest at celebrations standing at the side, and even though they had the moves to save the day, the singer would love them anyway.
The song concludes by describing how the singer is left on the shelf, incapable of playing the fool. They are puzzled by their longing and concerns with lofty matters, and their diary looks like the Bible with its verses lost in time and meaning. The people surrounding them don't understand their plight, and it's a crying shame. "Mayfly" summarizes the beauty and tragedy of unrequited love, showcasing how people are willing to settle for temporary happiness until the person they truly love returns.
Line by Line Meaning
Lovesick on a sunny afternoon
Feeling lovesick on a bright day
You are tired of staying in
You want to get out and do something
You are waiting for a sign
You're waiting for a sign to show you what to do next
Mayfly, woken up when skies are clear
Mayfly, only appearing when the weather is nice
I don't mind you coming near
I don't mind you being around
Keep me company 'til she comes again
Stay with me until my love comes back
You are the one who's making do
You are the one making the best of things
I am the one who's privy too
I am the one who is in on the secret
'Cause you saw him in the park
Because you saw him in the park
'Cause you saw him at the bridges with the people in the dark
Because you saw him at the bridges with the people in the dark
Cana was the start of something big
Cana was the beginning of something important
You were there in the beginning
You were there from the start
You were there to see him play
You were there to see him perform
Mayfly, woken up when skies are blue
Mayfly, only appearing on a clear day
I don't mind the sight of you
I don't mind you being around
Keep me company 'till she comes again
Stay with me until my love comes back
You are the one who's making do
You are the one making the best of things
I am the one who's privy too
I am the one who is in on the secret
Because you saw him at the celebrations standing at the side
Because you saw him at the celebrations standing to the side
He had the moves to save the day
He had the skills to solve any problems
And you would love him anyway
And you would still love him no matter what
Lovesick, it came back upon yourself
Feeling lovesick is affecting you again
You are the one left on the shelf
You are the only one left without someone to love
You are incapable of playing the fool
You are not capable of acting foolishly
Longing so what's different today?
Longing, but what has changed today?
You sent the boy and girl away
You sent the couple away
You are concerned with matters lofty
You are concerned with important matters
But puzzled so it makes you sick
But you're confused and it's making you feel sick
Your diary's looking like the bible with its verses lost in time
Your diary looks like the Bible with its old entries
And lost in meaning for the people who surround you
And the people around you don't understand it
It's a crying shame
It's really sad
You know it's a crying shame
You know it's really sad
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ISOBEL CAMPBELL, RICHARD COLBURN, MICHAEL COOKE, CHRISTOPHER GEDDES, STEPHEN JACKSON, SARAH MARTIN, STUART MURDOCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind