Curtain Calls
Old 97's Lyrics
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Where the pine trees pine for the fall of night,
You believe in cards and you believe in signs
And I'll be leavin' soon, but I'm here tonight
On a mountainside, well below the stars
Keep your lovers eyes in mason jars
And I should be scared but I feel no fear
And even if you are the one
And even if the cards are all true
When the curtain calls
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
When the curtain calls
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
Well the southern pea moved her family down
Then along came me to her sleepy town
I don't believe in cards, I don't believe in signs
But I'll be leavin' soon. I'm here tonight
And even if you are the one, and even if I tried to be true
When the curtain calls, oh baby, what's a boy to do?
When the curtain calls, oh baby, what's a boy to do?
In a western town, beneath the northern lights
Where the pine trees pine for the fall of night
Don't believe in me, did I make that clear?
Cause I'll be long gone soon, but tonight I'm here
And even if you were the one
I didn't wanna walk out on you
But when the curtain calls
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
When the curtain calls
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
When the curtain calls
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
The song "Curtain Calls" by Old 97's is a melancholic reflection on love and the transient nature of human relationships. The song speaks of a western town beneath the northern lights where pine trees pine for the fall of night. The singer is about to leave the place but is here tonight. The lines "you believe in cards and you believe in signs" suggest that the idea of fate and destiny play a significant role in the town. But despite this, the singer is not scared and feels no fear, as he knows that he will be leaving soon.
The song later talks about the singer moving to a sleepy town that was home to southern peas. The lines "I don't believe in cards, I don't believe in signs but I'll be leaving soon. I'm here tonight" suggests that the singer is not sentimental about the place and will soon be moving on.
The chorus "And even if you are the one, and even if I tried to be true, when the curtain calls, Oh, baby, what's a boy to do?" suggests that despite feeling a connection to the people and the place, the singer knows that he will have to move on eventually, and he wonders what happens when the curtain falls.
Overall, the song speaks to the universal human condition of impermanence and the fleeting nature of human relationships in the context of life's ever-changing and unpredictable nature.
Line by Line Meaning
In a western town, beneath the northern lights,
The setting is a small town in the west where the northern lights are visible.
Where the pine trees pine for the fall of night,
The pine trees eagerly wait for nightfall amidst the beauty of the northern lights.
You believe in cards and you believe in signs
The people in the town believe in superstitions and signs like tarot cards to guide them.
And I'll be leavin' soon, but I'm here tonight
The singer is temporary in the town but is present in the moment.
On a mountainside, well below the stars
The singer observes a breathtaking view of the stars from atop a mountain.
Keep your lovers eyes in mason jars
Preserve the memory of your beloved, looking at photographs or storing letters or tokens in a jar.
And I should be scared but I feel no fear
Though the singer should feel scared of the unknown, they feel no fear in this peaceful place.
Cause I'll be leavin' soon, tonight I'm here
The singer is aware of the transient nature of their stay and is embracing the moment.
And even if you are the one
Even if the person he meets could be the right one, the singer's departure looms over any possibility of romance.
And even if the cards are all true
Tarot readings cannot predict the future, neither do they have control over it.
When the curtain calls
When his time in town is up and he has to leave.
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
The singer feels stuck between chasing his dreams and wanting a sense of permanence, confused about what to do next.
Well the southern pea moved her family down
The arrival of a family in town, shifting their focal point.
Then along came me to her sleepy town
The singer enters her life, making her reconsider her priorities.
I don't believe in cards, I don't believe in signs
He has no faith in the town's superstitions and wants to make his own fate.
But I'll be leavin' soon, I'm here tonight
The singer's presence is fleeting but he knows how to relish his moments.
Don't believe in me, did I make that clear?
The singer is vocal about his non-belief, contradicting the town's attitude.
Cause I'll be long gone soon, but tonight I'm here
The transience of the singer's stay is emphasized again, but he enjoys the present moment.
When the curtain calls
The inevitability of departure looms over them all.
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
The question of what to do next haunts him as he inches closer to leaving.
When the curtain calls
The singer's departure is inevitable and fast approaching.
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
Despite the inevitable goodbye, the singer is still torn and unsure of what decision to make.
When the curtain calls
The idea of leaving becomes ever more present.
Oh baby, what's a boy to do?
The anxiety of leaving wrecks his mind, making it even more difficult to make a decision.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KENDALL DEWAYNE BETHEA, MURRAY HAMMOND, STEWART RANSOM MILLER, PHILIP WAYNE PEEPLES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind