Opal was a psychedelic band from Los Angeles. The band was part of the Pais… Read Full Bio ↴Opal was a psychedelic band from Los Angeles. The band was part of the Paisley Underground music style, incorporating rich vocal style and guitar interplay in a folk rock style. Opal formed in 1983 under the name Clay Allison featuring David Roback (previously of Rain Parade), bassist Kendra Smith (from Dream Syndicate), and drummer Keith Mitchell. After one single, however, they released the remaining Clay Allison tracks under the band's new name, Opal.

In 1984, Fell From the Sun EP was released and then followed in '85 by another EP, Northern Line. In 1987, the band released their first and last full-length album, Happy Nightmare Baby, on SST. Smith left the group on the Happy Nightmare tour and effectively put an end to the band. David Roback continued with vocalist Hope Sandoval, and in 1989 this band became Mazzy Star. A singles and rarities anthology, Early Recordings, was released that year on Rough Trade.

A Falling Star
Opal Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

a falling star that's what you are
crystal and cheap
know what i mean?

i am a kite left in the air
listen to me
thought you would be there

a falling star out of the blue

velvet and fog wanted to see you

Overall Meaning

In Opal's song "A Falling Star," the singer describes someone they admire as a "falling star." They suggest that this person is both "crystal and cheap," perhaps suggesting that they have some qualities that are admirable and some that are not. The singer also compares themselves to a kite left in the air, emphasizing their own vulnerability and dependence on the other person. The final line of the first verse - "thought you would be there" - suggests that the singer feels disappointed or let down by this person in some way.

In the second verse, the singer continues to describe the falling star as "velvet and fog," perhaps suggesting an allure or mystery that draws them in. Despite this, the singer says that they "wanted to see you," suggesting that they have not been able to connect with this person in the way that they had hoped.

Overall, the lyrics of "A Falling Star" suggest a sense of unrequited longing and disappointment, as the singer describes their unfulfilled hopes and desires for connection with someone they admire.

Line by Line Meaning

a falling star that's what you are
You're like a shooting star falling from the vastness of space.

crystal and cheap
Your shine is like crystal, but your true worth is cheap.

know what i mean?
Do you understand what I'm trying to say?

i am a kite left in the air
I feel like a kite that has been left in the air, powerless and directionless.

listen to me
Hear me out and understand my feelings.

thought you would be there
I believed you would always be there for me, but you weren't.

a falling star out of the blue
Your appearance was sudden and unexpected, like a falling star out of the blue.

velvet and fog wanted to see you
I yearned to see you so badly, like how velvet and fog are drawn to each other.

Contributed by Alexis Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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