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Rolling Clouds
Paul Baribeau Lyrics
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until the record needle starting skipping
i was squeaking through the screen door
in your kitchen
so do you want to go downtown with me stop by the library?
you rode by my side
on your dad's old ten speed
it felt like everything was finally perfect
we rode past the empty stores
the churches
but then i looked in your eyes
and they were anxious
and they were nervous
under all the rolling clouds
over all the fields that surround
this tiny town
later that night you started to cry
ran into the bathroom and locked yourself inside the bathroom
i wanted to knock down the door but instead i just leaned against the other side
sometimes it feels like i still don't know you
after all these years
after all the stupid stuff we've gone through
how many horror movies have we sat through
how many sour patch kids
how many two liters of mountain dew
i want to see you get through this
but it seems like nothing i say makes any difference
when i left your house that night i felt totally awful
and selfish
under all the rolling clouds
over all the fields that surround
and trap us in this tiny town
maybe i did the wrong thing
maybe i should have stayed
maybe you were gonna feel better, maybe
maybe nothing would have changed
most nights i just throw a movie in the vcr
and fall asleep on the couch and wake up tired
i try not to miss you
but i don't try very hard
i remember stopping by a long time ago
heard you inside playing piano
i sat down on the front step
and listened through the window
under all the rolling clouds
the blue breaking through
over all the fields that surround
this tiny town
under all the rolling clouds
the blue busting through
over all the fields that surround
this tiny town
The lyrics of Paul Baribeau's song "Rolling Clouds" are filled with emotion and a sense of nostalgia for a time and a person that has seemed to slip from the singer's grasp. The song opens with a beautiful imagery of a summer day that is interrupted by a skipping record needle, suggesting that even the most idyllic moments can be easily shattered. The singer finds himself in his crushed's kitchen, asking her to go downtown with him, and they ride together on her dad's old bike. It seems like a perfect moment until the singer realizes that his crush - whose eyes were anxious and nervous - wasn't as into it as he was.
Later that night, she locks herself in the bathroom and cries, leaving the singer feeling helpless and unsure of what to do. The song captures the impotence one can feel in a relationship, where nothing one does or says makes any difference. The singer remembers all the good times the two shared, but he also admits to his selfishness in wanting to see her get better without considering her own feelings on the matter.
The song's title hints at a sense of being trapped or stuck in the same place, and the rolling clouds overhead serve as a metaphor for the singer's sense of being stuck in a small town or relationship. Despite the melancholy tone of the song, it is a beautiful and evocative portrait of a moment in time and the complications of love.
Line by Line Meaning
the summer was purring like a kitten
The summer was peaceful and pleasant.
until the record needle starting skipping
Until something went wrong and disrupted the peace.
i was squeaking through the screen door in your kitchen
I entered your house through the screen door that was squeaking.
so do you want to go downtown with me stop by the library?
Do you want to go out with me and visit the library?
you rode by my side on your dad's old ten speed
You rode beside me on your father's old bicycle.
it felt like everything was finally perfect
Everything seemed to be going right.
we rode past the empty stores the churches
We cycled past deserted shops and religious buildings.
but then i looked in your eyes and they were anxious and they were nervous
But when I looked into your eyes, I could see that you were worried and tense.
under all the rolling clouds over all the fields that surround this tiny town
A description of the scene, with rolling clouds and fields surrounding a small town.
later that night you started to cry ran into the bathroom and locked yourself inside the bathroom
Later that night, you began to cry and locked yourself in the bathroom.
i wanted to knock down the door but instead i just leaned against the other side
I wanted to break down the door, but I just leaned against it instead.
sometimes it feels like i still don't know you after all these years after all the stupid stuff we've gone through
Sometimes it seems like I still don't understand you, despite all the experiences we've shared.
how many horror movies have we sat through how many sour patch kids how many two liters of mountain dew
How many horror movies, candy, and soda have we consumed together?
i want to see you get through this but it seems like nothing i say makes any difference when i left your house that night i felt totally awful and selfish
I want to help you through your struggles, but it seems like my words have no effect. When I left your house that night, I felt terrible and self-centered.
under all the rolling clouds over all the fields that surround and trap us in this tiny town
The scene is described again, with the clouds and fields surrounding and confining them in the small town.
maybe i did the wrong thing maybe i should have stayed maybe you were gonna feel better, maybe maybe nothing would have changed
Perhaps I made the wrong decision by leaving. Maybe if I stayed, you would feel better, or maybe nothing would be different at all.
most nights i just throw a movie in the vcr and fall asleep on the couch and wake up tired i try not to miss you but i don't try very hard
Most nights, I watch a movie and fall asleep on the couch, waking up feeling drained. I try not to miss you, but I don't put much effort into it.
i remember stopping by a long time ago heard you inside playing piano i sat down on the front step and listened through the window
I recall visiting you a while back and hearing you play the piano. I sat down on the front steps and listened through the window.
the blue breaking through
The blue sky becoming visible through the clouds.
the blue busting through
The blue sky forcefully breaking through the clouds.
Contributed by Evelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.