Brighter
Paul Kelly and The Messengers Lyrics
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Where is your husband?
I've seen him digging snow
Blowing on his blue hands
With yards and yards to go
You're wild you're wild
You're wild
He's just a child
It's getting brighter all the time
Where is your lover boy?
I heard him on the radio
Singing a lover's story
Then the music turned to snow
You're wild you're wild
You're wild
He's just a child
It's getting brighter all the time
It's getting brighter all the time
Here comes your law man
He's coming through fields of snow
With his pistol in his pants
And only yards to go
You're wild you're wild
You're wild
He's just a child
It's getting brighter all the time
It's getting brighter all the time
The lyrics of Paul Kelly and The Messengers' song Brighter paint a picture of a cold and desolate landscape, with characters trudging through the snow. The question "where is your husband?" suggests a wife searching for her partner who is out digging through the snow. The repetition of the phrase "you're wild" could portray the wife's fear and anxiety about her husband's safety. The line "he's just a child" could allude to the husband's vulnerability and naivety in the harsh environment.
The second verse shifts focus to the search for a lover boy, heard singing on the radio with a lover's tale before the music fades out into the snow. The use of the word "lover boy" and the romantic theme of the song suggests a feeling of longing and yearning for companionship in the lonely, frigid landscape. The final verse brings in the figure of the law man, a possible threat to the search party, but also perhaps symbolizing the wider social order that governs the world of the song.
Overall, the lyrics of Brighter speak to themes of survival, love, and the harsh realities of living in an unforgiving environment. The repetitive chorus of "it's getting brighter all the time" suggests a glimmer of hope in the midst of bleakness.
Line by Line Meaning
Where is your husband?
Asking where the singer's husband is.
I've seen him digging snow
The singer has seen the husband shoveling snow.
Blowing on his blue hands
The husband is cold, and trying to keep his hands warm.
With yards and yards to go
There is still a lot of snow that needs to be shoveled.
You're wild you're wild
You're wild
He's just a child
The artist is more wild or impulsive than her husband, who seems more immature and innocent.
It's getting brighter all the time
It's getting brighter all the time
Despite the cold and snow, things are improving.
Where is your lover boy?
Asking where the singer's lover is.
I heard him on the radio
The artist heard the lover's voice on the radio.
Singing a lover's story
Then the music turned to snow
The lover was singing a romantic song, which became more depressing as it progressed.
Here comes your law man
He's coming through fields of snow
With his pistol in his pants
And only yards to go
The artist's law enforcement boyfriend is coming to her, likely to arrest someone or investigate something.
Lyrics © BEHIND THE ROPES ENTERTAINMENT, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JAMES SAMUEL III HARRIS, JAMES HARRIS III, TERRANCE COCHEEKS KELLY, TERRY LEWIS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind