Gone at Last
Paul Simon with Phoebe Snow and The Jessy Dixon Singers Lyrics


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The night was black, the roads were icy
Snow was fallin', drifts were high
And I was weary from my driving
And I stopped to rest for awhile

I sat down at a truck stop
I was thinking about my past
I've had a long streak of that bad luck
But I'm praying it's gone at last

[Chorus]
Gone at last, gone at last
Gone at last, gone at last
I had a long streak of bad luck
But I pray it's gone at last
Oo, oo, oo...

I ain't dumb
I kicked around some
I don't fall too easily
But that boy looked so dejected
He just grabbed my sympathy

Sweet little soul now, what's your problem?
Tell me why you're so downcast
I've had a long streak of bad luck
But I pray it's gone at last

[Chorus]

Once in a while from out of nowhere
When you don't expect it, and you're unprepared
Somebody will come and lift you higher
And your burdens will be shared

Yes I do believe, if I hadn't met you
I might still be sinking fast
I've had a long streak of that bad luck
But I pray it's gone at last





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

In Paul Simon's song Gone At Last, the lyrics reflect the singer's weariness from driving through treacherous winter conditions. As he stops to rest at a truck stop, he reflects on his past, which has been plagued by a "long streak of bad luck." Despite this, he prays that this streak is finally over. As the chorus repeats the phrase "gone at last," the singer seems to be both acknowledging and celebrating the end of his troubles.


The second verse of the song introduces another character, a young boy who "looked so dejected" that he "just grabbed [the singer's] sympathy." The singer asks the boy about his troubles, acknowledging that he too has had a long run of bad luck. However, the overall message of the song seems to be one of hope, as both the singer and the boy find comfort in each other's company and experiences.


Throughout the song, there is a sense that the singer is looking for connection and relief from the burdens of life. He finds this relief in the boy's company, and perhaps also in the act of singing itself. The song builds to a crescendo in the final verse, as the singer declares that meeting this person has lifted him higher and allowed him to overcome his troubles.


Overall, Gone At Last is a song about difficult times, the hope for change, and the importance of finding solace in others. It's a message that is as relevant today as it was when the song was first released in 1975.


Line by Line Meaning

The night was black, the roads were icy
The surroundings were not favorable, and there was a high possibility of an accident.


Snow was fallin', drifts were high
The snow-covered roads made it difficult to drive, and snowdrifts made the driving experience even more challenging.


And I was weary from my driving
The driving had taken a toll on the person's body, causing exhaustion.


And I stopped to rest for awhile
The person had to take a break to regain energy and freshen up.


I sat down at a truck stop
The person chose to take rest at a truck stop, as it was a convenient location to stop and rest.


I was thinking about my past
The person was reflecting on their past experiences and events.


I've had a long streak of that bad luck
The person had been experiencing several unfortunate incidents one after the other, leading to a pattern of bad luck.


But I'm praying it's gone at last
Hoping that the pattern of bad luck had ended, and things would start going well again.


Gone at last, gone at last
The repetition of this line emphasizes the longing for the streak of bad luck to be over finally.


I ain't dumb
The person is not naive and can understand situations well.


I kicked around some
The person has experienced a lot of things and gone through a lot in life.


I don't fall too easily
The person is resilient and does not give up easily.


But that boy looked so dejected
The person noticed another person who appeared sad and downhearted.


He just grabbed my sympathy
The person felt sympathy towards the other individual's situation.


Sweet little soul now, what's your problem?
The person addresses the other individual with a term of endearment and asks what is troubling them.


Tell me why you're so downcast
The person wants to know the reason behind the other individual's sadness.


Once in a while from out of nowhere
Unexpectedly, someone, or something, can come into one's life positively, changing everything.


When you don't expect it, and you're unprepared
Good and unexpected things could happen at any moment, even when one is not ready for them.


Somebody will come and lift you higher
Someone could come into someone's life unexpectedly and positively impact it, to uplift and inspire them.


And your burdens will be shared
During the presence of positive people, they help to share the emotional burden and lessen the load.


Yes I do believe, if I hadn't met you
The person is addressing the individual they met and acknowledges that their encounter is significant.


I might still be sinking fast
Without the support and impact of the person, the individual may be going through difficult times.


Gone at last, gone at last
The individual realizes that the streak of bad luck is over and feels relief and happiness.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: PAUL SIMON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Susan Flynn

This is by far one of Paul Simon's greatest works. He is graced by Phoebe Snow's vocals. This song is a reflection of my life today :) Thanks to the heavens above!!!!

Glenn Leahey

Absolutely wonderful song. I've been playing in 2 of the local bars/internet jukebox recently and EVERYONE seems to like it. Rest in Peace Phoebe and Jesse.

Susan Flynn

One of THE BEST SONGS EVER....thank you Paul Simon and Pheobe Snow!!!!! :)

Kelly Schnurr

one of the Best! Phoebe is awesome!!! and that piano!!!

AntiHoplophobia

The Piano on this is EXCELLENT!

Beth Porch

everything is!

Kevin Driscoll

Totally agree with Duke! Fabulous production, stellar musicianship featuring the great Richard Tee on piano, Gordon Edwards on bass, topped off by the great Phoebe Snow.

sauquoit13456

On this day in 1975 {October 18th} Paul Simon & Phoebe Snow with the Jessy Dixon Singers performed "Gone At Last" on the NBC-TV program 'Saturday Night Live'... Two months earlier on August 16th it entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eventually it peaked on #23 and spent 10 weeks on the Top 100 chart... Sadly, Phoebe Snow passed away on April 26th, 2011 at the young age of 60; and Jessy Dixon died three months earlier on September 26th, 2011 at aged 73... R.I.P. Ms. Snow and Mr. Dixon...

skontch1

there must be a better song than this. i just haven't heard it yet. rest in pace phoebe..

C Flow

YES!!!! Paul, Phoebe Snow(RIP), The Jessy Dixon Singers(one of them being Ethel Holloway RIP) and.....Richard Tee on that PIANO! (RIP Tee)

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