Heart of Darkness
Rick Miller Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The daylight now is gone,
A darkened cloud where it shone.
I feel your ghost on the breeze,
A gentle dream I still need.

A chill runs down my spine,
The moon tells me that it′s time.
It's only now that I see,
A heart of darkness for me.

I wait for the touch of the night,
I write, pen in hand by dim candlelight.

I wait for the cut of the knife,
It helps turn the wrong into right.
I reach for your touch in the night,




It′s only now that I see,
A heart of darkness for me.

Overall Meaning

The first verse of "Heart of Darkness" by Rick Miller sets a tone of wistfulness and longing. The singer is lamenting the loss of daylight and seems to be searching for something that is no longer there. He mentions feeling a ghost-like presence on the breeze, suggesting that he is haunted by something or someone from his past. The second verse shifts to a darker tone, as the singer begins to feel a sense of foreboding. He senses that something is not right, as if he is on the brink of something terrible.


The chorus emphasizes the singer's desire for darkness and his willingness to embrace the shadowy aspects of life. He yearns for the touch of the night and for the catharsis of the knife, both of which are associated with darkness and danger. The song concludes with a repetition of the second half of the chorus, emphasizing the singer's acceptance of the darkness within himself.


Overall, the lyrics of "Heart of Darkness" are focused on themes of loss, longing, and darkness. The singer is searching for something that he cannot have, and he is willing to embrace the darker aspects of life in order to find some meaning.


Line by Line Meaning

The daylight now is gone,
The sun has set and darkness has engulfed the surroundings.


A darkened cloud where it shone.
The place where the sun was shining is now obscured by dark clouds.


I feel your ghost on the breeze,
I sense your presence in the air as if you were a ghost carried by the wind.


A gentle dream I still need.
I still long for the comforting, pleasant dream of us being together.


A chill runs down my spine,
I feel a sudden, intense feeling of fear or unease, which physically affects me.


The moon tells me that it's time.
The moon indicates that it is nighttime.


It's only now that I see,
I realize or become aware of something important only now.


A heart of darkness for me.
I am destined for a life full of emotional turmoil and suffering.


I wait for the touch of the night,
I eagerly wait for the arrival of the night to embrace its darkness and mystery.


I write, pen in hand by dim candlelight.
I take advantage of the dim light from candles to write using pen and paper.


I wait for the cut of the knife,
I anticipate the emotional pain that comes with facing the truth or making difficult decisions.


It helps turn the wrong into right.
Going through difficult times helps me correct my mistakes and make things better.


I reach for your touch in the night,
I yearn for physical contact with you during the night.


It's only now that I see,
I realize or become aware of something important only now.


A heart of darkness for me.
I am destined for a life full of emotional turmoil and suffering.




Contributed by Leo C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions