He regularly does solo work, and returns again and again to bands he has formed like The Soft Boys and The Egyptians. Hitchcock is an avid and able collaborator with people like director Jonathan Demme, actor Alan Rickman, country/folk duo (and longtime Hitchcock fans) Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, The Venus 3, R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Young Fresh Fellows' frontman Scott McCaughey, Andy Partridge of XTC, Nick Lowe, former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, Jon Brion, and Grant-Lee Phillips, as well as Ministry's Bill Rieflin.
Hitchcock's musical and lyrical styles have been influenced by his appreciation of Bob Dylan, Gregory Corso, The Byrds, Country Joe & The Fish, and Syd Barrett.
Hitchcock's lyrics are an essential component of his work, and tend to include surrealism, comedic songs, characterisations of English eccentrics, plant roots, insects, trains, dreams, and melancholy depictions of everyday life. His themes include what many psychologists view as the roots of modern neurosis - namely, death, sex, and eating. (As if in recognition of these themes, he released an EP in 2007 called "Sex, Food, Death and Tarantulas".)
Arms of Love
Robyn Hitchcock Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For someone you're dreaming of
Wait till the dawn is breaking
Into the arms of love
Maybe tonight you're crying
Like a poor wounded dove
Any time now you're flying
Maybe tonight you're falling
For someone you don't know enough
Tell me you'll soon be crawling
Into the arms of love
Into the arms of love
Maybe tonight you're falling
Away from all the stuff
Tomorrow you'll be crawling
Into the arms of love
Into the arms of love
Into the arms of love
Into the arms of love
Maybe your world is fading
It wasn't strong enough
Through all the dirt you're wading
Into the arms of love
The song "Love" by Robyn Hitchcock is a poignant piece about the power of love to free you from despair and sadness. The lyrics explore the different forms of pain and isolation that one can experience in life, and how love can provide a refuge from these emotions. The opening lines set the tone for the rest of the song: "Maybe tonight you're aching for someone you're dreaming of, wait till the dawn is breaking, into the arms of love." Here, the singer acknowledges the longing and yearning that we all feel at some point, and suggests that love is the solution to this ache.
The song goes on to describe various scenarios where love can provide comfort and support. The second verse describes someone who is "crying like a poor wounded dove", and how they will soon fly "into the arms of love". The third verse similarly discusses falling for someone who is still unknown, and the reassurance that eventually you will be "crawling into the arms of love".
The final verse takes a more mournful turn, with the suggestion that perhaps the world is fading and "wasn't strong enough". Despite this, the refrain repeats the mantra that love will provide a refuge: "into the arms of love". Overall, the song is a powerful testament to the transformative power of love, and the comfort that it can bring in times of sorrow.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe tonight you're aching
Perhaps you are feeling emotional or in physical pain tonight
For someone you're dreaming of
You may desire someone who you can only have in your dreams
Wait till the dawn is breaking
Have patience until the morning light comes
Into the arms of love
Find solace and comfort in the embrace of someone who loves you
Maybe tonight you're crying
You may be shedding tears, feeling sorrowful or upset
Like a poor wounded dove
Your cries may resemble those of a defenseless bird that has been injured
Any time now you're flying
You will soon rise above your pain and move forward
Maybe tonight you're falling
You may be developing feelings for someone
For someone you don't know enough
However, you may not know them well enough
Tell me you'll soon be crawling
Assure me that you will take things slowly and cautiously
Into the arms of love
Find reassurance and support in the love of another
Maybe tonight you're falling
You may be losing interest in things that you are currently focused on
Away from all the stuff
You are moving away from your usual priorities and interests
Tomorrow you'll be crawling
You will take things slowly and cautiously tomorrow, moving towards comfort and love
Into the arms of love
Find solace and assurance in the love of someone who cares for you
Into the arms of love
Let yourself accept love and support from those who care about you
Into the arms of love
Embrace those who offer you comfort and love
Into the arms of love
Seek refuge and comfort in the embrace of someone who cares deeply for you
Maybe your world is fading
Perhaps the things you once relied on are no longer there for you
It wasn't strong enough
What you once had was not enough to keep your world stable
Through all the dirt you're wading
Even though life has been hard and messy, you are persevering
Into the arms of love
Find peace and love in the embrace of someone who accepts and loves you for who you are
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: ROBYN HITCHCOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hanydp
Coming here out of the blue , when the song suddenly cross my mind.
@trfesok
Covered by R.E.M in 1992, so I put both versions in my R.E.M. playlist. Thanks for the upload!.
@NickRowsell
Superb track ... taps right into me ... clouded eyes and clenched fists ... everything primordial I need from music ...
@alanvanmeter5835
Always the the bright light shines from you Robyn.
@NickRowsell
Nicely put mate ...
@heidihorvat1
One of Robyn's best. I love his stuff.
@danielcooper4455
Remember my dad played for this in the car, I asked him what it was and he showed me the album cover and explained it's a song about losing his father.
@jimbocci2862
Hitchcock has written dozens of great tunes. This is my fave Hitchcock tune. Not available on the iTunes library. WTF? Love REM's version but they missed the subtleties. The half-step down on the hook. And the E-bow... oh my friggin god.
@donaldjr1969
I heard REM's version first when it came out and I loved it too. But Michael Stipe sang it with a depressed tone to it (at least it seems that way to me). This is definitely more positive and uplifting.
@MikeDuttera
Best version of this IMO is in the Luminous Groove collection- disk 2 of the "Bad Case of History" album. IT KICKS SOME SERIOUS BUTTOCKS; truly AWESOME!!!!