In 1999, Rocky Votolato branched out from his work with Waxwing, having written a handful of songs which did not really fit in with their more aggressive, fast tempo syle. Along the way he has toured with the likes of Damien Jurado, Small Brown Bike, The Get Up Kids, The New Amsterdams, Owen and The Casket Lottery, members of the latter having provided assistance as backing musicians on occasion. His studio albums have also been littered with appearances from some of Seattle's finest musicians (including players in the bands Red Stars Theory, Sharks Keep Moving, The Blood Brothers, Death Cab for Cutie, Pedro the Lion and Sub Pop solo artist Rosie Thomas). On the production side, Votolato has worked with Matt Bayles (Pearl Jam, Botch, Murder City Devils, Hayden), along with Chris Walla (of Death Cab for Cutie). It is a creative input which has helped see Rocky progress sylistically with every release, from his low key self-titled album released in 1999 - all pretty much recorded live, right through to his recent, alt-country, folk-esque offering, 'Makers'. A video was shot for the first track of Makers, "White Daisy Passing", a song which also appears on the soundtrack of the forthcoming Seattle indie feature film Cthulu.
Rocky also starred in the film 'The Edge of Quarrel', which he worked on with Dave Larson from Excursion Records. It also includes members of the Murder City Devils and Botch, and is about a gang war between straightedgers and punk rockers.
He is married with two children, and lives in Seattle.
White Daisy Passing
Rocky Votolato Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a secret magic past world that you only notice when you're looking back at it
All I wanna do is turn around
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
Passing white daisies taking turns
Close the door walk into the street
And for a minute it all stops but it won't last man
It's just a passing moment gone
Please slow it down
There's a secret place that I know where I could dig a grave out and climb underground for good
All I want to do is turn around
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
Passing white daisies taking turns
All those evenings on the back deck of our first apartment
They meant everything but the wind just carried em off
And you can't go back now just a passing moment gone
The lyrics of "White Daisy Passing" by Rocky Votolato are about nostalgia, the passing of time, and the desire to hold on to memories. The singer is asking for time to slow down, as he wants to go back to a past world that he only notices when he looks back at it. He is reminiscing about how he used to catch raindrops on his tongue and pass white daisies, but now he is going down to sleep at the bottom of the ocean because he couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun. He wants to turn around and dig a grave, as he longs to be underground and buried in the past forever. However, he knows that he can't go back, as memories are just passing moments that are gone forever.
The passing white daisies in the lyrics symbolize the passage of time, as they are constantly taking turns. The singer is aware of how fleeting memories can be, as all those evenings on the back deck of his first apartment have been carried away by the wind. He understands that life moves forward and that it's impossible to go back in time to relive those moments. However, he wishes that he could slow down time, as he longs to hold on to those special moments forever.
In conclusion, "White Daisy Passing" is a beautiful and poignant song about the bittersweet feelings that come with nostalgia and the passage of time. It's a reminder that we should cherish every moment we have, as memories are fleeting and will eventually become just passing moments gone forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Please slow it down
Can we take a moment to appreciate what's happening around us?
There's a secret magic past world that you only notice when you're looking back at it
The past has a certain charm that you only realize when you reminisce about it.
All I wanna do is turn around
I wish I could go back and relive the moments I cherished.
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
I am so exhausted that I could sleep even under the ocean.
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
I couldn't let go of the moment and let it pass.
Passing white daisies taking turns
The daisies are passing by, taking turns to bloom and wilt, and everything is fleeting.
Close the door walk into the street
Leave your comfort zone and embrace new experiences.
Catching raindrops on your tongue
Enjoy the small things and be open to new sensations.
And for a minute it all stops but it won't last man
The momentary pause is just temporary; life goes on.
It's just a passing moment gone
The moment has passed and we cannot go back.
There's a secret place that I know where I could dig a grave out and climb underground for good
I know a secluded spot where I can be alone and hide away forever.
All I want to do is turn around
I want to reverse time and relive the moments I cherished.
All those evenings on the back deck of our first apartment
Those evenings spent together were precious and meaningful.
They meant everything but the wind just carried em off
Those moments were important, but they passed and are now gone.
And you can't go back now just a passing moment gone
We cannot relive the past, we can only cherish the memories and move on.
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Rocky Votolato
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Violet Evergarden
Lyrics:
Please slow it down
There's a secret magic past world that you only notice when you're looking back at it
All I wanna do is turn around
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
Passing white daisies taking turns
Close the door walk into the street
Catching raindrops on your tongue
And for a minute it all stops but it won't last man
It's just a passing moment gone
Please slow it down
There's a secret place that I know where I could dig a grave out and climb underground for good
All I want to do is turn around
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
Passing white daisies taking turns
All those evenings on the back deck of our first apartment
They meant everything but the wind just carried em off
And you can't go back now just a passing moment gone
Saira RÍos
I remember I used to listen to this song while I was depressed and now I look back at it with nostalgia and I think that things can really get better
Joshua Jansen
You know, when you think about it, it's almost chilling that it's a song about him being trapped in his nostalgia, and all the lyrics were built around inscriptions on memorials.
Prince Lonely
Joshua Jansen it’s pretty intelligent
Violet Evergarden
Lyrics:
Please slow it down
There's a secret magic past world that you only notice when you're looking back at it
All I wanna do is turn around
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
Passing white daisies taking turns
Close the door walk into the street
Catching raindrops on your tongue
And for a minute it all stops but it won't last man
It's just a passing moment gone
Please slow it down
There's a secret place that I know where I could dig a grave out and climb underground for good
All I want to do is turn around
I'm going down to sleep on the bottom of the ocean
Because I couldn't let go when the water hit the setting sun
Passing white daisies taking turns
All those evenings on the back deck of our first apartment
They meant everything but the wind just carried em off
And you can't go back now just a passing moment gone
Kaleb
I discovered rocky votolato in February, He is such an under rated artist. And he's been doing his music since 1999. Which is incredible.
HerrBrewer
So glad to see so many people enjoying Rocky's music, he definitely deserves it. My brother got me into him when I was a sophomore like 2006. His lyrics help you get through some tough times :)
Connor Mooney
My girlfriend showed this song to me 6 years ago and I've been in love with it ever since. Now that she's gone, it means more to me than I intended it to. I won't forget the evenings in our first apartment..
Jack Staub
Connor Mooney for real man, this song has a major place in my heart from my first real love and borderline magical time of my young life in the summer or 2006
midwestemo
@Jack Staub +++!
same with summer of 2006!
Greg Stacy
Same.