The Llama
Rose Polenzani Lyrics

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To ride on a
black winged Llama over desert
in the chill of night
wasn't my idea.

stirrup me.
Now that I'm here I've got nothing to lose
for the record.

tomorrow
tomorrow
tomorrow
tomorrow

A blue land
and besides that everything in sight
has lost it's color.

And if it was
hiding beneath the surface
of this great scape,
I would still want to wait.

tomorrow
tomorrow
tomorrow
tomorrow

I want to be brave
and believe that this fierce flapping creature
is heaving in good faith.

Holding on
but there's no part of him that doesn't
disappear
under my hands...

Carry me away,
but CARRY ME!
Carry me away,
but CARRY ME!

CARRY ME!
CARRY ME!

Overall Meaning

The opening verse of the song "The Llama" by Rose Polenzani describes a surreal experience of riding on a black winged Llama over a desert in the chilly night. The singer reveals that riding the Llama wasn't her idea but she has nothing to lose now that she's there, and she pleads with someone to "stirrup me." The second verse takes the listener deeper into the strangeness of the experience, as the singer describes a blue land where everything has lost its color. She expresses a desire to wait even if what she's looking for is hiding beneath the surface of the great scape. The third verse shows that although the singer is holding onto the Llama, there's no part of the creature that doesn't disappear under her hands. She pleads for someone to carry her away, emphasizing the urgency by repeating "CARRY ME!"

The song's lyrics are open to interpretation, but one possible meaning is that it portrays a sense of longing and desperation for freedom, adventure, and change. The use of surreal imagery and a fantastical creature like the Llama may suggest a desire to escape mundane reality and explore wild, uncharted territories. It's worth noting that the Llama is a symbolic animal in some South American cultures, where it's associated with strength, endurance, and fertility. In this context, riding on a black winged Llama may symbolize a journey of personal growth and transformation.

Line by Line Meaning

To ride on a
My desire wasn't to ride on a black winged Llama over the desert in the chill of night.

black winged Llama over desert
I don't want to ride a black winged Llama over the desert.

in the chill of night
I don't want to ride a black winged Llama over the desert in the chill of night.

wasn't my idea.
The idea of riding a black winged Llama over the desert in the chill of night wasn't mine.

stirrup me.
Prepare me to ride.

Now that I'm here I've got nothing to lose
Since I'm already here, I have nothing to lose.

for the record.
This is just for the record.

tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow
Repeatedly thinking about tomorrow.

A blue land
The land is blue in color.

and besides that everything in sight
Everything I'm seeing around me.

has lost it's color.
Everything seems colorless.