Helpless
Sainte marie buffy Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There is a town in north ontario,
With dream comfort memory to spare,
And in my mind I still need a place to go,
All my changes were there.

Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise,
Big birds flying across the sky,
Throwing shadows on our eyes.
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless
Baby can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door,
Baby, sing with me somehow.

Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
Yellow moon on the rise,
Big birds flying across the sky,
Throwing shadows on our eyes.
Leave us





Helpless, helpless, helpless.

Overall Meaning

The song "Helpless" by Buffy Sainte-Marie is an emotional tune that explores the sense of longing for the safety and comfort of a place that used to offer a sense of familiarity. The opening lines, "There is a town in north Ontario, with dream comfort memory to spare," suggest that the singer is reminiscing about a town they once knew and loved. The singer reveals that they still need a place to go and that it is a place where they experienced many changes in their life.


The chorus of the song expresses a sense of desperation and entrapment, as the singer pleads for a fellow individual to help them escape their current situation, singing, "Helpless, helpless, helpless, baby can you hear me now?" The repeated use of the word "helpless" suggests the singer is powerless to change their circumstances and is crying out for someone to save them. The final lines of the song, "The chains are locked and tied across the door, baby, sing with me somehow," suggest that the person the singer is reaching out to may also be trapped and unable to intervene.


Overall, "Helpless" is a moving song that captures the essence of longing for a lost home and the desire for escape from one's current circumstances. It is a cry for help that speaks to universal feelings of helplessness and the need for comfort and human connection.


Line by Line Meaning

There is a town in north ontario,
In Northern Ontario, there exists a town.


With dream comfort memory to spare,
This town provided much-needed solace and fond memories.


And in my mind I still need a place to go,
Despite having left the town, the singer longs to return to someplace familiar.


All my changes were there.
This town was a significant place where the artist underwent personal growth and transformation.


Blue, blue windows behind the stars,
The night sky is full of distant stars whose light passes through blue windowpanes.


Yellow moon on the rise,
The bright crescent moon is ascending in the sky.


Big birds flying across the sky,
Large birds are soaring across the sky.


Throwing shadows on our eyes.
Their flight is casting shadows over our vision.


Leave us
They're leaving us behind and moving on.


Helpless, helpless, helpless
The artist is feeling powerless and alone.


Baby can you hear me now?
The singer is reaching out to their loved one for help and support.


The chains are locked and tied across the door,
The artist is trapped and unable to break free from their predicament.


Baby, sing with me somehow.
The singer is seeking comfort in the company of their loved one and hopes that they can help them feel less alone.


Helpless, helpless, helpless.
The feeling of powerlessness and helplessness continues to persist.




Contributed by Noah A. 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
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@sunEdazeahead

There is a town in north Ontario
With dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless
Baby can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless



@thookman08

There is a town in north ontario
With dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless
Baby can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow

Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us

Helpless, helpless, helpless



All comments from YouTube:

@Aztekian

Heard this in Hotel Artemis and instantly fell in love with it.

@beckyc2720

Amazing!!!!

@TheJimmer63

Me Too

@aquarian1282

I love it. But it makes me cry thinking of my youngest son who died 26 yrs. ago.

@kellygadd3936

Me too.

@annewilkinson4110

me too. Is she still alive? Beautiful version of a beautiful song.

59 More Replies...

@chassnowden6496

My mother played this back in the day. Still miss you mom

@cindyhutchins6517

Me tooo I hope my boys remember!! ❤ your mom must been a great woman!!!

@johnhardesty3167

I would’ve never known this gal if it wasn’t for Hotel Artemis!

@Spiceweasel473

just wow!!
1 year further today iḿ watching hotel artemis, and i'm hearing the song.

More Comments

More Versions