Lazy Afternoon
Sheila Jordan & Harvie Swartz Lyrics

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It's a lazy afternoon
And the beetle bugs are zooming
And the tulip trees are blooming
And there's not another human in view but us two

It's a lazy afternoon
And the farmer leaves his reaping
In the meadow cows are sleeping

And the speckled trouts stop leaping up stream

As we dream
A far pink cloud hangs over the hill
Unfolding like a rose
If you hold my hand and sit real still
You can hear the grass as it grows

It's a hazy afternoon
And I know a place that's quiet
'Cept for daisies running riot

And there's no one passing by it to see
Come spend this lazy afternoon with me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song "Lazy Afternoon" by Sheila Jordan and Harvie Swartz paints an idyllic picture of a relaxing and peaceful day spent with a loved one. The first verse describes the natural surroundings, with beetle bugs zooming around and tulip trees in full bloom. The absence of other humans adds to the calmness of the scene. The second verse goes on to depict the rural setting, with a farmer taking a break from his work, cows lazily sleeping in the meadow, and speckled trouts ceasing their leaping up the stream.

The dream-like quality of the lyrics is accentuated by the far pink cloud that hangs over the hill, unfolding like a rose. The stillness of the moment, indicated by the line "if you hold my hand and sit real still, you can hear the grass as it grows," heightens the emotional intimacy between the two individuals who are spending this time together. Finally, the chorus invites the listener to spend a lazy afternoon with the singer, in a place that is quiet save for the riotous daisies.

Line by Line Meaning

It's a lazy afternoon
The day is calm and slow

And the beetle bugs are zooming
The insects are active and lively

And the tulip trees are blooming
The flowers on the trees are opening

And there's not another human in view but us two
There are no other people around, only us

And the farmer leaves his reaping
The farmer has stopped working in the field

In the meadow cows are sleeping
The cows are peacefully resting in the grass

And the speckled trouts stop leaping up stream
The fish in the stream have stopped jumping

As we dream
As we relax and let our minds wander

A far pink cloud hangs over the hill
A distant cloud in the sky is pink and beautiful

Unfolding like a rose
Opening up like the petals of a flower

If you hold my hand and sit real still
If we hold hands and remain quiet