Rocking Chair
Siffre Labi Lyrics
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In this rocking chair
Its easy to fall asleep
In the cool night air
Its been a hard day, a hard day
A little work at a little place
Rocking myself to sleep
In this rocking chair
In this cool night air
It's been a long time, a long time
I haven't had much peace of mind
Maybe I'll run away
Find myself a new life
I should have gone today
But I'd hate to leave my wife
(guitar solo)
Rocking myself to sleep
In this rocking chair
Thinkin' about my lady
Such a sad affair
She's in an institution in a bad way she tried to shoot me with a knife today
In "Rocking Chair" by Labi Siffre, the singer finds comfort in his rocking chair as he attempts to fall asleep in the cool night air. He explains that it has been a hard and long day, and he hasn't had much peace of mind recently. He contemplates the idea of running away to find a new life but ultimately decides against it because he doesn't want to leave his wife. During a guitar solo, he continues to rock himself to sleep, thinking about his lady and their sad situation. The song takes a dark turn when he reveals that she is in an institution and attempted to harm him earlier that day.
The lyrics highlight the theme of isolation and loneliness. The singer seems to be struggling with his mental health, as he mentions not having peace of mind and contemplating running away. His wife's situation adds to his feelings of isolation, as she is in an institution, and he is left to rock himself to sleep in the cool night air. The sudden revelation that she tried to harm him with a knife earlier that day adds an element of danger to the song, indicating that their situation is more serious than the singer initially lets on.
Line by Line Meaning
Rocking myself to sleep
I'm comforting myself by rocking back and forth in this chair until I fall asleep.
In this rocking chair
I'm sitting here, gently swaying in this chair, feeling safe and secure.
Its easy to fall asleep
The motion of the chair and the fresh night air make it easy for me to drift off into slumber.
In the cool night air
The temperature outside is low, which feels refreshing and calming to me.
Its been a hard day, a hard day
I've had a challenging day, and I'm seeking solace in this chair.
A little work at a little place
I've had a small amount of work to do, but it's still been tiring and mentally draining.
Tryin' to count the sheep
I'm attempting to count imaginary sheep in my mind to help me drift off to sleep.
It's been a long time, a long time
I haven't experienced peace of mind in quite some time, and I'm desperate for it now.
I haven't had much peace of mind
My mental state has been tumultuous and chaotic recently, and I'm struggling to cope with it.
Maybe I'll run away
It's possible that I may choose to leave my current life behind in search of something new.
Find myself a new life
I'm hoping that by starting over in a new place, I'll be able to find the peace of mind that has eluded me for so long.
I should have gone today
I've been considering leaving for a while, but I regret not making the decision to do so sooner.
But I'd hate to leave my wife
I'm married, and I love my wife, but I'm not sure if I can continue living this way and being happy.
Thinkin' about my lady
I'm mentally preoccupied with thoughts of my wife and our marriage.
Such a sad affair
Our relationship has become depressing and tragic, and I'm not sure how to fix it.
She's in an institution in a bad way she tried to shoot me with a knife today
My wife's mental health has deteriorated to the point where she's been hospitalized, and she recently tried to attack me with a weapon.
Contributed by Caden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.