Cloudy
Simon; Garfunkel Lyrics


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Cloudy
The sky is gray and white and cloudy
Sometimes I think it's hanging down on me
And it's a hitchhike a hundred miles
I'm a rag-a-muffin child
Pointed finger-painted smile
I left my shadow waiting down the road for me a while
Cloudy
My thoughts are scattered and they're cloudy
They have no borders, no boundaries
They echo and they swell
From Tolstoy to Tinker Bell
Down from Berkeley to Carmel
Got some pictures in my pocket and a lot of time to kill

Hey sunshine
I haven't seen you in a long time
Why don't you show your face and bend my mind?
These clouds stick to the sky
Like a floating question, why?
And they linger there to die
They don't know where they are going
And, my friend, neither do I

Cloudy
Cloudy
Cloudy




Cloudy
Cloudy

Overall Meaning

The song "Cloudy" by Simon and Garfunkel explores feelings of detachment, uncertainty, and aimlessness. The lyrics are a reflection of the poet's state of mind and his struggle to find meaning and purpose in a world that often seems confusing and overwhelming. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics: "The sky is gray and white and cloudy, Sometimes I think it's hanging down on me." It expresses the frustration of the poet who feels trapped under a cloud of uncertainty and unable to see a clear path forward.


The next set of lyrics in the song "Cloudy" continues the theme of confusion and detachment: "My thoughts are scattered and they're cloudy, They have no borders, no boundaries." Once more, we see the poet struggling to make sense of his thoughts and feelings. He feels like he's adrift and has no clear destination in sight. The poet compares his journey to that of a hitchhiker. He's without a home or a definite plan, just moving down the road, where it takes him. The line "I left my shadow waiting down the road for me awhile" portrays the longing of the poet to figure things out and get back to his true self.


Line by Line Meaning

The sky is gray and white and cloudy
The sky is overcast and the clouds are of varying shades of white and gray


Sometimes I think it's hanging down on me
At times, I feel like the cloudy sky is bearing down on me


And it's a hitchhike a hundred miles
The cloudy sky seems like a never-ending journey of 100 miles that one has to travel


I'm a rag-a-muffin child
I feel like a carefree child with unkempt clothes


Pointed finger-painted smile
My smile is fake and as if painted on my face


I left my shadow waiting down the road for me a while
I have moved on from my past self and left my shadow behind, waiting for me to return


My thoughts are scattered and they're cloudy
My mind is cluttered and my thoughts are unfocused


They have no borders, no boundaries
My thoughts do not adhere to any limits or constraints


They echo and they swell
My thoughts resonate and grow louder


From Tolstoy to Tinker Bell
My thoughts span from profound literature to whimsical fairy tales


Down from Berkeley to Carmel
My thoughts travel from the intellectual hub of Berkeley to the serene town of Carmel


Got some pictures in my pocket and a lot of time to kill
I have some memories with me and a lot of free time to spend


Hey sunshine
Addressing the sun, symbolic of positivity and hope


I haven't seen you in a long time
I haven't experienced positivity and hope in a while


Why don't you show your face and bend my mind?
I'm asking for a change in perspective that would uplift my thoughts and emotions


These clouds stick to the sky
The clouds are inescapable and won't dissipate easily


Like a floating question, why?
The clouds are like a question mark, as their presence is unclear


And they linger there to die
The clouds remain hanging in the sky, slowly fading away


They don't know where they are going
The clouds are directionless, with no known path or destination


And, my friend, neither do I
I'm unsure of where my own life is headed or what my purpose is


Cloudy
Repeating the title to emphasize the recurring theme of cloudiness throughout the song


Cloudy


Cloudy


Cloudy


Cloudy




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon, Bruce Woodley

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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