28. Leaves that are green
Simon & Garfunkel Lyrics


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I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song
I'm twenty-two now but I won't be for long
Time hurries on
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither in the wind
And they crumble in your hand
Once my heart was filled with the love of a girl

I held her close but she faded in the night
Like a poem I meant to write
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither with the wind
And they crumble in your hand
I threw a pebble in a brook
And watched the ripples run away

And they never made a sound
And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown
And they wither iwith the wind
And they crumble in your hand
Hello, hello, hello, hello
Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
That's all there is




And the leaves that are green
Turn to brown

Overall Meaning

In "Leaves That Are Green," Simon & Garfunkel mourn the unstoppable march of time and the ways in which youthful joy transforms into fading memories. The delicate and haunting song is propelled by Simon's gentle guitar fingerpicking and melancholy vocals, and features a beautiful interplay between his voice and Garfunkel's harmonies.


The song opens with Simon reflecting on his age, noting that he was once only twenty-one but is now twenty-two and will not be for long. The lyrics juxtapose this passage of time with the image of leaves turning brown and withering away, highlighting the natural process of decay and loss. Simon poignantly captures the sense of fleeting impermanence that comes with youth: "Once my heart was filled with the love of a girl / I held her close but she faded in the night / Like a poem I meant to write."


The song's final verse is a meditation on the ways in which life is both vibrant and fragile, with joy and sadness often intertwined. Simon describes throwing a pebble in a brook and watching the ripples spread outwards, emphasizing the idea that any individual action has a ripple effect that can't be undone: "And they never made a sound." The song's refrain, "Hello, hello, hello, hello / Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye / That's all there is / And the leaves that are green / Turn to brown," underscores the idea that life is fleeting and ephemeral, and that we must appreciate the beauty of the world before it fades away.


Line by Line Meaning

I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song
At the age of 21, I wrote this song with youthful optimism.


I'm twenty-two now but I won't be for long
Despite being just one year older, I already feel like time is slipping away quickly.


Time hurries on
The inescapable passage of time moves things forward whether we're ready for it or not.


And the leaves that are green
Things in their prime don't last forever; even the most vibrant of things will inevitably decline and lose their luster.


Turn to brown
The natural progression of aging and decay that everything experiences sooner or later.


And they wither in the wind
Even the slightest change or challenge can bring everything crashing down.


And they crumble in your hand
The fragility of life is ever-present and can be felt at any moment.


Once my heart was filled with the love of a girl
In my younger days, I was full of intense affection and passion for someone special.


I held her close but she faded in the night
Despite my efforts, she was gone before I could appreciate her true worth and hold onto her forever.


Like a poem I meant to write
She was the perfect subject for my poetic musings, an opportunity I missed and now regret.


I threw a pebble in a brook
In an attempt to make an impact on the world, I made small ripples that didn't amount to much in the grand scheme of things.


And watched the ripples run away
I was a passive observer to the effects of my actions, never really in control of what happened next.


And they never made a sound
My small attempts at affecting change went unnoticed and unrecognized, leaving me feeling powerless.


Hello, hello, hello, hello
The brief moments of joy and connection we experience in life are often fleeting and temporary, like a simple greeting.


Goodbye, goodbye, goodbye, goodbye
The finality of endings and the inevitability of goodbyes can be difficult to bear.


That's all there is
Ultimately, our time here is limited and this is all we get - nothing more, nothing less.


And the leaves that are green
Once again, we're reminded that even in the face of our own mortality, life continues to move on and inevitably turn to decay.


Turn to brown
Not even the brightest and most beautiful things can escape the passage of time and the natural cycle of life and death.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Paul Simon

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@crapstermcduck6593

Joyful joyful^^

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