Leaves That Are Green Live
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 with 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 turned to brown,
And they wither with the wind,
And they crumble in your hand.

Hello, hello, hello, good-bye,
Good-bye, good-bye, good-bye,
That's all there is.
And the leaves that are green turned to brown,




And they wither with the wind,
And they crumble in your hand.

Overall Meaning

"Leaves that are Green" by Simon & Garfunkel is a reflection on the inevitability of change and the fleeting nature of life. The song has a simple, almost child-like melody with lyrics that capture the feelings of nostalgia and loss that we all experience at some point in our lives.


The opening lines reveal that the songwriter was only 21 when he wrote the song, but he is already feeling the passage of time. As he reflects on his past, he realizes that the people and things he cherished have slipped away, just like the leaves that change color and fall from the trees each autumn.


The second verse speaks to a lost love, someone who was once very important to the writer but has since disappeared from his life. The comparison to a poem he meant to write suggests that the relationship was unfinished or unresolved, and the memory of it continues to haunt him as the years go by.


The third verse describes the simple act of throwing a pebble into a brook, and the way the ripples move outwards from the point of impact. The songwriter seems to be marveling at the way even the smallest actions can have a ripple effect, and how they eventually fade away like the leaves.


The final lines of the song are a simple goodbye, and a reminder that everything in life is transient, even the things we hold most dear. With the repeated refrain of "the leaves that are green turn to brown," the songwriter suggests that it is better to accept change than to cling to the past.


Line by Line Meaning

I was twenty-one years when I wrote this song.
At the age of twenty-one, the songwriter wrote this song.


I'm twenty-two now but I won't be for long
The songwriter is currently twenty-two years old, but aging happens quickly.


Time hurries on.
Time passes quickly.


And the leaves that are green turn to brown,
Green leaves of youth and vitality eventually give way to the dryness of old age.


And they wither with the wind,
As time passes, the vibrancy of life fades, and the inevitable end approaches.


And they crumble in your hand.
Life ultimately comes to an end, and whatever may have been accomplished will crumble away to nothing.


Once my heart was filled with the love of a girl.
In the past, the songwriter was in love with a girl, and his heart was full of romantic feelings.


I held her close, but she faded in the night
Despite holding the girl close, love eventually faded away, and she left without a trace.


Like a poem I meant to write.
The girl represents an unrealized creative work, like an unfinished poem.


I threw a pebble in a brook
The songwriter threw a small stone into a flowing stream of water.


And watched the ripples run away
The songwriter observed the ripples created by the stone's impact, representing the fleeting nature of life and the impact one can have.


And they never made a sound.
Despite the impact, the ripples were silent, hinting at life's lack of permanence.


Hello, Hello, Hello, Good-bye,
Conversations between people are fleeting and ultimately end in goodbyes.


Good-bye, Good-bye, Good-bye,
Farewells signal the end of any encounter, be it for better or worse.


That's all there is.
Life is made up of fleeting experiences and nothing lasts forever.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SIMON, PAUL

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Tikkitakki

I was 21 years when I heard this song. I`m 64 now, but I won´t be for long. Time hurries on...

Arthur pereira

tenho 28 anos... começei a escutar com 7 a 8 anos... incrivel.. aprendi a tocar violão para tocar simon and garfunkel

Elle Pennell

Oh Artie. You sound so great. I love every song you sing. Till the end of time.

George Grainger

I'm nearly 64 spent my teens listening to Simon and garfunkle I haven't changed my heart 💔head and love for the best duo on the planet George Grainger 💓

somebodysaccount

I was 15 years when I heard this song, I'm 16 now but I'll love it for long, although time hurries on...

Carol Bass

Still breathtaking…

Patricia Barnes

I was probably 16 when I heard this song, I'm 68 now, but I won't be for long ☺ March 2021 UK.

Corey S.

Time hurries on!

Dat Nguyen

beautiful

Ilay pe

I was 7 years when i heard this song, im 15 now but i wont be for long...

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