For Emily whenever I may find her
Simon And Garfunkel (The Definitive Simon And Garfunkel) Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pressed in organdy
Clothed in crinoline of smoky Burgundy
Softer than the rain
I wandered empty streets
past the shop displays down
I heard cathedral bells
As I walked on
And when you ran to me
Your cheeks flushed with the night
We walked on frosted fields
of juniper and lamplight
I held your hand
And when I awoke and felt you warm and near
I kissed your honey hair with my grateful tears
Oh I love you girl
Oh I love you
The song “For Emily whenever I may find her” by Simon and Garfunkel is a poetic and romantic ballad that speaks of a dream the singer had about a woman named Emily. The singer describes Emily's beauty and delicacy in detail, describing her clothing as being “pressed in organdy” and “clothed in crinoline of smoky Burgundy”, indicating that she is elegant and refined in character. The singer speaks of walking through empty streets trying to find her and hearing the sound of the cathedral bells ringing softly in the background. The chorus describes the moment when Emily meets the singer on the street and walks with him through the frosted fields of juniper and lamplight, holding hands.
The song is filled with romantic imagery and complex emotions that the singer feels towards Emily. He speaks of waking up to find Emily near him and kissing her hair with grateful tears, which indicates a deep love and appreciation for her presence in his life. The song is about searching for love and the moment when love is found, and how it brings a sense of peace and contentment to the singer's life.
Line by Line Meaning
What I dream I had
The singer is describing a dream they had.
Pressed in organdy
In the dream, something was pressed in organdy, which is a type of fabric.
Clothed in crinoline of smoky Burgundy
In the dream, the same thing was also clothed in a soft, smoky Burgundy crinoline fabric.
Softer than the rain
The fabrics were described as being softer than rain.
I wandered empty streets
The artist is now describing what they did after waking up from the dream.
Past the shop displays down
They walked past shops with displays.
I heard cathedral bells
They heard the sound of bells coming from a nearby cathedral.
Tripping down the alley ways
The sound of the bells echoed through the alleyways.
As I walked on
The artist continued walking.
And when you ran to me
The artist is now addressing someone who ran to them.
Your cheeks flushed with the night
The person's face was flushed from the cold weather.
We walked on frosted fields
The artist and the person they're addressing walked on fields covered in frost.
of juniper and lamplight
The field was described as having juniper trees and lamps lighting the way.
I held your hand
The singer and the person they're addressing held hands.
And when I awoke and felt you warm and near
The singer is now describing how they felt when they woke up from the dream.
I kissed your honey hair with my grateful tears
The artist kissed the person's hair and cried tears of gratitude.
Oh I love you girl
The artist expresses their love for the person they're addressing.
Oh I love you
The singer repeats their expression of love.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Paul Simon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind