The Last Thing On My Mind
Stark Sands with Punch Brothers Lyrics
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Made of sand, made of sand
In the wink of an eye my soul is turnin'
In your hand, in your hand.
Are you going away with no word of farewell?
Will there be not a trace left behind?
Well, I could have loved you better,
You know that was the last thing on my mind.
You've got reasons a-plenty for goin'.
This I know, this I know.
For the weeds have been steadily growin'.
Please don't go, please don't go.
As we walk, all my thoughts are a-tumblin',
Round and round, round and round.
Underneath our feet the subways rumblin',
Underground, underground.
As I lie in my bed in the mornin',
Without you, without you.
Every song in my breast dies a bornin',
Without you, without you.
Well I met this young girl at a folk club,
Like you do, like you do.
So I bought her a drink and we chatted,
Wouldn't you, wouldn't you.
And then after the show she invited me home,
And she said we were two of a kind,
Then she played me every record
That Tom Paxton ever made,
And you know that was the last thing on my mind.
The Punch Brothers' song "The Last Thing On My Mind" tells a story of a lover who has lost their significant other due to their mistakes. The first verse sets the tone of regret and shows that the singer's actions have caused irreversible damage to the relationship. The use of sand as a metaphor emphasizes that the relationship was fragile and could be easily broken. The next verse is filled with questions and uncertainty, showing that the singer didn't see the breakup coming and is now questioning if there was anything they could have done to prevent it. The regret is palpable in the line "I could have loved you better, didn't mean to be unkind."
In the third verse, the singer desperately tries to convince their lover not to leave, acknowledging that they understand the reasons for the departure but still pleading for them to stay. The image of subways rumbling underneath their feet adds to the feeling of instability and insecurity. The final verse shows the aftermath of the breakup, with the singer feeling lost and directionless without their lover. The mention of a young girl at a folk club and the subsequent invitation to her home serves as a juxtaposition to the relationship that was lost, as it shows that the singer is moving on to new experiences but is still haunted by the mistakes made with their former lover.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a lesson too late for the learnin'
I have learned a lesson too late to take action or change my behavior
Made of sand, made of sand
What I thought was solid and permanent turned out to be fragile and fleeting
In the wink of an eye my soul is turnin'
My emotional state has changed suddenly and drastically
In your hand, in your hand.
I am at your mercy and under your control
Are you going away with no word of farewell?
Are you leaving without saying goodbye?
Will there be not a trace left behind?
Will there be no record or memory of our time together?
Well, I could have loved you better,
I realize now that I did not give you the love and attention you deserved
Didn't mean to be unkind.
My actions were not intended to hurt you
You know that was the last thing on my mind.
I did not intend for my neglect or unkindness to be the final thought in our relationship
You've got reasons a-plenty for goin'.
You have many valid reasons for leaving
This I know, this I know.
I understand your reasons and do not dispute them
For the weeds have been steadily growin'.
The signs of our relationship deteriorating have been present for some time
Please don't go, please don't go.
I am pleading with you to stay and work things out
As we walk, all my thoughts are a-tumblin',
I am consumed with many conflicting thoughts and emotions
Round and round, round and round.
These thoughts and emotions are cyclical and repetitive
Underneath our feet the subways rumblin',
Our surroundings and circumstances are unstable and unpredictable
Underground, underground.
This instability and unpredictability is hidden or unrecognized
As I lie in my bed in the mornin',
When I wake up in the morning
Without you, without you.
Without you by my side
Every song in my breast dies a bornin',
I lose my inspiration and creativity
Well I met this young girl at a folk club,
I met a young woman at a music venue
Like you do, like you do.
As one often does in that setting
So I bought her a drink and we chatted,
I offered to buy her a drink and we had a conversation
Wouldn't you, wouldn't you.
As anyone might do in a similar situation
And then after the show she invited me home,
She asked me to come home with her after the performance
And she said we were two of a kind,
She felt that we had much in common and were compatible
Then she played me every record
She shared with me every album
That Tom Paxton ever made,
By the artist Tom Paxton
And you know that was the last thing on my mind.
Listening to music was the furthest thing from my mind given the state of my previous relationship
Contributed by Savannah D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.