You Go on Ahead
Sunset Rubdown Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You go on ahead for awhile
I would like to follow you awhile
You go on ahead for awhile
I would like to just follow you awhile

And I'd like to watch the white flash of your heels
As they take turns breaking the desert heat to beckon me
In languages I've never learned
And I'd like to have you navigate two hills
Where no musicians live
And on the way decide what bendings of your will
You're willing to forgive

And I'd like to think the actors never banded
And I'd like to throw this trumpet down and go on empty handed
And I'd like to think I am not one of them but I know I am
So I'd like to just follow you awhile
You go on ahead for awhile
I would like to just follow you awhile
And you go on ahead for awhile
I would like to just follow you awhile

When me and the boys were out
We killed a thousand butterflies
So I put their wings into my mouth
And said a prayer for our safe arrival
And then a big black car crossed our path
And I wondered whether or not that ship was empty
You go

See the sirens and the lizards lick their tongues behind the stage
See the actor keep a ritual to keep them all at bay
He would like to come home naked without war paint on his face
And appear before you, virgin white if virgin's are still chaste

So when you've got to wait
And you've got to wait
And you've got to wait for me

And I will appear before you virgin white if virgin's are still chaste
Then I'd like to just follow you awhile

And if there are two eyes in my head there are four seasons
In a year
And reflections on the water of a burning yellow sphere
And the days add up to weeks add up to months
And add up
And add up to years





And if reflections on the water sometimes look like burning tears
We can watch them change in shape without pushing off the pier

Overall Meaning

The song “You Go on Ahead” by Sunset Rubdown is a beautifully written and poetic piece that seems to describe the singer’s desire to follow and learn from someone else. The repetition of the phrase “You go on ahead for awhile” speaks to the singer’s willingness to be led, while the following phrase “I would like to just follow you awhile” emphasizes the singer’s humility and desire for guidance.


The theme of following and learning is further emphasized in the second stanza, as the singer describes wanting to study the movements and decisions of the person they are following. The phrase “And on the way decide what bendings of your will you're willing to forgive” speaks to the idea of forgiveness and understanding, suggesting that by following this person, the singer may learn to be more forgiving themselves.


The final stanza of the song shifts in tone slightly, as the singer describes killing butterflies and wondering about the emptiness of a passing car. These seemingly random details could be interpreted as the singer questioning their own morality and place in the world. The final lines of the song, “If reflections on the water sometimes look like burning tears / We can watch them change in shape without pushing off the pier” provide a peaceful and contemplative ending, suggesting that even amidst confusion and doubt, there is always beauty to be found.


Line by Line Meaning

You go on ahead for awhile
The singer wants the other person to lead the way for a bit


I would like to follow you awhile
The singer wants to follow the other person for a bit


And I'd like to watch the white flash of your heels
The singer admires the other person's shoes


As they take turns breaking the desert heat to beckon me
The artist likes how the person's shoes move and wants to follow them


In languages I've never learned
The person's movement is so captivating, it feels like it's speaking to the artist in a language they don't understand


And I'd like to have you navigate two hills
The singer wants the other person to guide them through a difficult path


Where no musicians live
The path is remote and not frequently traveled


And on the way decide what bendings of your will
The artist wants the other person to make decisions about what they are willing to do on this journey


You're willing to forgive
The other person is willing to forgive the artist for something


And I'd like to think the actors never banded
The artist wishes that people weren't always acting or pretending to be someone they're not to fit in


And I'd like to throw this trumpet down and go on empty handed
The singer wants to discard something (maybe an act or charade they're playing)


And I'd like to think I am not one of them but I know I am
The artist fears that they are also acting and pretending to fit in


So I'd like to just follow you awhile
The singer wants to follow the other person and stop acting for a bit


When me and the boys were out
The singer is sharing a past experience with others


We killed a thousand butterflies
The singer and others killed a lot of butterflies for some reason


So I put their wings into my mouth
The artist put the butterfly wings in their mouth for some reason


And said a prayer for our safe arrival
The artist prayed for a safe journey


And then a big black car crossed our path
Something unexpected happened


And I wondered whether or not that ship was empty
The singer was curious about something and thinking about it


See the sirens and the lizards lick their tongues behind the stage
The artist is describing a scene with sirens and lizards hiding behind the scenes


See the actor keep a ritual to keep them all at bay
The actor has a routine that keeps the sirens and lizards hidden


He would like to come home naked without war paint on his face
The actor wishes to be himself without any masks or costumes on


And appear before you, virgin white if virgin's are still chaste
The actor wishes to appear innocent and pure in front of someone they care about


So when you've got to wait
The artist is addressing the other person when they must wait


And you've got to wait
The singer is telling the other person they must wait


And you've got to wait for me
The singer is asking the other person to wait for them


And I will appear before you virgin white if virgin's are still chaste
The singer promises to show their purest self to the other person


Then I'd like to just follow you awhile
The artist still wants to follow the other person after they catch up


And if there are two eyes in my head there are four seasons
The artist believes there is a correlation between the number of eyes they have and the number of seasons in the year


In a year
The singer is talking about seasons in a year


And reflections on the water of a burning yellow sphere
The singer sees an image of the sun reflecting on the water


And the days add up to weeks add up to months
The artist is talking about how time passes


And add up
Time keeps passing and adding up


And add up to years
Time adds up to years


And if reflections on the water sometimes look like burning tears
Sometimes the sun's reflection on water can look like tears


We can watch them change in shape without pushing off the pier
The artist suggests they can watch the water's reflection change shape without causing any disturbances




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Camilla Wynne Ingr, Jordan Cramer, Mark Nico, Michael Emery Doerksen, Spencer Krug

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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