- DiLorenzo, 1978, Ibid.
Waving My Arms in the Air
Syd Barrett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love, my love, got no care
No care, no, no, pressing my feet to the ground
Stand up right where you stand
Call to you and what do you do
Laying back in a chair?
She's so high on the air
She's so high on the air
All you have to do to call
Is hold her hand, stand a while
And then smile and we'll understand
Yes we do yes, yes we do!
Oh what a girl I've got too!
Oh what a girl I've got too!
With her slinky look she held her tie to her hair
(And I) could see everywhere
No-one in the land, no-one
No-one in the land, no-one
But it rains on Saturday cats and dogs in the way
Stormy day, hey, hey
And you shouldn't try to be
What you can't be
And you shouldn't try to be
What you can't be
Call to you and what do you do
The lyrics of Syd Barrett's song "Waving My Arms in the Air" convey a message of unrequited love and frustration with the girl he loves. The singer of the song is waving his arms in the air, trying to get her attention, but she seems to be oblivious to his efforts. He is in love with her, but she doesn't reciprocate his feelings, and he seems resigned to this fact. He urges her to stand next to him, to hold his hand, and to smile, hoping that she will understand how he feels.
The girl in question is described as "so high on the air," which could mean that she is flighty and unattainable or that she is under the influence of drugs. The singer is half in love with her but realizes that he can't force her to feel the same way about him. He sees her as a beautiful and enigmatic creature, with a slinky look and a tie in her hair. However, he knows that he can't be what she wants him to be, and he shouldn't try to be something he's not.
The lyrics of "Waving My Arms in the Air" reflect Syd Barrett's unique songwriting style, which often used surreal imagery and wordplay. He was known for his unconventional approach to music and his inventive use of sound effects and instrumentation. This song is a good example of his distinct writing style and his ability to create vivid and memorable lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
Waving my arms in the air
I am expressing myself openly and freely without any concerns or worries.
Love, my love, got no care
I am carefree and not stressed because of the presence of my love.
No care, no, no, pressing my feet to the ground
I am grounded and not bothered by anything, just content in my current state.
Stand up right where you stand
Stay put and remain confident in where you are and what you stand for.
Call to you and what do you do
Reach out to another person and see how they respond to you.
Laying back in a chair?
Are you passive and uninvolved in the situation at hand?
She's so high on the air
She is confident and happy, not worried about anything.
Half and half, half and half
Both good and bad evenly mixed.
All you have to do to call
It is easy to reach out and speak to someone if you want to.
Is hold her hand, stand a while
Simply show affection and spend quality time with the person you care about.
And then smile and we'll understand
If we connect on a deeper level, we don't even need words to communicate our feelings.
Yes we do yes, yes we do!
We do understand each other and share a special bond.
Oh what a girl I've got too!
I am lucky to have a girl like her, who is beautiful and special to me.
With her slinky look she held her tie to her hair
She looked seductive and alluring, capturing my attention.
(And I) could see everywhere
I was completely focused on her presence and didn't notice anything else around me.
No-one in the land, no-one
Aside from her, there is no one else in the world who I care about or matter to me.
But it rains on Saturday cats and dogs in the way
Even though there may be obstacles or difficulties, life goes on and we must learn to cope with them.
Stormy day, hey, hey
It's a difficult and tumultuous day, but I am still determined to persevere.
And you shouldn't try to be
It's pointless to try to be someone or something that you are not.
What you can't be
There is no use in pretending to be something that you are not capable of being.
Call to you and what do you do
I try to communicate with you, but I am not sure how you will respond.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: SYD BARRETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@peterfreeman6677
Waving my arms in the air
Love, my love, got no care
No care, no, no, pressing my feet to the ground
Stand up right where you stand
Call to you and what do you do
Laying back in a chair?
She's so high on the air
She's so high on the air
Half and half, half and half
All you have to do to call
Is hold her hand, stand a while
And then smile and we'll understand
Yes we do yes, yes we do!
Oh what a girl I've got too!
Oh what a girl I've got too!
With her slinky look she held her tie to her hair
(And I) could see everywhere
No-one in the land, no-one
No-one in the land, no-one
But it rains on Saturday cats and dogs in the way
Stormy day, hey, hey
And you shouldn't try to be
What you can't be
And you shouldn't try to be
What you can't be
Call to you and what do you do
@loekiekanters4295
It's continuing:
There will be shoulders pressing in the hall
And I won't know if you're here at all
There will be wine and drinking in the yard
There won't be anybody very hard
There will be lots of things that we can do
And all and more will be for you
Everything I knew I tried with you
But everything to you was never easy
So I went ahead around my world
I saw the things you do arriving by your side
To see you looking too
But I know this. I know, I never lied to you
It's been just like you're gone
For just one day for so long!
It's been so hard to bear with you not there
But though I think of you, the things you do
When I'm with you, to be with you
To be alone...can only think:
Why I am here? what's meant to be?
@mikeyj.3605
No one in the land was quite like Syd.
@kittenfuud
In Any Land. ❤
@excudebat
I cant believe how "Waving my arms in the air" perfectly flows into "I never lied to you"..
Syd is and will always be Nr1
@NEWSUPERCHARGER2001
I just wanna cry when I hear this. This song and album (Barrett, 1970) was a big inspiration for my youth when I hit grade 12, it really opened me up to easy listening tunes and I do remember nostalgia playing a big part of that.
@suzetteanne
Thank you so much for compiling this video and uploading it. Syd Barrett was so astonishingly gorgeous in his prime, (as well as talented)! He had big beautiful soulful eyes! He looked like a cross between Prince and Richard Grieco of the old TV show, 21 Jump Street.
@georgefromgreece4119
No "thanks" can be enough, mate. God Bless You, Syd's Fans, God Bless Everybody and Rest His Soul and All Souls. Thank you.
@dwarren1010
Awesome song. Someone should have this song in a movie
@iadorenewyork1
I like it a lot. In reading a good biography of Syd, the author couldn’t stand it and thought it simplistic. I think it’s an excellent song. I especially like the key change in the middle of it, and the moods. It has a hope to it, which I like … in spite of the darkness.
@andrewjohnstone963
Childhood encapsulated heartbreakingly beautiful
Thanks dear boy ♡☆ sleep tight 🌬💫
@toyaquiyvoyaya
But it rains on saturday... Cats and dogs in the hay. Stormy day, hey hey, and you shouldn't try to be what you can't be!