Pretty Girl from Cedar Lane
The Avett Brothers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I had a moment, when I thought I might be wrong
But Ashley how could it be
I waited on the rooftop, all night long
But you weren't coming for me
And now I'm sitting here like a mixed up little kid
You said you wanted me but you never did
There was a moment when I thought our love was strong
But now that moment is gone

I could stand right underneath the window of your room
Throwing rocks I've done it before
And I would love to find a reason to dazzle you with lies
But I don't have the energy no more
And you never promise anything you didn't give
I assumed that you'd say yes but you never did
There was a moment my love for you was strong
But now that moment is gone
Now that moment is gone

I saw you behind the camera
Whispering to your friends and watching me
I fell in love with you there
Which proves the fool that I can often be

I had a moment when I thought I might be right
But Ashley how could it be
I drank your share bourbon thinking you might come around
There ain't no one on the rooftop but me
And now I'm sitting here like a mixed up little kid
You said you wanted me but you never did
There was a moment my love for you was strong
But Ashley that moment is gone




Ashley that moment is gone
Now that moment is gone

Overall Meaning

The Avett Brothers’ “Pretty Girl from Cedar Lane” is a heartbreaking and haunting song about unrequited love. The song describes the singer waiting all night on the rooftop for Ashley, who never shows up. He reflects on his past experiences with her, including how he fell in love with her while she was behind the camera, and confesses his feelings for her. Despite his efforts to win her over, she never reciprocates his love, leaving him feeling confused and hurt.


The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the singer’s desperation, which is emphasized by the repetition of the phrase “there was a moment when I thought…” repeated throughout the song. The song’s theme of unrequited love is a common one, but the Avett Brothers’ unique style and poignant lyrics make “Pretty Girl from Cedar Lane” stand out. The use of simple, but powerful language coupled with the emotion-laden vocals makes the song a powerful ode to the pain of loving someone who doesn't love you back.


Overall, “Pretty Girl from Cedar Lane” is a beautifully written and masterfully executed song that perfectly captures the frustration and heartache of unrequited love.


Line by Line Meaning

I had a moment, when I thought I might be wrong
I briefly considered that I might be mistaken


But Ashley how could it be
I doubted myself because I believed in your love


I waited on the rooftop, all night long
I hoped for your arrival on the rooftop, for hours on end


But you weren't coming for me
You didn't appear, despite my waiting


And now I'm sitting here like a mixed up little kid
I'm sitting here, feeling confused and immature


You said you wanted me but you never did
You expressed interest, but never followed through


There was a moment when I thought our love was strong
I believed that our love was strong, at one point


But now that moment is gone
That belief has disappeared, now


I could stand right underneath the window of your room
I could stand under your window, like I have in the past


Throwing rocks I've done it before
I've thrown rocks to get your attention, in the past


And I would love to find a reason to dazzle you with lies
I wish I could find a way to impress you, even if it meant being dishonest


But I don't have the energy no more
But I no longer have the motivation to do so


And you never promise anything you didn't give
You never make promises that you don't keep


I assumed that you'd say yes but you never did
I thought you would agree to my advances, but you never did


Now that moment is gone
That moment has passed


I saw you behind the camera
I watched you from a distance, when you were behind the camera


Whispering to your friends and watching me
I saw you whispering to your friends, while watching me


I fell in love with you there
That's when I fell in love with you


Which proves the fool that I can often be
Which just shows how easily I can be fooled


I had a moment when I thought I might be right
I had a brief thought that I might be correct


I drank your share bourbon thinking you might come around
I drank your portion of bourbon, hoping it would lead you to me


There ain't no one on the rooftop but me
But I'm the only one on the rooftop, with no sign of you


Ashley that moment is gone
That moment has passed, Ashley


Now that moment is gone
That moment is now gone, forever




Contributed by Madison D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions