Helpless
The Band feat. Ronnie Hawkins Lyrics
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Dream comfort memory to spare
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my changes were there
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Babe, can you hear me now?
The chains are locked and tied across the door
Baby, sing with me somehow
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Leave us
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
The lyrics of The Band feat. Ronnie Hawkins song Helpless carry a sense of nostalgia and longing for a place called North Ontario where the singer finds comfort in their memories. The town is presented as a sanctuary and a source of emotional security. The phrase "dream comfort memory to spare" conveys a sense of abundance and richness of the memories that the singer cherishes. It is interesting that the town is not described in great detail, but it is emphasized that it serves as an anchor for the singer amidst the changes that they have undergone. In fact, the repeated line "all my changes were there" highlights the transformative power of the place.
The second verse starts off with a description of the natural world above and around the singers. This move to a portrayal of the external world, in contrast to the internal world presented in the first verse, creates a sense of expansiveness and creates a corresponding openness to possibility. However, the refrain of the song quickly pulls us back to a sense of confinement and helplessness. The chains locked and tied across the door convey a sense of being trapped and unable to escape. The repeated plea to "baby, sing with me somehow" is a desperate attempt to find some comfort or release from this hopeless situation.
Overall, the song Helpless explores the tension between memories of a cherished place and the sense of being trapped in one's current circumstances. It is a poignant portrayal of longing and helplessness, which is heightened through descriptions of the natural world and the repeated refrain.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a town in North Ontario
A small town in North Ontario exists
Dream comfort memory to spare
It is a place where one can dream, feel comfortable and remember things
And in my mind I still need a place to go
The singer still wants to go to this place which exists in his mind
All my changes were there
The town has witnessed all the changes in the singer's life
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
There are blue windows behind the stars in the sky which are not visible to human eyes
Yellow moon on the rise
The moon is rising and it looks yellow in colour
Big birds flying across the sky
Large birds are flying in the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Birds' shadows are falling on our eyes
Leave us
This line is ambiguous and can have multiple meanings
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
The singer feels helpless and repeats the word four times to emphasize it
Babe, can you hear me now?
The singer is asking someone if they can hear him now
The chains are locked and tied across the door
The chains are tied across the door to prevent someone from going out or coming in
Baby, sing with me somehow
The singer is asking the listener to sing with him
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
The line is repeated again to emphasize the presence of blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
The moon is still rising and looks yellow in colour
Big birds flying across the sky
The birds are still flying in the sky
Throwing shadows on our eyes
Birds' shadows are still falling on our eyes
Leave us
This line is repeated again and can still have multiple meanings
Helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
The singer is still feeling helpless and repeats the word four times
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BUCK RAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@schymark8392
Before this song ends, I just wanna say what a true pleasure of my life it is to be able to hear these people anytime I want to.
@pamelacox4842
Dam straight!
@sandrajensen3069
Amen, god ie.goo
@sandrajensen3069
F
@rippi37
Absobloodylutely !!!
@jamesward8860
I first got a vhs copy in about 1986 or 87 , then a cd in about 98 or 99, anyhow I've viewed it hundreds of times with countless others and most importantly I've started friendships because of this glorious concert. Those friendships are my favorite type, they start with music and never seem to end.
Peace to all
@josephlemko3027
The Band, Neil Young & Joni Mitchell on the same stage at the same time, performing this classic song, makes this listener feel like he is in heaven.❤ Peace!
@daveburns3886
A Canadian thanksgiving celebration — the whole last waltz celebration/ concerts/ movie- documentary is unparalleled.. it was a grand ballroom feast surrounded by a concert of all rock’s / folk’s greatest— Clapton, Dylan, van Morison, Neil diamond!! Martin captured it perfectly for film
@josephlemko3027
@@daveburns3886: I cannot disagree with one word you wrote. ❤ Peace!
@ShereeBarrow-dz3ws
I would give my kidney and a finger to have been there that night. I should have been a musician. They have the best life 💓