ONCE UPON A TIME
The Lookouts Lyrics
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Gather 'round and I will tell
Of a land that was a paradise
And a creature there did dwell
Monkey swinging down from the tree
Onto the fertile ground
Man walked upon the earth
And the earth was good and its fruit was bountiful
The fire kept us warm through the night
There was no poison in the air or on the ground
It all happened once upon a time
And soon it came to pass
Man began to shape and mold
His fear of nature and his intellect
Led him to conquer the world
Progress and technology
Religion comfort and whim
It will destroy what created it
When the end does begin
And the earth was good and its fruit was bountiful
The fire kept us warm through the night
There was no poison in the air or on the ground
It all happened once upon a time
And the earth was good and its fruit was bountiful
The fire kept us warm through the night
There was no poison in the air or on the ground
It all happened once upon a time
The Lookouts' song "Once Upon A Time" is a nostalgic and reflective look at humanity's impact on the earth. The opening lines immediately evoke a sense of storytelling as the lyrics invite the listener to "gather 'round." The song begins with a description of an idyllic past, a "land that was a paradise" where monkeys could swing freely from trees and humans could happily hunt and gather food. The earth was abundant and untainted by the pollution and destruction that would come with human progress.
As the song progresses, it becomes clear that this idyllic past is a distant memory. Man's "fear of nature and his intellect" have led him to "conquer the world" through progress and technology. While these advancements have brought about great change, they have also brought about destruction and pollution. The chorus repeats the idea that "the earth was good and its fruit was bountiful" at this time, emphasizing the sense of loss for what could have been if humans had not exploited the environment.
The final lines of the song suggest that it is not too late to reverse the damage that has been done, but the warning is clear: "It will destroy what created it when the end does begin." "Once Upon A Time" is a song that inspires both reflection on the past and a call to action for the future.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time
In a distant past, possibly fictional or legendary, a story begins...
Gather 'round and I will tell
Listen closely and I'll recount this tale...
Of a land that was a paradise
This land was a perfect, idyllic place...
And a creature there did dwell
A unique and significant creature called this place home...
Monkey swinging down from the tree
A primate species enjoyed an arboreal lifestyle...
Onto the fertile ground
Eventually, primates left trees and inhabited the soil...
Man walked upon the earth
Homo sapiens evolved and began to move across the land...
Onto the happy hunting ground
Some groups of humans lived off the land by hunting and gathering...
And the earth was good and its fruit was bountiful
This was an abundant and fruitful world, without scarcity or want...
The fire kept us warm through the night
Humans learned to control fire for warmth and light during the hours of darkness...
There was no poison in the air or on the ground
The environment was not contaminated with harmful substances...
It all happened once upon a time
This world existed, but only as a distant memory or fantasy...
And soon it came to pass
After some time had passed, a change began to occur...
Man began to shape and mold
Humans began to exert their influence on the world around them...
His fear of nature and his intellect
Both fear and curiosity motivated humans to manipulate the environment...
Led him to conquer the world
Eventually, humanity felt they had dominion over all other life and the planet itself...
Progress and technology
Aiding this conquest was a reliance on innovation and machinery...
Religion comfort and whim
At times, faith also informed and guided these actions...
It will destroy what created it
However, the systems and structures humans established could culminate in harm...
When the end does begin
If present trends continue, the consequences may be dire...
Contributed by Hunter B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
edreedre
This song strikes very close to my heart