Infinitely Late at Night
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It was infinitely late at night
The stars are still out there
But they're all out of light
Don't worry about me, I'll be all right

It's just infinitely late at night
It's still getting later
And later and later
I feel like I'm in a falling elevator

I'd kill for a drink
But I can't find the waiter
I really believe he's gone home
Oh god I wish I could go home

But it's infinitely late at night
Is this a blackout
Or am I losing my sight?
It should have been noon now,

The sun should be bright
But it's infinitely
The hour on the bar clock,
It isn't finite

It's all black and white




Without the white
It's just infinitely late at night

Overall Meaning

The Magnetic Fields's song "Infinitely Late at Night" describes the feeling of being lost and stuck in time. The singer is in a place where the night seems to last forever, and everything around him has become so dark and unrecognizable that he feels like he's losing his sight. The stars are still out there, but they're "all out of light," which is a metaphor for the lack of hope and inspiration that the singer is feeling. He's in a state of mind where time has become infinite, and the hour on the bar clock "isn't finite." The singer is struggling to come to terms with his situation, and he's looking for a way out.


Throughout the song, the singer expresses his longing to escape from the place where he's trapped. He wishes he could go home and feels like he's in a falling elevator, which perfectly captures the feeling of being completely out of control. The singer believes that the waiter has gone home, and that he's stuck without a drink, which would help him to forget about where he is. The song's lyrics create a vivid image of a dark and lonely place where the singer is lost, and he doesn't know how to find his way out.


In conclusion, "Infinitely Late at Night" is a powerful and emotional song that perfectly captures the feeling of being lost and alone. It's a cry for help from someone who is struggling to come to terms with their situation and desperately looking for a way out.


Line by Line Meaning

It was infinitely late at night
The time was so late that it seemed infinite and never-ending.


The stars are still out there
Despite the late hour, the stars can still be seen in the sky.


But they're all out of light
The stars have exhausted their light, so they are no longer visible.


Don't worry about me, I'll be all right
Despite the late hour and uncertainty, the artist assures the listener that they will be okay.


It's just infinitely late at night
The artist emphasizes again how late it is, and how it feels like time is standing still.


It's still getting later
Despite feeling like time is standing still, the clock continues to tick and time is still passing by.


And later and later
The lateness continues to increase.


I feel like I'm in a falling elevator
The artist feels disoriented and unsure of their surroundings, like they are falling without control.


I'd kill for a drink
The artist is so stressed that they would do anything for a drink to ease their discomfort.


But I can't find the waiter
Despite wanting a drink, the artist cannot find anyone to serve them.


I really believe he's gone home
The singer thinks that everyone has left and gone home for the night, including the waiter.


Oh god I wish I could go home
The artist is desperate to leave and return home.


Is this a blackout
The singer is questioning if what they are experiencing is a power outage or if they are experiencing something more severe.


Or am I losing my sight?
The singer is expressing concern that something might be wrong with their vision.


It should have been noon now,
The singer is so disoriented that they think it should be daytime already.


The sun should be bright
In accordance with the idea that it should be daytime, the artist thinks that the sun should be shining.


But it's infinitely
The lack of visibility and the late hour make it feel like it will never be daytime again.


The hour on the bar clock, it isn't finite
Time seems to have stopped and the clock on the wall is no longer reliable.


It's all black and white
The lack of light and visibility makes everything appear in shades of black and white.


Without the white
In this state of darkness, the limited white light that is present is essential for visibility.


It's just infinitely late at night
The cycle of lateness, disorientation, and uncertainty continues, making it feel like it will never end.




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: SYLVESTER STEWART

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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

More Versions