THE NOTES cut a glassy moving affecting musical effect with thier songs…well...if Annick Honorés could have written love letters back to her tragic Romeo Ian Curtis over Myspace in 2010..this is what they’d sound like. Beautifully forlorn, wilful, heart filling stuff.
Lighthouse
The Notes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And leave you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
They’ll eat your spit, they’ll take your town
And leave you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
Here come the swash, there go backwash
I hear you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
To lick your bricks, red paint, whitewash
I hear you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
And with your honky horn blew through those mists?
But now your fate is slowly dawning
You’ve caught that long-shore drift, now
Uh oh!
Lantern come, and lantern go
There’s no use sobbing with the lighthouse blues
Gone with my right-side middle toe
There’s no use sobbing with those lighthouse blues
Remember when you flashed your warnings?
And with your honky horn blew through those mists?
But now your fate is slowly dawning
You’ve caught that long-shore drift, now
Uh oh!
The lyrics of "Lighthouse" by The Notes paint a vivid picture of a lighthouse as a symbol of guidance and protection in the midst of turbulent waves and changing tides. The opening lines describe the relentless power of the sea, with the waves crashing down and leaving a sense of despair and helplessness, as represented by the metaphorical "lighthouse blues." The imagery of the waves consuming everything in their path, including the town and the lighthouse itself, conveys a feeling of vulnerability and impending disaster.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the lighthouse's past role in providing warnings and safety to sailors navigating through treacherous waters. The lighthouse's honky horn and flashing signals were once effective in guiding ships through the mist, but now it seems to be facing its own inevitable decline. The mention of the "long-shore drift" suggests a gradual erosion of the lighthouse's foundation, mirroring a loss of control and stability in life.
The repeated refrain of "There’s no use sobbing with the lighthouse blues" seems to convey a sense of resignation and acceptance of fate. The lighthouse, once a beacon of hope and protection, is now succumbing to the forces of nature and time. The loss of a toe and the imagery of the lantern coming and going further emphasize the transient and fragile nature of existence, where even the most steadfast structures can be swept away by the relentless march of time.
Ultimately, the lyrics of "Lighthouse" capture a poignant reflection on the fragility of life, the inevitability of change, and the fleeting nature of human endeavors in the face of larger forces. The lighthouse serves as a powerful metaphor for resilience in the face of adversity, but also as a reminder of the transient nature of all things, including our own mortality. Through its evocative imagery and introspective tone, the song invites listeners to contemplate the impermanence of life and the importance of finding strength and solace in the midst of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
The sea rolls up, the waves crash down
As the waves crash against the shore, they bring a sense of overwhelming beauty and power
And leave you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
Leaving you feeling emotional and overwhelmed with the weight of it all
They’ll eat your spit, they’ll take your town
The waves erode away at the land and the very essence of what makes a place special
And leave you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
Leaving you feeling emotional and overwhelmed with the weight of it all
Here come the swash, there go backwash
The constant ebb and flow of the waves, representing the cycle of life
I hear you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
The lighthouse symbolizes a beacon of hope but also a sense of loneliness and despair
To lick your bricks, red paint, whitewash
The enduring impact of the sea on the physical structure of the lighthouse
I hear you sobbing with the lighthouse blues
The emotional turmoil and struggles that come with being a guiding light
Remember when you flashed your warnings?
Recalling a time of providing guidance and assistance to those in need
And with your honky horn blew through those mists?
Signaling through obstacles and challenges to offer help and support
But now your fate is slowly dawning
Realizing the inevitable decline and vulnerability of the lighthouse
You’ve caught that long-shore drift, now
Being carried away by the currents of life and change
Lantern come, and lantern go
The transient nature of life and the passing of time
There’s no use sobbing with the lighthouse blues
Accepting the challenges and hardships that come with the role of a lighthouse
Gone with my right-side middle toe
Acknowledging the toll taken by the relentless forces of nature
There’s no use sobbing with those lighthouse blues
Recognizing the futility of resisting the inevitable struggles and hardships
Remember when you flashed your warnings?
Reflecting on past efforts to provide guidance and support to others
And with your honky horn blew through those mists?
Persisting in the face of challenges and obstacles, trying to break through the uncertainties
But now your fate is slowly dawning
Coming to terms with the ultimate fate and vulnerability of the lighthouse
You’ve caught that long-shore drift, now
Being swept away by the currents of life and change, unable to hold onto stability
Uh oh!
Expressing a sense of foreboding and fear about the uncertain future
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Matthew Simpkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J. Haeske
What a track (as Arturo Bandini would have said)!