After a short period of playing in local bars and clubs, The Prayer Boat had attracted a cult following in Dublin. Their two albums, Oceanic Feeling and Polichinelle received high praise and commendation from music journals but unfortunately sales were meagre.
Despite not having performed for several years, The Prayer Boat still have a website which is visited by afficionados of the band. The band's achingly beautiful music has found devotees around the world and frontman Emmett Tinley regularly receives emails from passionate lovers of his voice and The Prayer Boat's unique music. Emmett is a truly gifted singer and songwriter, and Melody Maker summed this up when they said of him, 'the man can make a cat's cradle of your heart strings.'
As Emmett has now embarked upon a solo career, releasing his first album, Attic Faith in 2005, and only occasionally sees the other members of The Prayer Boat (with the exception of his brother Patrick) it remains doubtful whether the band will play together in the near future. However, this has never been ruled out, and fans of The Prayer Boat continue to remain steadfast in their loyalty to this highly talented Irish band.
Band members are:-
Emmett Tinley (vocals, guitar, piano, hammond organ)
Patrick Tinley (guitar, charango)
Tony Byrne (bass guitar)
Tim Houlihan (drums)
Dark Green
The Prayer Boat Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tripping over every moment
As they come fast like racing birds
Swirling for the gathering
Little children being golden
Hanging on to window dreaming
Don't tell them lies,
They rise now from the daisy fields
Let the colour river flow
Close your eyes, let it rise inside of you
Sit beside me now darling
Oh we're gonna see a change
Won't be long now before it turns
These heavy days of prophet tales
All shameless rhyme and remedy
We'll leave behind us when we sail
Let the colour river flow
Close your eyes, let it rise inside of you
Sit beside me now darling
Oh we're gonna see a change
You're inner mind,
There's more to feel
Out to the stars, There's more to feel
Don't let go of your lover's hand
Everything may soon be over
Let the colour river flow
Close your eyes, let it rise inside of you
Sit beside me now darling
Oh we're gonna see a change
The lyrics to The Prayer Boat's "Dark Green" are steeped in imagery, urging the listener to let go of their worries and bask in the beauty of life. The song opens with the image of a Sunday morning and "garden colours," which suggests rebirth and renewal. The singer is surrounded by the fleeting moments of life, which come quickly like racing birds, and they are struggling to keep up. The little children, on the other hand, are "golden" and "hanging on to window dreaming," displaying a sense of innocence and wonder that the singer doesn't want to see tainted by lies and deception.
As the song progresses, the singer urges the listener to "let the colour river flow" and "close your eyes, let it rise inside of you." This is a call to let go of anxiety and negativity and embrace the beauty of life. There is a sense of optimism for the future, with the idea that "we're gonna see a change" and that the heavy days of prophesying and remedies will be left behind. The song concludes with a reminder to hold on to the ones you love as everything may soon be over.
Overall, "Dark Green" is a song about savoring the present moment and finding beauty and solace in life. The vivid imagery throughout the lyrics paints a picture of the world around the singer, and the message is clear - don't take life for granted, cherish it while you can.
Line by Line Meaning
Sunday morning, garden colours
The start of the day with the beauty of nature represented by the colours of the garden
Tripping over every moment
The feeling of getting lost in time and wanting to capture every moment
As they come fast like racing birds
The moments come and go quickly, like birds soaring by
Swirling for the gathering
The moments that are captured blend together to create an experience or memory to cherish
Little children being golden
Children are the embodiment of joy, purity, and innocence
Hanging on to window dreaming
Children, with their imaginative minds, look out the window and dream of the adventures and possibilities of the world
Don't tell them lies,
Adults should not deceive children by lying to them
Don't deceive them
It is important to be honest with children always
They rise now from the daisy fields
The children grow up and emerge into the world, ready to make their own path
Let the colour river flow
Embrace the beauty of life and let it flow like a river
Close your eyes, let it rise inside of you
Experience life fully, allowing it to become a part of you, and let it shape who you are
Sit beside me now darling
Together, we can experience the beauty of life and create memories that will last forever
Oh we're gonna see a change
As we grow and experience life, change is inevitable and transformation is possible
Won't be long now before it turns
Change is just around the corner, and transformation will soon come
These heavy days of prophet tales
The burdensome times of following the expectations and teachings of others
All shameless rhyme and remedy
The mindless repetition of beliefs and actions that do not serve one's true self
We'll leave behind us when we sail
When we leave behind the fixed ideas and beliefs, we can finally embrace the journey of life
You're inner mind,
The thoughts, feelings, and true self that exists beyond the surface level
There's more to feel
Life is full of sensations and experiences, and one should fully embrace them
Out to the stars, There's more to feel
The universe is vast and full of wonder, and one should explore and embrace it fully
Don't let go of your lover's hand
Hold on to those you love and cherish, as they will guide you through the journey of life
Everything may soon be over
Life is fleeting, and we must appreciate every moment and every relationship we have
Let the colour river flow
Life is full of beauty, and we should let it flow through us and embrace it fully
Close your eyes, let it rise inside of you
Fully immerse yourself in the beauty of life and let it become a part of you
Sit beside me now darling
Share the journey of life with those we love, and we can make the most of every moment
Oh we're gonna see a change
As we embrace life fully, real transformation will happen, and we can grow into our true selves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMMETT TINLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind