Fontainebleau
The Stills Young Band Lyrics
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Who put all the tar on the morning sand?
Who took everything from where it once was
And put it where it was last seen?
Fontainebleau, they painted it green
Fontainebleau, for the well-to-do
At the Fontainebleau.
There's a palace in the gravy
That's holding on and on and on
Even after all the blue-haired ladies
And the wheelchairs are gone.
I guess the reason I'm so scared of it
Is I stayed there once and I almost fit
I left before I got out of it
People were drownin' in their own
Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau, was that me?
Fontainebleau, well I guess I'll see
Fontainebleau.
Fontainebleau, where the surfer works
Fontainebleau, 'til the break of day
Fontainebleau, 'cause it takes a shark
Fontainebleau, to catch a wave at the Fontainebleau.
The Stills Young Band's song "Fontainebleau" is a haunting and introspective piece that explores the themes of nostalgia and loss, as well as the devastating effects of time and change. The opening lines, "Who put the palm over my blond?/Who put all the tar on the morning sand?" suggest a sense of confusion and disorientation, as if the singer is struggling to come to terms with the changes that have taken place at a once-familiar location. The refrain, "Fontainebleau, they painted it green/Fontainebleau, for the well-to-do/At the Fontainebleau," underscores the theme of change, specifically the greed and class divisions that can accompany it.
The second half of the song shifts focus to the singer's personal experience at the Fontainebleau, which is described as a palace "that's holding on and on and on/Even after all the blue-haired ladies/And the wheelchairs are gone." The singer reveals that they are "scared of it" because they "almost fit" into the shallow world of wealth and privilege that the Fontainebleau represents. The final lines, "Fontainebleau, where the surfer works/Fontainebleau, 'til the break of day/Fontainebleau, 'cause it takes a shark/Fontainebleau, to catch a wave at the Fontainebleau," suggest that the singer has come to accept the reality of the Fontainebleau's superficiality and is trying to move on.
Line by Line Meaning
Who put the palm over my blond?
Who obscured my view by placing something in front of my blonde hair?
Who put all the tar on the morning sand?
Who vandalized the beach by pouring tar over the sand in the morning?
Who took everything from where it once was And put it where it was last seen?
Who relocated everything from its original place and put it where it was last known to be?
Fontainebleau, they painted it green
The Fontainebleau was renovated with a green color scheme
Fontainebleau, for the well-to-do
The Fontainebleau was a luxury destination for wealthy individuals
At the Fontainebleau.
The location being discussed is the Fontainebleau
There's a palace in the gravy
There is a luxurious establishment in the middle of an ordinary or less glamorous location
That's holding on and on and on
This establishment has been standing and successful for a long time
Even after all the blue-haired ladies
Despite the establishment's reputation for catering to elderly women
And the wheelchairs are gone.
Even after these aging patrons have passed away, the establishment remains
I guess the reason I'm so scared of it
The reason the singer is frightened of the Fontainebleau
Is I stayed there once and I almost fit
Because the artist stayed at the Fontainebleau and almost felt comfortable
I left before I got out of it
The singer left before becoming too entangled with the Fontainebleau's opulence
People were drownin' in their own
People were getting lost in their own luxury and excess
Fontainebleau
A repetition of the establishment's name
Fontainebleau, was that me?
The artist questions if they were one of the people drowning in luxury at the Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau, well I guess I'll see
The artist will find out if they truly belonged in the Fontainebleau's luxurious setting
Fontainebleau.
Once again, the singer reiterates the location being discussed
Fontainebleau, where the surfer works
The singer acknowledges the Fontainebleau's employment of surfers
Fontainebleau, 'til the break of day
Surfers work at the Fontainebleau until the early morning hours
Fontainebleau, 'cause it takes a shark
The reason surfers are hired by the Fontainebleau is because it takes a skilled and daring individual
Fontainebleau, to catch a wave at the Fontainebleau.
A repetition and reinforcement of the establishment's name and the significance of surfing there
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