Loralee
The Whitsundays Lyrics


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Of all the boys that love you
I would be who's likely to suspect
The statue you erect
But combined with cosmic timing
Consequences sent me on this quest
For treasures in your chest
You're on the list
But Loralee
I thought that what you do
Was free, free, free, free!

Now that my blood is boiling
Couples do seem more and more insane
They're stabbing at my brain
Well this could be the answer
To who will be the best that you'll employ
Your acquiescent joy
One to destroy

If all your smiles, Loralee
Were ever wasted on me
I'd be another glance
Another fallen circumstance
To feel the power of denial
You know I'd kill for a smile
It's better to have loved and lost
Than to have loved a ghost

If all your smiles, Loralee
Were ever wasted on me
I'd be another glance
Another broken circumstance
To feel the power of denial
You know I'd kill for a smile




But you know, in this world
You've always been mature

Overall Meaning

The Whitsundays's song 'Loralee' is a complex yet deeply captivating tune about unrequited love for a woman named Loralee. The beginning of the song highlights how the singer feels towards her, suggesting that he's aware of her preferences in men but he's skeptical of the kind of men she falls for. The singer is likely to suspect the statue that she erects, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the qualities she looks for in a partner. The singer wants to be someone Loralee might consider being with, but he's aware that it's an unlikely possibility. Loralee is on his list, which suggests that he's not giving up hope of being with her.


However, the singer's emotional intensity changes as he acknowledges that couples around him are now looking insane to him. This indicates that he's slowly losing his rationality because of his obsession with Loralee. He believes that his discovery of her cosmic timing and the quest to find treasures in her chest are significant. But simultaneously, he knows that Loralee is free to do whatever she wants, and he shouldn't expect anything from her. The singer believes that he's the best one Loralee will employ, and in that, her acquiescent joy is what he desires. It's here that the lyrics take a violent turn, and he even suggests being the one to destroy her.


The chorus implies that the singer's love for Loralee has an addictive quality that's both beautiful and destructive at the same time. He states that he'd kill for a smile from Loralee, even though he knows that it's better to have loved and lost than to have loved a ghost. The last line suggests that Loralee has rejected him before, and in this world, Loralee has always been mature. The song's deep dive into the human psyche makes it an interesting listen, and the lyrics are poetic, melancholic, and thought-provoking.


Line by Line Meaning

Of all the boys that love you
Out of all the guys that have a liking towards you


I would be who's likely to suspect
I am the one who could be suspicious


The statue you erect
The sculpture that you build


But combined with cosmic timing
But along with the perfect timing


Consequences sent me on this quest
The effects directed me on this mission


For treasures in your chest
In search of the treasures in your heart


You're on the list
You are on my list


But Loralee
But, oh Loralee


I thought that what you do
I believed that what you do


Was free, free, free, free!
Was absolutely free!


Now that my blood is boiling
Now that I am very angry


Couples do seem more and more insane
Couples seem crazier and crazier


They're stabbing at my brain
They are affecting my thinking


Well this could be the answer
This could be the solution


To who will be the best that you'll employ
To determine who will be the best for you


Your acquiescent joy
Your accepting happiness


One to destroy
One to ruin


If all your smiles, Loralee
If all your smiles, oh Loralee,


Were ever wasted on me
Were ever unappreciated by me


I'd be another glance
I would be just a quick look


Another fallen circumstance
Another situation gone wrong


To feel the power of denial
To experience the strength of rejection


You know I'd kill for a smile
You know I would do anything for a smile


It's better to have loved and lost
It is better to have experienced love and lost it


Than to have loved a ghost
Than to have had a relationship with something that doesn't exist


But you know, in this world
But you know, in this world,


You've always been mature
You have always been wise




Contributed by Juliana T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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