Calypso
Vega Suzanne Lyrics


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My name is Calypso
And I have lived alone
I live on an island
And I waken to the dawn
A long time ago
I watched him struggle with the sea
I knew that he was drowning
And I brought him into me
Now today
Come morning light
He sails away
After one last night
I let him go.

My name is Calypso
My garden overflows
Thick and wild and hidden
Is the sweetness there that grows
My hair it blows long
As I sing into the wind
My name is Calypso
And I have lived alone
I live on an island
I tell of nights
Where I could taste the salt on his skin

Salt of the waves
And of tears
And though he,pulled away
I kept him here for years
I let him go

My name is Calypso
I have let him go
In the dawn he sails away
To be gone forever more
And the waves will take him in again
But he'll know their ways now
I will stand upon the shore
With a clean heart

And my song in the wind
The sand will sting my feet
And the sky will burn
It's a lonely time ahead
I do not ask him to return




I let him go
I let him go

Overall Meaning

The song ‘Calypso’ by Suzanne Vega is a tale of a woman named Calypso who lives on an island all by herself. The lyrics describe how Calypso saves a man from drowning in the sea and brings him back to her island where she takes care of him. The man sails away from the island after spending one last night with Calypso, and despite her strong feelings for him, she decides to let him go.


Throughout the song, Calypso expresses a sense of loneliness, while also describing the beauty of her island and the alluring, wild garden that she tends to. She reminisces about the man she saved and how much she enjoyed his presence on her island, but ultimately lets him go so that he can live his life as he desires. The song portrays the strength and independence of Calypso, who chooses to let go of love and live alone after experiencing heartbreak.


Overall, the song contemplates loneliness, heartbreak, and the courage required to let go of love. It showcases the power of a strong, independent woman and the resilience needed to live life alone.


Line by Line Meaning

My name is Calypso
Introducing the main character of the story who has the same name as the mythological Greek goddess of the sea and is the singer of this song.


And I have lived alone
Calypso is a solitary person who lives on an isolated island and doesn't have any company except for her own thoughts and nature around her.


I live on an island
Reiterating the fact that the character lives on an island separated from civilization.


And I waken to the dawn
Calypso starts her day by waking up at the break of dawn, feeling the first rays of the sun, and embracing the new beginning.


A long time ago
Introducing the backstory of the character which happened many years ago and is still very significant to her.


I watched him struggle with the sea
Calypso saw a man struggling with the waves of the ocean, trying to stay afloat against the strong currents.


I knew that he was drowning
Calypso was aware that the man's efforts were futile, and he was going to drown soon if she didn't help him.


And I brought him into me
Calypso rescued the man from the ocean and took him to her island to save him from drowning.


Now today
Returning to the present timeline, Calypso reflects on what happened in the past and connects it to the present.


Come morning light
Referencing the beginning of a new day, Calypso is getting ready to let go of the man who previously came to her island.


He sails away
The man departs from Calypso's island, leaving her alone again.


After one last night
Emphasizing the last night that the man spent with Calypso on the island before he leaves forever.


I let him go.
The realization of Calypso accepting that every good thing comes to an end, and she must let go of the man.


My garden overflows
Calypso's garden is full of bountiful vegetation, representing the abundance of life on the island.


Thick and wild and hidden
Calypso's garden is dense and overgrown, symbolizing how her true emotions are hidden within herself.


Is the sweetness there that grows
Despite being hidden within herself, Calypso's emotions are sweet and pure, similar to the sweetness that grows within her garden.


My hair it blows long
Calypso's hair is long and moves with the wind, a metaphor for how she adapts to changes in her life.


As I sing into the wind
Calypso sings to the wind which takes away her songs and emotions, representing how she shares her emotions but doesn't expect any response in return.


I tell of nights
The main character describes past times and reminisces about them.


Where I could taste the salt on his skin
Remembering the man, Calypso fondly recalls the scent of seawater still fresh on his skin.


Salt of the waves
The taste and scent of salt on someone are caused by the various movements of waves.


And of tears
The salt can also be seen as tears of joy, sadness or nostalgia that people shed.


And though he, pulled away
The man wanted to leave Calypso's island and return to his life, even though he was happy in the island's idyllic spirit.


I kept him here for years
Calypso didn't let the man leave for years despite how much he wanted to go back to his life before coming to the island.


I have let him go
Calypso finally accepts that the man must leave, and it was right to let him go.


In the dawn he sails away
The man departs from the island in the early hours of the morning.


To be gone forever more
Feeling the finality of the situation, Calypso understands that the man will never return again.


And the waves will take him in again
The man will return to the sea and waves that led him to Calypso's island, symbolizing his coming full circle in life.


But he'll know their ways now
The man gained knowledge and experience from his time on Calypso's island which will help him when he goes back to the waves.


I will stand upon the shore
Remaining on the island's shore, Calypso watches the ship taking away the man till it disappears from sight.


With a clean heart
Calypso feels content, knowing she acted selflessly towards the man and didn't hold him back.


And my song in the wind
Calypso's emotions and songs disperse into the wind, never to return again, remaining only as a memory.


The sand will sting my feet
Walking on the beach, Calypso will be reminded of the man's presence with every grain of sand that touches her feet.


And the sky will burn
The eternally flaming sky is a metaphor for the long, lonesome journey of life that Calypso still has to traverse.


It's a lonely time ahead
Realizing that the man's departure and her life on the island are gone, Calypso faces a future without companionship and much lonelier.


I do not ask him to return
Calypso respects the man's decision to leave and doesn't beg him to return to the island.


I let him go
Reiterating the acceptance of the man's departure, Calypso knows that it's over, and there's no hope of returning the past.




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SUZANNE VEGA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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