Solitude Standing
Vega Suzanne Lyrics
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She turns her head as I walk in the room
I can see by her eyes she's been waiting
Standing in the slant of the late afternoon
And she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
And I'm struck once again by her black silhouette
By her long cool stare and her silence
I suddenly remember each time we've met
And she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
And she says "I've come to set a twisted thing straight"
And she says "I've come to lighten this dark heart"
And she takes my wrist, I feel her imprint of fear
And I say "I've never thought of finding you here"
I turn to the crowd as they're watching
They're sitting all together in the dark in the warm
I wanted to be in there among them
I see how their eyes are gathered into one
And then she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
And she says "I've come to set a twisted thing straight"
And she says"l've come to lighten this dark heart"
And she takes my wrist, I feel her imprint of fear
And I say "I've never thought of finding you here"
Solitude stands in the doorway
And I'm struck once again by her black silhouette
By her long cool stare and her silence
I suddenly remember each time we've met
And she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
The song "Solitude Standing" by Vega Suzanne is a poetic exploration of the complex themes of isolation, loneliness, and the search for connection. The opening lines describe Solitude, personified as a woman, standing by the window, waiting for someone to arrive. The imagery of the late afternoon light casts a poignant tone on this waiting, emphasizing the bitterness of loneliness. When Vega enters the room, Solitude turns to her with her hand extended, and Vega sees that her palm is "split with a flower with a flame." This image of a divided symbol emphasizes the duality of Solitude's character - on the one hand, she is a harbinger of pain and loneliness, but on the other, she also brings with her the potential for transformation and renewal.
Throughout the song, the persona's interactions with Solitude are ambiguous, and it is unclear what their relationship is. The persona is struck by her "black silhouette," "long cool stare," and "silence," which suggests that the relationship between the two is not easy or straightforward. Their conversations are marked by a sense of urgency, with Solitude declaring that she has "come to set a twisted thing straight" and to "lighten this dark heart." She takes the persona's wrist, leaving her imprint of fear, which further emphasizes the theme of vulnerability and the search for connection.
In the final verse, the persona gazes upon a crowd gathered in the darkness, yearning to be among them. However, it is Solitude who turns to her once again with her hand extended, reminding the persona that they are never truly alone, even among the crowd. The haunting final line that Solitude's palm is split with a flower and a flame continues to emphasize the duality of her character, and the potential to transform even the darkest moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Solitude stands by the window
The feeling of being alone is reflected in the view outside the window
She turns her head as I walk in the room
The lonely feeling turns into hope for the arrival of someone important
I can see by her eyes she's been waiting
The waiting has led to a soulful state of mind which reflects in the eyes
Standing in the slant of the late afternoon
The mood and atmosphere is intensified by the natural lighting at that time
And she turns to me with her hand extended
The desire to connect with someone meaningful is strong
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
It’s symbolic of feeling intense emotions and having an open heart
Solitude stands in the doorway
The feeling of being alone is once again present upon entering a new place
And I'm struck once again by her black silhouette
The aura of being lonely is palpable and hits like a wave
By her long cool stare and her silence
The silence is intense and it's easy to get lost in thoughts while looking at the stare
I suddenly remember each time we've met
The memories flood in and the realization of how important the connection is hits hard
And she says "I've come to set a twisted thing straight"
The desire to make things right and fix what's wrong is strong
And she says "I've come to lighten this dark heart"
The intention is to bring joy, hope and light to a heartbreaking situation
And she takes my wrist, I feel her imprint of fear
The connection brings out emotions and a sense of vulnerability
And I say "I've never thought of finding you here"
The unexpected comfort and support is surprising but welcome
I turn to the crowd as they're watching
The focus shifts from feeling alone to feeling seen by others
They're sitting all together in the dark in the warm
There's a sense of community and comfort in being surrounded by others
I wanted to be in there among them
The desire to connect with others and feel less alone is strong
I see how their eyes are gathered into one
The feeling of unity and togetherness is palpable
And then she turns to me with her hand extended
The connection with the person who provides comfort and hope is once again felt
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
The symbol of intense emotions and an open heart is present once again
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ANTON SANKO, MARC SHULMAN, MICHAEL VISCEGLIA, STEVE FERRERA, SUZANNE VEGA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@missingchannel
Solitude stands by the window
She turns her head as I walk in the room
I can see by her eyes she's been waiting
Standing in the slant of the late afternoon
And she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
Solitude stands in the doorway
And I'm struck once again by her black silhouette
By her long cool stare and her silence
I suddenly remember each time we've met
And she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
And she says "I've come to set a twisted thing straight"
And she says "I've come to lighten this dark heart"
And she takes my wrist, I feel her imprint of fear
And I say "I've never thought of finding you here"
I turn to the crowd as they're watching
They're sitting all together in the dark in the warm
I wanted to be in there among them
I see how their eyes are gathered into one
And then she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
And she says "I've come to set a twisted thing straight"
And she says"l've come to lighten this dark heart"
And she takes my wrist, I feel her imprint of fear
And I say "I've never thought of finding you here"
Solitude stands in the doorway
And I'm struck once again by her black silhouette
By her long cool stare and her silence
I suddenly remember each time we've met
And she turns to me with her hand extended
Her palm is split with a flower with a flame
@theskmsoftware
Anyone in 2024?
@brandonmoore7497
I’m listening to Suzanne Vega Solitude Standing mid January 2024
3:12
@robf1557
You bet
@pateris
Fan for more than thirty years. It must be a phase. Or sumfink…
@albertoluciano2169
of course! this song is a BOMB!🤩
@Riyasahu.
🖐️
@helixmoore7636
What I like is that she is just plain singing. No throaty strained vocals no screaming no annoying overused vocal runs and unneeded gymnastics
Just beautiful singing.
@buckwheat7254
That's her trademark it seems
@Owyourhurtingme
Heyyyy, watch it.
@buckwheat7254
Okay......