secret
Virgin Sleep Lyrics
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Saw the fireflies dance, but he won't tell
It's a secret he'll keep but he knows very well, I know
The field mouse runs from his nest by the road
To tell the news to the friendly toad
They think they're the only ones that know, but I know
I won't tell I wouldn't dare, 'cause I promised
Dragonflies tell it to the trees
Butterflies hear it in the breeze
They go tell it to the Queen of the Bees, now she knows
Ask the old wizard or the wise old owl
Or the badger though he's not in the crowd
They don't know anyhow, but I do
I know and so does the swan, he knows what's going on
He won't tell you just as long as I'm here
The blackbirds talking in the trees
Tell the seagull who flies the seas
The Sparrow Hawk knows but then he sees, everything
Spider spinning his web of silk
Watching the ducks down by the mill
He'll keep the secret, until he's ready
The song "Secret" by Virgin Sleep is a playful and whimsical tune about everyone knowing a secret, but no one daring to share it. The lyrics detail a series of animals and creatures that have allegedly been privy to this secret, including the willow tree, the field mouse, the dragonflies, and the spider. These characters claim to know the secret, but refuse to share it with anyone else because they have promised to keep it confidential. The chorus of the song declares that the singer also knows the secret, and that as long as they are around, no one else will learn it.
While the lyrics to "Secret" do not explicitly reveal what the secret actually is, it is clear that it is a lighthearted and harmless one that is probably not worth getting too worked up over. The various animals and creatures that are mentioned in the song add to the whimsical, fantastical feel of the lyrics. Each verse focuses on a different species and describes how they supposedly found out about the secret. Despite these vivid and imaginative descriptions, there is never any hint of danger or conflict in the song.
Overall, "Secret" is a fun and charming song that captures the innocence and playfulness of childhood. It is a testament to the power of keeping secrets and the sense of responsibility that can come with it. The lyrics are filled with colorful imagery and playful language, and the melody is catchy and memorable. It is a song that is sure to put a smile on the faces of listeners of all ages.
Line by Line Meaning
The willow tree, by the wishing well
An observer, the willow tree, is located near a wishing well
Saw the fireflies dance, but he won't tell
The willow observed fireflies dancing, but chooses not to share what was seen
It's a secret he'll keep but he knows very well, I know
Despite keeping the secret, the willow knows that the singer is aware of what was seen
The field mouse runs from his nest by the road
A field mouse exits its nest located by a road
To tell the news to the friendly toad
The field mouse shares news with a friendly toad
They think they're the only ones that know, but I know
While the field mouse and toad believe they're the only ones aware of the news, the singer is also in the know
I know 'cause I was there, having my tea with a teddy bear
The singer was present and listening to the conversation between the field mouse and toad
I won't tell I wouldn't dare, 'cause I promised
The singer won't share the news in order to fulfill a promise made to the field mouse and toad
Dragonflies tell it to the trees
Dragonflies share the news with the trees
Butterflies hear it in the breeze
Butterflies become aware of what was shared through the breeze
They go tell it to the Queen of the Bees, now she knows
The information is shared to the Queen of the Bees through various insects
Ask the old wizard or the wise old owl
Old and wise individuals, such as a wizard or an owl, may know of the news
Or the badger though he's not in the crowd
Even the secluded badger may be aware of what was shared
They don't know anyhow, but I do
Despite their claimed wisdom, the old wizard, wise old owl, and badger don't know what the singer is aware of
I know and so does the swan, he knows what's going on
The singer and a swan are the ones who have knowledge of the situation
He won't tell you just as long as I'm here
The swan won't reveal the secret so long as the singer is present
The blackbirds talking in the trees
Blackbirds conversing in the trees
Tell the seagull who flies the seas
The blackbirds share the news with a seagull
The Sparrow Hawk knows but then he sees, everything
A sparrow hawk had knowledge of the situation, but the bird's observational abilities allows for a broader understanding of events
Spider spinning his web of silk
A spider weaving a web made of silk
Watching the ducks down by the mill
Observing ducks near a mill
He'll keep the secret, until he's ready
The spider won't share what it knows until the time is right
Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@warwickwas
The willow tree by the wishing well
Saw the firefly's dance but he won't tell
It's a secret he'll keep but he knows very well
I know
The field mouse runs from his nest by the road
Tell the news to the friendly toad
They think they're the only ones that know
But I know
I know 'cause I was there
Having my tea with a teddy bear
I won't tell, I wouldn't dare
'Cause I promised
I know 'cause I was there
Having my tea with a teddy bear
I won't tell, I wouldn't dare
'Cause I promised
Dragonflies tell it to the trees
Butterflies hear it in the breeze
They go tell it to the queen of the bees
Now she knows
Ask the Wizard or the wise old owl
Or the badger though he's not in the crowd
They don't know anyhow
But I do
I know and so does the swan
He knows what's going on
He won't tell you just as long
As I'm here
Blackbirds talking in the trees
Tell the seagull who flies the seas
The sparrowhawk knows but then he sees
Everything
The spider spinning his web of silk
Watching the ducks down by the mill
He'll keep the secret
Until he's ready
@sydwho
What a great band they were Live,watched them rock a few times in 66/67.Tony gave my mate Eddie an old guitar he had for helping to carry his equipment into the gigs.Still got the 45 of Love/Haliford House in my collection.ROCK ON.
@WinChun78
One of my very favourite 60's psych tracks. (Wish I had a time machine!)
@francisbain8142
This song rocks!🤠
@chrisedelic77
Love this band! "Love" is another fav!
@Rhysspiecesify
Listen to that bass line!
@sydwho
66/67 BEST LIVE BAND on local curcuit without a doubt.
@sunshinepoprevival
One of the best songs I've heard
@t0ypuddl3
Best sounding upload, nice job too..those bass levels are mammoth!
@gransport160
Amazed to see the comment about your Dad! Alan Barnes the guitarist was a schoolfriend of mine..what happened to him, any idea? I'm currently writing a book on the west london mid sixties 'scene'. I got some newspaper articles on the Sleep from 67 ( fotocopied from he local paper. If you have any info etc on the band, I could feed it into my project Don Hughes.
@toycoon
Another fantastic fairytale psyche favorite of mine.