FAR AWAY
Wainwright Martha Lyrics

Far away
The singer is physically distant from someone, presumably a lover or friend.

In some lovely way I hear your call
The singer feels a strong connection to the distant person.

Whatever happened to them all?
The singer wonders about people from their past.

Whatever happened to us all?
The artist is questioning why they and their peers have not kept in touch.

I know that we've never met before
The artist acknowledges that they have never met the distant person in person.

But that was then, and now I need you more
The singer is now in a difficult situation and needs support.

Is someone here keeping the score?
The singer questions who knows what is happening in their life.

Is there only dying at your door?
The artist feels overwhelmed by the challenges in their life.

Taking me down off this cross
The artist wants to be relieved of their burdens.

Lay me down, down, down in the dust
The artist is asking for relief from their suffering.

Whoa, love, take my hand across the crowd
The singer is reaching out for emotional support and reassurance.

I have been digging underground
The artist has been grappling with difficult emotions alone.

What'er remains is yet to be found
The situation is unresolved and there is still more work to be done.

I have no children
The singer does not have any children, possibly indicating loneliness or regret.

I have no husband
The singer is unmarried and possibly lonely or feeling incomplete.

I have no reason
The artist is feeling lost and detached from a sense of purpose.

To be alive
The artist is struggling with a lack of meaning or motivation in their life.

Oh, give me one
The singer is asking for a reason or motivation to continue living.

Green grass blades are all on fire
The singer is experiencing a surreal or distressing sensation.

I own the crack that's in the wind
The artist feels a sense of ownership over their challenges or struggles.

From your window I see bars and the birds
The artist is physically separated from the distant person, possibly in prison.

They sing and they sing and they sing and they sing
The artist is fixated on the beauty and hopefulness of the birds' songs.

And the dogs
The singer is distracted by the sounds of barking dogs.

They bark and they bark and they bark and they bark and they bark
The barking dogs may represent the artist's anxiety or inner turmoil.

Annie had two young baby boys
The singer is thinking about someone from their past, named Annie, who has children.

And Jimi went crazy, crazy, crazy late last fall
The singer is thinking about someone named Jimi who went through a difficult time last fall.