Warren Haynes (born 6 April 1960), guitarist and musician. He is a guitaris… Read Full Bio ↴Warren Haynes (born 6 April 1960), guitarist and musician. He is a guitarist for the Allman Brothers Band and is the primary singer, guitarist, and songwriter for Gov't Mule. He also released a solo album in 1992, Tales Of Ordinary Madness

Haynes also spent the summer of 2004 playing with The Dead, a group featuring the remaining members of The Grateful Dead. He was also a member of the longest running lineup of Phil Lesh's "Phil Lesh and Friend's" band, comprised of himself, Lesh, Jimmy Herring, John Molo, and Rob Baracco

In 2004, he was named to the Rolling Stone magazine list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All-Time at #23. He was joined on the list by fellow Allman Brothers Band guitarists Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, and Derek Trucks.

Warren is well known for the annual Warren Haynes Christmas Jam which draws many well known musicians, who play until the early morning hours. The Jam is a benefit for Habitat for Humanity, and is known as one of the best shows in the country.

Stella Blue
Warren Haynes Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

All the years combine, they melt into a dream
A broken angel sings from a guitar
In the end there's just a song comes crying up the night
Through all the broken dreams and vanished years

Stella blue

When all the cards are down, there's nothing left to see

There's just the pavement left and broken dreams
In the end there's still that song comes crying like the wind
Down every lonely street that's ever been

Stella blue
Stella blue

I've stayed in every blue-light cheap hotel, can't win for trying
Dust off those rusty strings just one more time
Gonna make them shine, shine
Make them shine

It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free
There's nothing you can hold for very long
And when you hear that song come crying like the wind
It seems like all this life was just a dream

Stella blue
Stella blue

Overall Meaning

The Warren Haynes song Stella Blue is a tribute to the transience of life and the power of music to transcend it. The lyrics express the idea that everything in life, including successes and failures, joys and sorrows, and hopes and dreams, eventually melts together and fades away like a dream. The broken angel that sings from a guitar symbolizes the transformative power of music, which can lift us up and provide solace even in the bleakest of times. When all our hopes are dashed and our dreams are shattered, and there seems to be nothing left to see but the pavement and broken dreams, the song of Stella Blue cries out through the darkness like the wind, offering a glimmer of hope and a reminder that life itself is but a dream.

The imagery in the song is powerfully evocative and transcendent. The blue-light cheap hotel and the dusty, rusty strings of the guitar both suggest a sense of transience and impermanence, as if the singer is constantly moving on and struggling to keep his art alive. Yet in the end, the song of Stella Blue shines like a beacon of hope, reminding us that even though everything in life must eventually fade away, the memory of the song, and the power it holds to comfort and inspire, will endure forever.

Line by Line Meaning

All the years combine, they melt into a dream
Memories of past years blend together like a surreal dream.

A broken angel sings from a guitar
The guitar's music is so emotional that it feels like an angel is singing and expressing vulnerability.

In the end there's just a song comes crying up the night
As life's journey comes to an end, only the song's emotions remain to echo throughout the night.

Through all the broken dreams and vanished years
Despite experiencing shattered dreams and lost years, the artist was able to hold on to the emotions of the song.

When all the cards are down, there’s nothing left to see
When everything is going wrong in life, it is challenging to find hope or optimism.

There’s just the pavement left and broken dreams
The only things that remain when everything seems to have fallen apart are the broken dreams and stark reality.

In the end there’s still that song comes crying like the wind
Despite the hardships experienced, the song still echoes, providing hope and some solace.

Down every lonely street that’s ever been
The song seems to be resonant, providing solace down any lonely street or path journeyed.

I've stayed in every blue-light cheap hotel, can't win for trying
The artist has been to a lot of cheap places, but despite best efforts, they have not found the happiness they seek.

Dust off those rusty strings just one more time
Despite the hardships and long silence since playing the guitar, the artist is determined to play the song again.

Gonna make them shine, shine
The singer is committed to shining through the music, being resilient and rising again.

It all rolls into one and nothing comes for free
All of life's experiences come together and contribute to who we are, and there are always costs associated with them.

There's nothing you can hold for very long
Nothing lasts forever, so it is important to cherish what we have now and hold it close while it is still present.

And when you hear that song come crying like the wind
The emotions of the song are so raw and pure that they seem to cut through to the soul like the wind.

It seems like all this life was just a dream
When reflecting on life's journey, it often feels like it all passed by in the blink of an eye and was just a surreal dream-like experience.

Stella blue
The recurring, emotional refrain of the song.

Contributed by Levi O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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