Restoration
Waterdeep Lyrics

got to restore
The singer has a strong feeling and desire to restore something.

Sometimes it's late at night I'm thinkin but I'm not quite there. Everywhere that I turn It's a county fair This booth, that booth, I'm everything that's uncouth and I can't keep nothing straight except my front tooth
Late at night, the singer's mind wanders endlessly, distracted by various things, and feels out of place. They struggle to focus on anything specific except for the most superficial details.

Late night NPR programming'll go far listenin to Kerouac in a French Quarter bar I was not a beatnik I didn't do the speed but I could get high on the pages I'd read
The singer enjoys staying up late, listening to NPR and reading works by authors such as Kerouac. While the singer does not identify as a beatnik, they nonetheless find intellectual stimulation and solace in reading.

Oh, got to restore Oh, got to restore Oh, got to restore Oh, got to restore
Repetition of the desire to restore that the artist feels.

I get fascinated by the strangest things and my wife has to deal with my wide mood swings Some nights are mellow Some nights are okay But I don't want things to just stay this way I left the bacon fryin in a pan last night I heard a baby cryin in the man inside Untended, unmended, my needs are open-ended But I believe you can heal the way I feel
The artist is easily fascinated and prone to mood swings, to the point where their partner has to deal with the changes in mood. While some nights are peaceful, the artist feels restless and desires change. Their neglectful tendencies are brought to the forefront, but they have hope for personal restoration.

The river I'm thinking of doesn't have a stink above the water from the waste that's been dumped therein This river is crystal, not method, not madness The river is rolling, and the river is life Now I ain't being funny and I ain't being queer I'm gonna say it simple and I'm gonna say it clear The bridegroom is coming The bridegroom is coming Are you ready to be a member of his wife?
The river the singer thinks of is pure and unpolluted, symbolizing life. The singer acknowledges they are not making a joke, nor being ironic or using strange metaphors, but that a significant event is coming and they want to know if the listener is ready to take part in it.

Now, let me take you to a place farther than outer space Everything is different and you love it that way Every tear is dried up every demon tied up Nothing of the aching is around out here
The singer wants to take the listener to a place where everything is new and exciting, and all pain is gone. Here, any lingering pain and troubles will be dealt with and resolved.

All the things you hated have all been decimated Even those things inside of you no more being worried and no more being bored Everything ever lost has been restored restoration restoration restoration restoration
In this hypothetical space, everything that the listener dislikes will be destroyed, and any internal worries and boredom will disappear. The repeated word 'restoration' emphasizes the desire for internal and external renewal.