Gilding the Lily
Woozy Lyrics

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i could only hope you would grow up in a happy home
and I could only show you the weather
(honest spectre, your eyes)
outside your window
(glowing, golden surprise)
it's not mine to give you
(sobbing over breakfast)
i'm sorry, you're on your own

(san francisco kept her)

i want you to know
(when california drifts into the sea)
you'll always be
(that's when you'll find me)
my home

i want you to know
you'll always be
(only)
my home
(fountain)

lonely
sulking

it feels like you're all around

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Woozy's song "Gilding the Lily" convey a sense of nostalgia and regret for what could have been. The singer is addressing someone, perhaps a loved one, and expressing the hope that they have grown up in a happy home. However, they also acknowledge their own limitations and the fact that they cannot give this person everything they need. The lyrics also mention San Francisco, suggesting that the person being addressed may have left the city, perhaps to make a new life elsewhere.

The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "I want you to know, you'll always be my home." This suggests that the person being addressed holds a special place in the singer's heart, even if they are no longer in San Francisco. The image of California drifting into the sea is a metaphor for change and loss, and the singer seems to be saying that even if everything else falls away, their feelings for this person will endure.

Line by Line Meaning

i could only hope you would grow up in a happy home
I wish and pray that you grew up in a joyful and cheerful home.

and I could only show you the weather
The only thing that I could do is to present you with the climate condition.

(honest spectre, your eyes)
(Truthful ghost, your eyes) - Referencing someone's genuine, truthful eyes

outside your window
Refers to the view outside someone's window.

(glowing, golden surprise)
(Radiant, golden surprise) - Referencing something glowing and radiant seen outside.

it's not mine to give you
I don't have it to offer you.

(sobbing over breakfast)
(Crying uncontrollably while having breakfast) - A depiction of someone crying at breakfast time.

i'm sorry, you're on your own
I apologize, but you will have to figure things out independently.

(san francisco kept her)
(San Francisco held her) - A reference to how someone was kept by the city of San Francisco possibly due to strong emotional connections.

i want you to know
I desire for you to be aware.

(when california drifts into the sea)
(When California submerges into the sea.) - Depiction of a catastrophic event happening in California.

you'll always be
You will remain to be.

(that's when you'll find me)
(That's when you will get me) - A reference to how one can find someone at a specific time and place.

my home
Where my heart belongs.

i want you to know
I desire for you to be aware.

you'll always be
You will be nothing but.

(only)
(Solitary) - Refers to how someone may feel left out or alone.

my home
Where I find peace and tranquility.

(fountain)
(Sprinkling water sculpture) - A reference to a man-made structure in the form of a fountain.

lonely
Feels like being isolated or secluded from others.

sulking
Feeling miserable and upset about something.