'Round Midnight
Wyatt / Atzmon / Stephen Lyrics


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Tears you've shed today will pause
Waiting until tomorrow
Dreams of what could be
Come close to me, timidly
There's a brand new day in sight
At that time: round about midnight

Life's game of chance
And you're one of the minor players
Look for what you lost
For days to come, harbour some
Let your spirit start the fight
At that time: round about midnight

Every day's going to bring some sad times
Every day's going to bring some glad times
So take what you can of the glad times
Don't measure your pleasure
In nickels and dimes

Look back on today and you'll know
When you have been unhappy
Tears done, chased away
What might at night have their day
Let your eyes put out their light




At that time: round about midnight
Round about midnight

Overall Meaning

The song "Round Midnight" by Robert Wyatt, Gilad Atzmon, and Ros Stephen speaks to the human struggle of dealing with the ups and downs of life. The opening lines suggest that although tears have been shed, there is hope for a new day. Dreams, though timid, are still present and a new day is on the horizon, with midnight serving as the marker for a transition from sadness to hope.


The song then speaks to the overall game of life, where we are all "minor players" and we must navigate the joys and sorrows that come our way. The lyrics suggest that we must look for what we have lost and hold onto hope for the future. The chorus conveys the message that life will always have some sad times and some glad times, and that we should cherish the good moments rather than counting coins.


Lastly, the song reminds us to reflect on our days and appreciate the progress that has been made. The tears that were shed are now gone and the light can be put out at midnight, indicating the end of one day and the possibility of a new beginning in the morning. Overall, the lyrics of "Round Midnight" speak to the universal experience of struggle and hope, encouraging us to persevere through the trials of life.


Line by Line Meaning

Tears you've shed today will pause
The tears you shed during the day will cease until tomorrow


Waiting until tomorrow
They will resume the following day


Dreams of what could be
Imagining what could happen


Come close to me, timidly
Approaching with timidity or shyness


There's a brand new day in sight
A new day is on the horizon


At that time: round about midnight
It will happen around midnight


Life's game of chance
Life is unpredictable


And you're one of the minor players
You are not the main character in the game of life


Look for what you lost
Search for something you have lost


For days to come, harbour some
Hold onto hope for the future


Let your spirit start the fight
Allow your inner strength to begin the struggle


At that time: round about midnight
It will happen around midnight


Every day's going to bring some sad times
Each day will have some moments of sadness


Every day's going to bring some glad times
Each day will also have happy moments


So take what you can of the glad times
Enjoy the happy moments as they come


Don't measure your pleasure
Don't quantify your happiness


In nickels and dimes
Don't measure your happiness in money


Look back on today and you'll know
Reflecting on today can provide insight


When you have been unhappy
Recognize when you were unhappy


Tears done, chased away
After shedding tears, they go away


What might at night have their day
What may seem bad at night could be good the next day


Let your eyes put out their light
Close your eyes and rest


At that time: round about midnight
It will happen around midnight


Round about midnight
Around midnight




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: COOTIE WILLIAMS, BERNARD D. HANIGHEN, THEOLONIOUS S. MONK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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