Lyrics
Well, today has been a sad ol' lonesome day
Expressing that the day has been sorrowful and lonely.
Yeah, today has been a sad ol' lonesome day
Reiterating the sadness and loneliness of the day.
I'm just sittin' here thinking
Reflecting on thoughts while feeling emotionally distant.
With my mind a million miles away
Feeling mentally detached, lost in thoughts.
Well, they're doing the double shuffle, throwin' sand on the floor
Describing a dance or activity involving throwing sand on the floor.
They're doing the double shuffle, they're throwin' sand on the floor
Repeating the double shuffle and sand-throwing activity.
When I left my long-time darlin'
Recalling leaving a long-time partner standing in the door.
She was standing in the door
Emphasizing the image of the departed partner.
Well, my pa he died and left me, my brother got killed in the war
Highlighting personal losses: father's death and brother's war-related death.
Well, my pa he died and left me, my brother got killed in the war
Reiterating the theme of family losses.
My sister, she ran off and got married
Additional family loss, sister marrying and disappearing.
Never was heard of any more
Emphasizing the mysterious disappearance of the sister.
Samantha Brown lived in my house for about four or five months
Naming a person who lived in the narrator's house without romantic involvement.
Samantha Brown lived in my house for about four or five months
Repeating details about Samantha Brown and lack of romantic involvement.
Don't know how it looked to other people
Indicating uncertainty about others' perceptions of the situation.
I never slept with her even once
Emphasizing the absence of a romantic relationship with Samantha Brown.
Well, the road's washed out, weather not fit for man or beast
Describing adverse weather conditions and a washed-out road.
Yeah the road's washed out, weather not fit for man or beast
Repeating the idea of impassable roads due to harsh weather.
Funny, how the things you have the hardest time parting with
Reflecting on the difficulty of parting with unnecessary things.
Are the things you need the least
Highlighting the paradox of clinging to unessential possessions.
And I'm forty miles from the mill I'm droppin' it into overdrive
Indicating a considerable distance from a mill and using overdrive.
I'm forty miles from the mill I'm droppin' it into overdrive
Reiterating the distance and the use of overdrive in a vehicle.
Settin' my dial on the radio
Setting the radio dial, expressing a wish for the narrator's deceased mother.
I wish my mother was still alive
Longing for the narrator's deceased mother while adjusting the radio.
I see your lover-man comin', comin' 'cross the barren field
Observing a lover-man approaching across a barren field.
I see your lover-man comin', comin' 'cross the barren field
Reiterating the lover-man's approach and the barren field.
He's not a gentleman at all, he's rotten to the core
Portraying the lover-man negatively, lacking gentlemanly qualities.
He's a coward and he steals
Accusing the lover-man of being a coward and a thief.
Well my captain he's decorated, he's well-schooled and he's skilled
Describing a decorated and skilled captain who is unsentimental.
My captain, he's decorated, he's well-schooled and he's skilled
Reiterating the captain's qualities and lack of sentimentality.
He's not sentimental, don't bother him at all
Emphasizing the captain's emotional detachment.
How many of his pals have been killed
Raising the question of how many of the captain's comrades have died.
Last night the wind was whisperin', I was trying to make out what it was
Recalling the sound of the wind and attempting to decipher its message.
Last night the wind was whisperin', somethin' I was trying to make out what it was
Reiterating the attempt to understand the whispering wind.
I tell myself something's comin'
Expressing anticipation of something to come, though it never materializes.
But it never does
Highlighting the disappointment of unfulfilled expectations.
I'm gonna spare the defeated, I'm gonna speak to the crowd
Declaring an intention to show mercy to the defeated and address the crowd.
I'm gonna spare the defeated, boys, I'm going to speak to the crowd
Reiterating the intention to address the crowd and teach peace to the conquered.
I am goin' to teach peace to the conquered
Expressing the determination to tame the proud.
I'm gonna tame the proud
Continuing the theme of asserting control over the proud.
Well, the leaves are rustlin' in the wood, things are fallin' off of the shelf
Observing leaves rustling and things falling off shelves in the woods.
Leaves are rustlin' in the wood, things are fallin' off the shelf
Repeating the imagery of leaves rustling and things falling off shelves.
You gonna need my help, sweetheart
Asserting the narrator's availability and willingness to help.
You can't make love all by yourself
Stating that making love requires collaboration, emphasizing mutual effort.
Comment