All I Left Behind
Journey Through Lost Memories: Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt's 'All I Left Behind'
Lyrics
All I left behind should come as no surprise
All the things I abandoned should not be surprising
To me since I fell through the black hole of your eye
This realization has been with me since I entered the depth of your gaze
Only little things inconsequential I could say
Only trivial and unimportant things I could mention
Of all I left behind with you along the lost highway
Referring to the things left behind with you along the metaphorical lost highway
Silver earrings in Wichita
Mention of silver earrings left in Wichita
Beaded moccasins in Tonapah
Reference to beaded moccasins left in Tonapah
But I had you, so
Despite leaving material possessions, having you was more important
I just let them go
Choosing to let go of those possessions because of the value of the relationship
The flannel shirt I wore to keep me from the cold
Mention of a flannel shirt worn during a journey from Boston to Buffalo
When we drove from Boston all the way to Buffalo
Reflecting on a shared experience of a long-distance journey
The leather boots I bought so many miles ago
Reference to leather boots bought in the past
I took them off to follow you into the Ohio
Symbolic act of removing boots to follow someone into the Ohio, indicating commitment
Never did my armor feel so thin
Expressing vulnerability, as the protective "armor" feels thin
Silk was all I had between me and your skin
Describing silk as the only barrier between the speaker and the person they love
Like Waterloo, I lost that too
Comparing a situation to the Battle of Waterloo, suggesting a significant loss
And the gold bracelet with my father's name inscribed
Mention of a gold bracelet with the father's name, a sentimental item left behind
On the back by the one who loved him all her life
Noting the inscription by someone who loved the father throughout their life
The way I too could have loved you
Expressing the potential depth of love that could have been shared
The Spanish shawl I put across the broken shade
Referring to a Spanish shawl placed on a broken shade, possibly symbolizing a broken relationship
Of the lamp that lit the room
Describing the setting of the last night near Cour d'Alene
That last night near Cour d'Alene
Repeating the mention of inconsequential things left behind, emphasizing their unimportance
Only little things inconsequential I could say
Reiterating the idea of leaving things behind along the lost highway
Of all I left behind with you along the lost highway
Concluding with a repetition of the theme of abandoning possessions
Of all I left behind
Summarizing all the things left behind
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