It Was A Very Good Year
A Tapestry of Time: Reflections on the Seasons of Life
Lyrics
When I was seventeen
Reflecting on experiences at the age of seventeen.
It was a very good year
Emphasizing that the age of seventeen was a positive and memorable time.
It was a very good year for small-town girls
Highlighting the positive experiences with small-town girls during that year.
And soft summer nights
Recalling enjoyable nights during the warm summer.
We'd hide from the lights
Describing moments of intimacy away from the public eye.
On the village green
Referencing a specific location, the village green, where these memories were made.
When I was seventeen
Reiterating the age of seventeen and the positive feelings associated with it.
When I was twenty-one
Shifting to a different phase of life at the age of twenty-one.
It was a very good year
Expressing that the age of twenty-one was also a very good year.
It was a very good year
Reaffirming the positive nature of the experiences during that time.
For city girls
Focusing on city girls and the allure of their presence.
Who lived upstairs
Describing their living situation, particularly in relation to the speaker.
With all that perfumed hair
Highlighting the appeal of their scented hair.
And it came undone
Suggesting a change or end to these positive experiences at twenty-one.
When I was twenty-one
Reiterating the age of twenty-one and the associated changes.
When I was thirty-five
Transitioning to the age of thirty-five.
It was a very good year
Highlighting that this age was also a very good year.
It was a very good year for blue-blooded girls
Emphasizing the positive experiences with blue-blooded girls of independent means.
Of independent means
Describing the social status and independence of these girls.
We'd ride in limousines
Recalling luxurious experiences like riding in limousines.
And their chauffeurs would drive
Mentioning chauffeurs, adding to the imagery of affluence.
When I was thirty-five
Reiterating the age of thirty-five and the positive memories associated with it.
But now the days are short
Introducing a change in the speaker's current situation.
I'm in the autumn of the year
Noting the advanced stage of life, the autumn years.
Now I think of my life as vintage wine
Reflecting on life as if it were vintage wine.
From fine old kegs
Comparing life to fine old wine stored in kegs.
From the brim to the dregs
Describing life from its fullest to its end.
And it poured sweet and clear
Imagery of pouring, suggesting the passage of time.
It was a very good year
Reiterating that the age of thirty-five was a very good year.
It was a very good year
Repetition for emphasis on the overall positive perspective.
It was a very good year
Reiteration of the sentiment that it was a very good year.
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