Thursday, March 06, 2008

More Site Meter fun - or - Helplessly Hoping song meaning



Besides the "Dark Town" searches that direct 100's of people from around the world to my other blog, this blog receives many hits from people looking for song lyrics and meanings (I use lots of lyrics to supplement or set the mood for my thoughts.

Apparently many folks want to understand the meaning of the Stephan Stills / CSN song "Helplessly Hoping". So, along with finding the http://www.songmeanings.net/ site, they also find my blog near the top of the search results. Sadly, they only are "on" my blog for zero seconds and then leave. Maybe if I actually offer my theory regarding the meaning of these lyrics, they will stay and be impressed.

= = = = = = =
Helplessly hoping her harlequin (the guy) hovers nearby
Awaiting a word (some indication from her about their prospects together)
Gasping at glimpses of gentle true spirit (with wonder, he see’s her appealing qualities)
he runs, Wishing he could fly (spirit being typically viewed as an air-borne quality, maybe he could catch her if he could fly)
Only to trip at the sound of goodbye (which certainly takes the wind out of his sails)
Wordlessly watching he waits by the window (he can see her, is separated from her, and knows not how to express himself)
and wonders At the empty place inside (loneliness and yearning inside himself)
Heartlessly helping himself to her bad dreams (maybe if he could take her troubles away things would be different)
he worries Did he hear a good-bye? Or even hello? (now he doesn’t know if he missed a cue from her or not)
They are one person (they have the same dreams and fears – they are one & the same)
They are two alone (they are both separated from each other)
They are three together (if they were 2 people together in love, then God becomes present and therefore = 3)
They are for each other (at least in his mind - and a neat poetic way to complete the literary cycle)

Stand by the stairway you'll see something certain to tell you Confusion has its cost
Love isn't lying it's loose in a lady who lingers (he feels it, he can see it in her, and she hasn’t actually turned him away yet)
Saying she is lost (she is stalling, offering excuses)
And choking on hello (and can’t bring herself to risk it and say yes to him)

= = = = = =

Now I'm not saying that I actually know what was in Mr. Stills head as he wrote this song. Maybe he simply stumbled across a phrase that he liked, and proceeded to assemble as many alliterations as possible into a story - never giving any thought to it all having "a meaning". This is simply my own version of what the song says to me. In many ways, I AM "her harlequin". I have lived this song. I'm sure it speaks differently to other people. Maybe instead of people searching for the meaning, they should simply create their own.

7 comments:

JablES said...

I think you nailed it homie. The lyrics make perfect sense the way you broke it down. Now that I understand the song it is hard to see why I was so confused about its meaning before. Thanks!

Baskerville said...

Superb interpretation, at least superb in as much as I came to the same conclusion. I was 'her harlequin' for over 40 years, from thousands of miles away, until I found that she still loved me too. We're still trying to work that out, but in some cases there is hope.

Ray said...

I think the song/poem is about a dog - (Harliquin - as in Great Dane)

He hovers nearby
awaiting attention
is excited at every chance to interact with her gentle spirit
runs - chasing butterflies or birds - wishing to fly too
is sad at good bye

just look at the imagery - wordlessly waiting by the window

etc - this is about a dog!

Think of it in terms of how a dog sees its interaction with it human

the confusion at the bottom of the stairs - he obviously had an accident!

take another listen!

Enjoy!

Ray

Unknown said...

I agree with Ray - this song is about a canine companion. He wants to be close to her and she is reluctant.

Aoibheall said...

Ha ha! Having grown up with Great Danes, I thought the same thing as a kid. Reality, it is his affair with Judy Collins, who had a son (3 together). She broke off with Stills for Stacey Keach.

Anonymous said...

So glad I stumbled on this. Yes. Yes. Yes

Unknown said...

The canine theory would be great if it was spelled (harliquin) but in this case it is spelled harlequin with an e not an I. Which is defined as a maskee mute person such as a pantomime. Which would very much fit the line wordlessly waiting.