Misty mornin', don't see no sun
I know you're out there somewhere having fun
There is one mystery, yeah
I just can't express
To give your more, to receive your less
One of my good friend said, in a reggae riddim
Don't jump in the water, if you can't swim
The power of philosophy, yeah, floats through my head
Light like a feather, heavy as lead
Light like a feather, heavy as lead, yeah

See no sun
Oh
Time has come, I want you
I want you to straighten out my tomorrow
Uh
I want, I want, I want you (tomorrow)
Oh, woah
I want you to straighten out my tomorrow

Misty (morning) mornin', don't see no sun
I know you're out there somewhere having fun
Mysteries I just can't express
How can you ever give your more to receive your less?
Like my good friend said, in a reggae riddim
You can't jump, you can't jump in the water, if you can't swim

I want you (I want you) I want you to straighten out my today
My tomorrow, my, my, my, my, my
(I want you to straighten out my tomorrow)
On a misty morning, uh (I want you to straighten out my tomorrow) straighten out my tomorrow, my tomorrow
Need some straightenin' out
(I want you to straighten out my tomorrow)
Mist
(I want) mist (you to straighten out my tomorrow)
Misty, oh (I want you to straighten out my tomorrow)


Lyrics submitted by spliphstar

Misty Morning Lyrics as written by Bob Marley

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing

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Misty Morning song meanings
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7 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    A Bob classic. Feeling down type song, not seeing anything good - that's why the sun is hiding. ASking why some people give their everything, but don't receive much ? I am not sure who he is asking to straighten it out - possibly Jah !

    nobsteron March 28, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    There's a natural mystic in the air, there's more than what you can see. I think he's talking about the force that connects evervything. I think he wants to give hope to those who can't see any good news on the horizon. Bob Marley is simply great

    silent_thunderon April 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    "Don't jump in the water, if you can't swim." - I just love that line. This song makes me happy in a sort of bitter way.. I just can't express!

    SimonTheGreaton June 11, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    How can you ever give your more to receive your less?

    mikadoon August 03, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this is about how he has gave everything to a relationship and has been 'snubbed off' maybe as a result or a by-product, and then pleaded with a higher power to sort it out. 'I know your out there somewhere, having fun' stands to reason.

    Cianmillson February 18, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    While some scholars have pointed that the song is about a failed love pursuit, I offer this interpretation:

    "Misty Morning" is about the hard times in life when we "don't see no sun;" "I know you're out there somewhere, having fun " is in reference to the sun, or good fortune, which is currently absent from the narrator's life. In this line the 'sun' or 'good fortune' is personified and regarded as being 'out there somewhere' (outside the narrator's life) 'having fun' without the narrator.

    "There is one mystery - yea-ea-eah - I just can't express: To give your more, to receive your less."

    In this line the narrator is expressing the mystery of life, How good people can give their best and receive no immediate reward, and in fact , sometimes they receive bad fortune even though they are 'giving it their best'

    One of my good friend said, in a reggae riddim, "Don't jump in the water, if you can't swim."

    Again, this alludes to the purpose behind the 'misty morning' or 'rut' or 'string of bad fortune': how can you conquer the greatest challenges of life, if you cannot conquer this 'misty morning' (lack of sun or good fortune).

    The power of philosophy - yea-ea-eah - floats through my head Light like a feather, heavy as lead; Light like a feather, heavy as lead, yeah.

    ^This is the right attitude to have. To FEEL light like a feather, although the burden of life makes you 'heavy as lead', this is an important step in getting the most out of difficult experiences, taking the heavy burdens while feeling 'light'.

    See no sun! Oh. Time has come, I want you - I want you to straighten out my tomorrow! Uh. I want - I want - I want you - (tomorrow). Oh, wo-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah! I want you to straighten out my (tomorrow)!

    In the above verse, the narrator is reffering to the misty morning. He wants this series of bad fortune to illuminate or help him see better thus 'straightening out his today/tomorrow' . We often need periods of distress to help us see things in perspective and make positive changes in our life.

    Inferkniteon May 06, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Similar to Waiting In Vain and countless other themes… the spirit is speaking to the human counterpart who is disconnected. “Can’t see no sun.” The mortal counterpart is “out there, having fun.” Meanwhile, the soul is left abandoned and alone. He needs “you” to connect and complete the connection; “to straighten out my tomorrow” — repair the block, or the “cross.” Stop giving your all to nothing. Come back, child, and be enriched. After all, it’s the stone that the builder refuse which is the head corner stone. Peace!

    joshua1104on August 10, 2022   Link

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