Tightrope Lyrics
My gold-leaf tryptic angel, she knows just what to do
In the half-light of morning, in a world between the sheets
I swear I saw her angel wing, my vision was complete
Can there be more in this world than the joy of just watching ya sleep?
I don't know just what to feel
Won't someone tell me my love's real?
Waiting for the waves to come and reclaim the land?
Will the sunshine all sweetness and light
Burn us to a cinder, our third stone satellite?
Striding through the clouds on my ribbon in the sky
I'm on a tightrope, baby, one thing I've found
I don't know how to stop
And it's a long, long, long, long way down
My cup, it runneth over, I'll never get my fill
The boats in the harbor slip from their chains
Head for new horizons, let's do the same
Striding through the clouds on my ribbon in the sky
I'm on a tightrope, baby, one thing I've found
I don't know how to stop
And it's a tightrope, baby, nine miles high
Striding through the clouds on my ribbon in the sky
I'm on a tightrope, baby, one thing I've found
I don't know how to stop
And it's a long, long, long, long way down
I've long frequented this site, but I signed up just so I could leave my own insights on this specific song.
Firstly, I completely agree that this is a hugely underrated album. I'm 21 and American so I had to find the Stone Roses on my own, and I'm very glad I did. I was initially very timid of hopping on Second Coming because of all the negative chatter I've heard towards it, but I love it dearly. This track is definitely a standout.
For me, this song is about love (obviously), but I think the one part that all the other posts left out is that Squire is implying that he's bound to fall. Apologies if I'm wrong in assuming that Squire wrote this tune.
"Won't someone tell me my love's real?" - Whether it's your girlfriend, some girl you've been wooing and finally scored on, Squire looks to others to validate that this is indeed love he's experiencing. He's chuffed, absolutely ecstatic, and he wants everyone to nod and agree that he is indeed in love.
"Are we etched in stone or just scratched in the sand?" - A bit of uncertainty here. Reminds me a bit of R U Mine by the Arctic Monkeys where Helders sings "Are you mine tomorrow or just mine tonight?" In essence, is this shag out of love or lust? Is this a one night stand or is there a legitimate foundation for something more?
Lastly the chorus,
"I'm on a tightrope, baby, nine miles high Striding through the clouds on my ribbon in the sky I'm on a tightrope, baby, one thing I've found I don't know how to stop And it's a long, long, long, long way down"
I can definitely relate to the chorus. You've gone gaga for the girl, on cloud nine, "nine miles high," some far-removed, feeble voice is telling you to be wary because of the last time your heart was broken, but you just don't know how to stop, "I don't know how to stop," because the feminine presence is just infectious. But sadly enough, you're soon to face that long way down when she moves on in another direction. But until then...you're on top of the world.
So to me, this song really captures the power of love, and beyond that, the grave nature of it. It can lift us up high and absolutely destroy us from the inside out.
@brojaysimpson well said! I don't think any two people should ever feel totally complacent about their love, ergo a level of uncertainty is a healthy part of even the best relationship. For if do not fear losing your lover and you become complacent, are you really giving all you can to the one you love?
@brojaysimpson well said! I don't think any two people should ever feel totally complacent about their love, ergo a level of uncertainty is a healthy part of even the best relationship. For if do not fear losing your lover and you become complacent, are you really giving all you can to the one you love?
@brojaysimpson great explanation, we used to sing back at our house after being out at the pub all day, ended up being my first dance song when I got married. everyone sang there heats out . Great song I’ve no explanation about the lyrics so hey ho. My fave line is “ my cup it runnth over I’ll never get my fill” absolute poetry
@brojaysimpson great explanation, we used to sing back at our house after being out at the pub all day, ended up being my first dance song when I got married. everyone sang there heats out . Great song I’ve no explanation about the lyrics so hey ho. My fave line is “ my cup it runnth over I’ll never get my fill” absolute poetry
This song is amazing! Only thing I don't fully understand is the triptych angel bit, any insight on that?
A tryptic is kind of art construction used often in religion icons etc. It is essentially three panels, and infact thinking about it other artists did tryptics as well such as Mondarin in his early years. Love this song, and need to think about it a bit more before a do another magnum opus as I did on scissor sisters!
A tryptic is kind of art construction used often in religion icons etc. It is essentially three panels, and infact thinking about it other artists did tryptics as well such as Mondarin in his early years. Love this song, and need to think about it a bit more before a do another magnum opus as I did on scissor sisters!
@justadub I had to look into this one as well. The best explanation that I could come up with is that Squire and/or Horn actually meant "triptych" which is a set of three images often found in churches - ie. they had formed the opinion that certain images of angels in a church were called "triptic angels". Just a guess but it fits with the "gold-leafed" description.
@justadub I had to look into this one as well. The best explanation that I could come up with is that Squire and/or Horn actually meant "triptych" which is a set of three images often found in churches - ie. they had formed the opinion that certain images of angels in a church were called "triptic angels". Just a guess but it fits with the "gold-leafed" description.
Great song i cant believe nobodies wrote in this one
Great view of Love.
These are my favorate lyrics in any song....Zeppelin, Dylan, you name 'm and name the song; this is the best......to many points of beauty to point them all out.
but i will say i was dating a lovely girl who was very religious (God Bless her) and i put this song on a tape for her (it was back in the day). Any way she noted the lyric "Are we etched in stone or just scratched in the sand" i thought it was stone, but she sure hated me for being wrong.
The most romantic lyrics ever
Are we etched in stone or just scratched in the sand Waiting for the waves to come and reclaim the land?
Soooo amazing
i concurrr with pt i think this album is very dense, and once you get into it, youll really enjoy it
i love the line: "Can there be more in this world than the joy of just watching you sleep?" stole my toughts there
i think is simply about love and not caring bout anything else....
I couldn't agree more with everyones positive comments on this song, it's up there with the best the roses ever did. I personally came across a live version before hearing Second Coming and for me that (live) version will always be superior to the studio version. If anyone is interested I found it on Youtube:
saw her last week.....she's had a child. Ouch!
Sorry , 'Yesterday comes suddenly' indeed , Ian.
Funny i wonder why people are so tough on the Second Coming, considering this all time great song gets 3 post i think i've figured it out.
Second Coming is wide ranging in sounds. Not easy to digest , (see Xile on Main street) but once you listen to it a few times you see it's greatness.
Clearly the Second Coming is the underrated disc of the last 25 years.