Second Cup of Confusion - what does this mean?

[jj]

"if I don't stop this trembling hand from reaching for the phone
I'll be reachin' for the bottle"

[formerlylavender]

I think it means that he wants to call "the lady who got lost along the way" or "a daughter and a son" and doing so will cause him a lot of pain/regret/guilt, and he will therefore be reaching for the bottle to ease the pain.

[charlene]

I believe this song was written in response to Brita leaving Canada with the children (daughter Ingrid and son Fred)and moving to Europe. That was at the end of the 60/s 1970 time period I think. It was on DQ album that was released in 1972. The next decade was when he imbibed pretty heavily...

[Moose]

I think it's the morning after a 'dark night of the soul' when he is confronting the mess he's made of his life and realizing he can't make it right again. The young girls with their fingers in his curls are never going to replace the one who got lost along the way.

That song is filled with such gut wrenching raw emotion, it always amazes me that he could sing about it publicly. I'm sure most of us only discuss our personal screw-ups so honestly with our very closest friends or therapists even.

[youngstranger]

I never thought about it specifically in terms of Gord's life, only, as a "song".

I took it to be about calling your ex and regretting it.

[jj]

I think it means that he wants to call "the lady who got lost along the way" or "a daughter and a son" and doing so will cause him a lot of pain/regret/guilt, and he will therefore be reaching for the bottle to ease the pain.

good feedback, guys, thx

ok, lisa, that makes sense... yes, i was just asking about this lyric with the "don't stop" phrase, which i guess means "do"!

i had thought he was was saying that he was currently hurting and unless he got up the nerve to pick up the phone, then he would, instead, be reaching for the bottle (again)

so char, then this song is in keeping with the influence behind the If Children Had Wings yearning

[KHester]

Ahh Yes...
Those two words "Don't Stop" They can really prove that sometimes it's not what you say, but how you say it. Those two little words can have totally different meanings with how you say them or in different situations.

For example a shouted
" DON'T STOP!!!" would probably mean danger

whereas a soft spoken or whispered
" don't stop........" can mean something else entirely.

I'll leave it up to you to figure out the possible situations where each usage may come into play.

Kevin

[charlene]

that's right James...his kids and wife were gone.... let the tunes begin..

[formerlylavender]

good feedback, guys, thx

ok, lisa, that makes sense... yes, i was just asking about this lyric with the "don't stop" phrase, which i guess means "do"!

i had thought he was was saying that he was currently hurting and unless he got up the nerve to pick up the phone, then he would, instead, be reaching for the bottle (again)

so char, then this song is in keeping with the influence behind the If Children Had Wings yearning


Yes, the "don't stop" takes on a different meaning when analyzed!! Don't know that Gord wrote it that way but dream away!

Glad you appreciated my interpretation, jj!

[BILLW]

oh my - does my heart good to hear y'all discussing my favorite Lightfoot tune of all time...

then again the memories it stirs up... but 40 years or so has healed us mostly...

I thought he had written it as the soundtrack for my life that year...

good times, bad times, ya know I've had my share... oops that's not part of the song...

sorry got them old hurricane blues again, lol

Thanks I needed that,

Bill :)

[formerlylavender]

Yep, I remember that is your fave! Sounds like it means something to you personally as well. Time heals all wounds??? Most, but not all.

We're dealing with the hurricane here too...state of emergency and all that. We had a power surge earlier, hoping we don't lose power completely when the eye of the storm hits our area later this evening. Stay safe, Bill!

[charlene]

oh my - does my heart good to hear y'all discussing my favorite Lightfoot tune of all time...

Bill :)

;) - yep Good stuff... - always good to discuss ones fave song...
;)