Innocent Son

Fleet Foxes

You left me there
Waiting at the bottom of the stairs
with my eyes closed
Holding my right hand in my left
there is no time for hesitation now
you come or go
or go

Rusting leaves,
Falling beside me on the ghost of a morning.
Riding in sorrow to the harbor
Far behind oh me the bodies of my friends hanging alone alone again

Some twisted thorn tells me you saw me in the night with another
Keep all my promises to break them
I am no, oh no, Innocent son. you run rabbit run


Lyrics submitted by brasky09, edited by a2f, broadpath

Innocent Son Lyrics as written by Robin Pecknold

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Innocent Son song meanings
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9 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    Ghostlike.

    chickenflickeron April 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    How perfect can a song be?

    His voice is out of this world. It gives me chills. I'm loving this band so much.

    *Gabby*on February 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i believe it is:

    Run, sullen leaves, Falling beside me on the ghost, Of a morning. Riding in sorrow...

    but i could be wrong. he says "leaves" for certain, which means it's not "suddenly". i'm not sure if it's sullen leaves or not. for a second i thought it was rust-sodden leaves, but that is stretching it.

    i think he says "run" to the leaves, because then he says "riding in sorrow to the harbor.." which would then be the leaves blowing toward the hanging bodies. right?

    ...ryan

    invertebraeon February 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The final words are a reference to a song by Noel Gay and Ralph Butler called "Run Rabbit Run". The lyrics go:

    On the farm, every Friday On the farm, it's rabbit pie day. So, every Friday that ever comes along, I get up early and sing this little song

    Run rabbit - run rabbit - Run! Run! Run! Run rabbit - run rabbit - Run! Run! Run! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Goes the farmer's gun. Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run.

    Run rabbit - run rabbit - Run! Run! Run! Don't give the farmer his fun! Fun! Fun! He'll get by Without his rabbit pie So run rabbit - run rabbit - Run! Run! Run!

    The words "I am no innocent son" always reminds me of the chorus to CCR's Fortunate Son, also. I don't know if that was intentional.

    mithgilon February 06, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Beautifully sung. Pecknold's morbid obsessiveness adds quite a stunning beauty to his music. I hope it's just a theme for the album though and not a running theme in his material (see also: Muse's obsession with THE END OF THE WORLD, etc).

    By the way, try 'Rustling leaves'. Don't thank me.

    cdn42on November 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I won't thank you - but you're absolutely right - it's rustling leaves!

    rixie77on March 28, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    Is it about a son whose father abandons him ?

    Inahzi13on May 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I am pretty sure this entire song is a reference to the John Updike novel: Rabbit, Run

    The novel is about a man who aboandons his wife and family, i think that fits a bit better with the other lyrics than a song about an actual rabbit.

    Pikeleton May 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Everything this band does is amazing, but particularly this song. It's one of those that I listen to and have to cry, because it's just that cosmic.

    newagefolkloreon December 20, 2011   Link

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