Spring Awakening – The Song Of Purple Summer

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[ILSE]
And all shall fade
The flowers of spring
The world and all the sorrow
At the heart of everything

But still it stays
The butterfly sings
And opens purple summer
With a flutter of its wings

[ALL]
The earth will wave with corn
The gray-fly choir will mourn
And mares will neigh
With stallions that they mate
Foals they've borne
And all shall know the wonder
Of purple summer

And yet, I wait
The swallow brings
A song to hard to follow
That no one else can sing

The fences sway
The porches swing
The clouds begin to thunder
Crickets wander, murmuring

The earth will wave with corn
The gray-fly choir will mourn
And mares will neigh
With stallions that they mate
Foals they've borne

And all shall know the wonder
I will sing the song of purple summer

And all shall know the wonder
I will sing the song of purple summer

All shall know the wonder of purple summer

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Lyrics submitted by manprettys_panties

Track duration: 03:29


The Song Of Purple Summer song meanings
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14 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:I feel as if the chorus
    "The earth will wave with corn
    The gray-fly choir will mourn
    And mares will neigh
    With stallions that they mate
    Foals they've borne
    And all shall know the wonder
    Of purple summer"
    Is the same as Without You in Rent.
    I think they're saying life is going to go on.
    Then Purple Summer, which is a flower, I feel is them blooming from adolescence to adulthood.
    And I feel they're saying they'll tell their story so the next generation of youth isn't blinded like they were.
    Flag Broadway7on August 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:In the musical, spring is a symbol of adolescence. So the song is about moving from spring into summer, which is adulthood. However, although the flowers of spring (their experience growing up) will fade, it will never completely go away.
    Flag baracudaon July 01, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about growing up, the 'flowers of spring' are the children, who will fade in their old light and become adults. It tells of the waiting, and all of the sadness and hurt felt by those growing up, and how difficult it seems, but 'all shall know the wonder, of purple summer', most of the children will persevere and go on to become adults, and it will be worth it.
    Flag ihateschoolon June 22, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the purple flower you so often see Ilse holding is a purple summer flower
    Flag kaylahalaason September 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Purple Summer is a common name for Phlox paniculata, also known as "The King" for some reason. It blooms from around July until sometime in the fall, unlike most flowers that bloom in the springtime. This probably helps to symbolize the idea that the characters are growing. Think about it... "Spring" Awakening, and then the last song talking about a flower that blooms in summer...
    Flag ShaniWulffeon August 06, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A song to hard to follow
    That no one else can sing

    what does this line spesifically mean?
    Flag jaymay03on February 28, 2010   Link
    • 2 Replies
  • 0
    General Comment:the reference to corn is because even if you cut of the actual corn, the stalk will go on living and grow back again. i still dont kno what "gray-fly choir" is supposed to mean. does anyone?
    oh by the way, if you have never seen this musical, you definitely should at some point in your life. ive seen it like 5 times. its the best!
    Flag musiclover2192on February 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I saw the musical with a class, so I got to attend a Talk-back, and one of the actors said that they found out that Purple summer is a flower purported to grow in graveyards. Fitting since two characters die and the musical ends in a graveyard.
    Flag SamRon October 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The "Mares will niegh/with stallions that they mate" refers to a line earlier in the play where one of the characters talks about how mares and stallions aren't ashamed of their sexuality.
    Flag washcflon July 28, 2008   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:This song is completely about bridging the gap between adolescence and adulthood, and good job on catching the season metaphor. But the lyrics are not just some random stew of vegetables. The idea of corn is that no matter what happens corn will stay standing, even if it is dead and there are no ears in it, creating an adamant figure in the subtext. And as you know, vegetables go in and out of season, just as everything else. And yes the Purple Summer is a flower that blooms in summer instead of spring. The main meaning behind this song is that although there are trials and tribulations throughout life, things will become good again, no matter how sad.
    Flag cid_wensonon July 14, 2008   Link

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