Look out of any window
any morning, any evening, any day
Maybe the sun is shining
birds are winging or
rain is falling from a heavy sky -
What do you want me to do,
to do for you to see you through?
this is all a dream we dreamed
one afternoon long ago
Walk out of any doorway
feel your way, feel your way
like the day before
Maybe you'll find direction
around some corner
where it's been waiting to meet you -
What do you want me to do,
to watch for you while you're sleeping?
Well please don't be surprised
when you find me dreaming too

Look into any eyes
you find by you, you can see
clear through to another day
I know it's been seen before
through other eyes on other days
while going home --
What do you want me to do,
to do for you to see you through?
It's all a dream we dreamed
one afternoon long ago

Walk into splintered sunlight
Inch your way through dead dreams
to another land
Maybe you're tired and broken
Your tongue is twisted
with words half spoken
and thoughts unclear
What do you want me to do
to do for you to see you through
A a box of rain will ease the pain
and love will see you through

Just a box of rain -
wind and water -
Believe it if you need it,
if you don't just pass it on
Sun and shower -
Wind and rain -
in and out the window
like a moth before a flame

It's just a box of rain
I don't know who put it there
Believe it if you need it
or leave it if you dare
But it's just a box of rain
or a ribbon for your hair
Such a long long time to be gone
and a short time to be there



Lyrics submitted by itsmyownmind

Track duration: 05:17


Box Of Rain song meanings
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54 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:for some reason i always interpreted the last lines ("such a long long time to be gone/and a short time to be there") a bit differently from others, it seems. i always took it as like when you go somewhere and you're gone for a while but while you're there it doesn't seem like very long to you, but to the people who are missing you it is a long time. if that makes sense. i think the other interpretation is a bit better though.
    Flag curulunuon August 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Man, yous are messin' it up for me. The first time I heard that Phil Lesh wrote this for his father while he was on his death bed I thought it was absolutely the most powerfully beautiful thing I'd ever heard. I didn't find it sad at all. It makes sense to me. And I love it. Beautiful. So I'm stickin' with that explanation.
    Flag Rankoutsideron May 31, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me the song means life is a dream and consciousness is a dream. The dream is fleeting and the box of rain is life on this earth. I think it also has to with multiple dimensions that we can reside in.
    Flag motoon March 05, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment: Hey is it possible to put the chords ,notes, on the right side of the page?
    Flag chicojohnnyton December 20, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I understand that it has personal meaning to the band members, but I believe the overall message GD was trying to send was how amazing experiencing life is, and how small of an opportunity it is - take risk, and enjoy it. Don't live a sheltered life only to die safely.

    Then there's another part about embracing the people you get to meet and cherish the love you share.

    The ending resonates inside your mind...

    "Believe if you need it, if you don't just pass it on {...] Believe it if you need it, or leave it if you dare..."

    And the last lines "Such a long long time to be gone, and a short time to be there," seem rather obvious; you're only here for a very short amount of time, and you're gone forever (think of all the years and lives that have preceded your birth, think of all the years and lives that will succeed your death).

    All in all, just another amazing tune from GD.
    Flag DC3893on September 26, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This should help, courtesy of the estimable David Dodd

    From Classic Albums: American Beauty, a film by Jeremy Marre:

    Lesh (On "Box of Rain"): The lyrics came about in an unusual way. This was the first time I had written a song in a long time, and I had worked out the melody and the chords, and in fact the whole song, from beginning to end—introduction, coda, and everything—and I put it on a tape and gave it to Hunter.

    Hunter: He'd just written these lovely changes and put 'em on a tape on a tape for me, and he sang along (scat singing of melody)—so the phrasing was all there, I think I went through it two or three times, writing as fast as I could, and that song was written. I guess it was written for a young man whose father was dying.

    Lesh: And at that time, my dad was dying of cancer, and I would drive out to visit with him, in the hospital, and also at the nursing home he spent his final days in, and after Bob gave me the lyrics, on the way out there I would practice singing the song. I sort of identified that song with my dad and his approaching death. The lyrics that he produced were so apt, so perfect. It was very moving, very moving for me to experience that during the period of my dad's passing. I felt like singing it in other situations similar to that since then.
    Flag sunshipballoonson August 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Whenever I listen to this song I just get good vibes. Sometimes I just feel like shouting because it just makes you feel so good. It rained yesterday. This song came up in my "rainy day playlist" and I couldn't believe how great I felt just looking outside and watching it pour. I played it at least 6 times before moving onto the next song.


    Good times and great memories.
    Flag MonsterDon March 24, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:There's always the one guy on these things that says the meaning to every dead song is LSD...
    Flag Samantha723on October 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song speaks to gaps in communication/understanding in the father-son relationship. As a father you try to prepare your son to be a man. As a son it can be difficult to tell your father what he means to you. These things become glaringly apparent once the loss occurs. Love will see you through the words unsaid.
    Flag sandpitlakeon July 31, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:to me, the box of rain is anything you want it to be. you can take it or leave it or it can even be a "ribbon for your hair". when you're weary and "broken" the box of rain will be there for you. lesh and hunter definitely wrote it as lesh's dad was passing and i believe the song was kind of about things that'll come and go.

    but yeah. the box of rain will always be there. believe it if you need it.
    Flag woodstockchildon July 24, 2010   Link

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