A day once dawned, and it was beautiful
A day once dawned from the ground
Then the night she fell
And the air was beautiful
The night she fell all around.

So look see the days
The endless coloured ways
And go play the game that you learnt
From the morning.

And now we rise
We are everywhere
And now we rise from the ground
See she flies
And she is everywhere
See she flies all around

So look see the sights
The endless summer nights
And go play the game that you learnt
From the morning.



Lyrics submitted by Sweet Blue Way

Track duration: 02:30

"From the Morning" as written by Kenny/afanasieff Gorelick

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


From The Morning song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This is about overcoming darkness to acheive happiness. Once achieved the night is as beautiful as the day (this is what the dawn has done to the night). It is a lesson for life, not necessary from someone who has already died, as suggested by some, but from someone that has discovered one of the secrets to happiness and is living it at that moment (and wants us to join him). Note that the use of "game" is not ironic or meant to mean "trick". It is used symbolically to contrast the heavy, negative, adult way of viewing / liviing life. Isn't the purest enjoyment of life that of children at play? I don't think he is saying to regress to acting like a child or tricking yourself, but pointing out something profound for us adults and that the secret to happiness is not hard to find (its all around and visible) or difficult (perhaps something we already know).
    Flag hkis2011on October 11, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:I just wanted to add the precision that the album PINK MOON in which this song appears, sounds like quite dark and gloomy. Personally, I'm a huge huge fan of Nick Drake and despite the "depressed" side of some of his songs, and especially this album, it's such a beauty that I could listen to it in any mood and it would always make me feel good. But to come back at my comment of the album PINK MOON, it was made by a Nick Drake already corroded by depression at that time (And if you love him and his music, I hope you resist the temptation to turn his life into some dumb romantic tortured poet story, because, for having much studied his history, I know he was a funny and enthousiast but just shy guy. And he fell in this disease but it wasn't his innitial personnality) So he made the album Bryter Layter before this one, album which was very orchestrated and full of collaborations and of a myriad of instruments, contrarily to Pink Moon which contains just the sound of Drake's acoustic guitar and light voice (and a piano touch in the title-song). And he was disappointed by the fact that all the people he known called him a genius but that he hadn't a public recognition (And you can hear this bitterness very clearly in the lyrics of the song HANGING ON A STAR : "Why leave me hanging on a star, when you deem me so high - And why leave me sailing in the sea, when you hear me so clear"). He fell little by little in this depression, and decided to record Pink Moon alone with one sound ingineer, he made it in just two nights, and the result is an extraordinary album, nude, crude, disarming by its beauty out of frills, but very revealing of Drake's state of mind at that time, quite dark therefore. And listening to this album, with headphones to be isolated of all exterior noises, with eyes closed, is a unique experience. Because at the end, the last song you hear is FROM THE MORNING, and this song is so positive! After all an album of a beautiful darkness, you finish on this moving celebration of life, telling you that another day starts after this tormented night, all starts again with a beautiful morning, that everything is possible with the rise of the sun. It's at the opposite with the whole rest of the album, and it ends like that. I'm telling you, you can't arrive at the end of PINK MOON with your eyes dry. That's why this song has a particular saviour. And you need to know that FROM THE MORNING was his parents favourite song, proof that it has a positive reflect, and that's why they chose a quote of this song as epitaph on his gravestone "Now we rise, and we are everywhere".
    I would end this comment, telling you that his mother has testified that he didn't want to be a star, but he felt that he had something to say to the people of his own generation, and he didn't feel that he did that. His sister has testified that he once said to their mother "If only I could feel that my music had ever done anything to help one single person, it would have make it worth it".... I can truly say that his music helped me!!
    Flag difolkon January 30, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I recently read an article where the author called the album Pink Moon "ghoulish and unlistenable." Evidently they never made it as far as this song, which, to me, is one of the most affirming songs Nick did. It's like a bittersweet love letter to those left behind.

    I don't get that reaction from any of the songs on Pink Moon. Some of them are tougher than others - Parasite, Harvest Breed - but I just don't get the bleak and depressing mood, even from those two tracks, that some others do. It's spare, it's raw and evocative, but it isn't "ghoulish," and it's anything but "unlistenable." I could listen to it forever.
    Flag aventurineon January 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A day once dawned, and it was beautiful
    A day once dawned from the ground
    Then the night she fell
    And the air was beautiful
    The night she fell all around.

    So look see the days
    The endless coloured ways
    And go play the game that you learned
    From the morning.

    And now we rise
    And we are everywhere
    And now we rise from the ground
    And see she flies
    And she is everywhere
    See she flies all around

    So look see the sights
    The endless summer nights
    And go play the game that you learned
    From the morning.


    ---------------

    I believe it's a song sung by the someone who is depressed. He's looking at life from an outsider's view and telling people to do their best to enjoy life before it is over.
    Flag HairyPalmJoeon October 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think Nick Drake's songs were generally all well in touch with Mother Earth, maybe because sometimes She is your only friend when you are so shy and lonely.
    Flag 2heartsbeatas1on June 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me this song is just about appearciating life while your alive.
    Flag ab0110on March 22, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Despite the widely accepted idea that this song is about life and death, and enjoying life while you can...

    I dunno... I don't get the feeling of that from the song. I know in my mind that that's what it's about, but...
    I have the image of me sitting on a porch of a house by a lake very early in the morning smiling and eating cereal with my pet greyhound sitting on the ground beside me or something... lol. I tend to put myself in the singer's place when I listen to songs, just like when I read books.

    It just has an incredibly calming feel to me... there's just something about this song. It's one of the few songs I never get tired of. No real interpretation here... I just wanted to rant positively about it. :) lol
    Flag DoeADeeron February 20, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"the endless summer nights" Nick suffered from insomnia and many of his lyrics reflect this. I would like to think that he wrote this during one of these sleepless nights, but when he felt at one with the world and nature, also possibly remembering those that have moved on. A very beautiful song
    Flag bowbow3on January 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"go play the game that you learnt from the morning"

    The song to me is about valuing the different levels of consciousness we can access with these human brains of ours, and nurturing balance in our perspective. Have moments where you know and sense the beauty of the world, but also, flourish in your human activity, even if it's not always cute and cuddly.

    "Playing the game" has so many layers for me, and the game's not always "beautiful" as we think of the word. The rules of nature's game require we do certain things to survive as a species, and the rules of western culture mapped onto our community upbringings make us feel valued by scoring points in particular areas.

    "The morning" is about nature and about the social imprinting we "learnt" growing up. I haven't been playing much of the game lately. Here, Nick is encouraging me to "rise" and compete, without being so worried about my (mostly delusional) negative impact on others, or about my (mostly delusional) perception of other's negative view of me.
    Flag ComfortZoneon December 28, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Long weeks of careless joy, all day long. This is a feel good song in a way.
    Flag apohronichinon December 11, 2010   Link

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