"Lookin' Up in Heaven" lyrics discussion

[troublkepnyerhedup]

deebee76 said:

LOOKIN' UP IN HEAVEN

Sunday morning I felt afraid
Someone leaving in the world today
I looked low, I looked high
Only missed one friend
Before I go, I look high again

So I went lookin' up in heaven but you wasn't anywhere in sight
They asked me to stick around, but without you it just wasn't right
I went lookin' up in heaven but you wasn't anywhere in sight

Sunday evening I get the blues
Someone sleepin' in their tennis shoes
I looked low, and I looked high
Only missed one friend
Before I go, I look high again

I went lookin' up in heaven but you wasn't anywhere in sight
They asked me to stick around, but without you it just wasn't right
I went lookin' up in heaven but you wasn't anywhere in sight

I met a little angel, she asked me if I could step outside
"I'll make you forget her, I'll make you forget her
Baby, won't you watch me fly?"

Years go by now, I have grown
Sunday night and I ain't alone
So you look low, and I look high
Missed another friend
Before I go, I look high again

(I love you)

Lookin' up in heaven but you wasn't anywhere in sight
They asked me to stick around, but without you it just wasn't right
So I went lookin' up in heaven but you wasn't anywhere in sight

They invited me to stick around, you know, but I told 'em there was another place I had to check out tonight

[ggdfan25]

this is my favorite song off the album....i thinks it frickin amazing!!!!

does anyone know who this song is written about???

thanks!

[BigWheel]

Could it possibly be:

Sunday morning I felt the parade
Somebody leaving this world today....

Just wondering

[rtl12000]

it's such a good song, sounds like a carole king song.
this song is one of the greats.

[DontWantNever]

interesting line ......only missed one friend someone isnt in heaven I think

This has been around a awhile as all the folker stuff so its hard to pinpoint a time and person missing

[zook]

This song is perfect example of why I love Paul's writing and the multi tiered meanings gleaned from his lyrics.

The whole looking low and high thing hit me in a different way the other day. Aside from the imagery of him looking up and down, there is Paul being sad and perhaps a bit intoxicated at missing this person ("I looked low, I looked high. Only missed one friend.") And maybe a sly reference to his "legend" of past indiscretions ("Before I go, I look high again")

Towards the end he slightly switches the lyrics to be "So YOU looked low and I looked high" right after the line "Years go by now, I have grown. Sunday night and I ain't alone." This doesn't exactly fit with the whole missing a dead friend aspect of the song but I also see this part as a friend coming by and seeing Paul more mature and married and the friend being bummed out that his old acquaintance (drinking buddy, former flame?) is no longer available and is happy in his current life.

This interpretation may be a bunch of horsesh*t but part of the joy of listening to Paul is that he allows you to use your imagination and make the song your own. I'm particularly having fun with Folker.

[landshark]

Nice wrinkle. Folker has given me a whole new appreciation for PW's talent for ambiguity. Harder than it looks, I'm sure.

[thetwilitekid]

Each time I listen to this song I hear the first line differently:

Sunday morning I feft the parade

Sunday morning I felt depraved

Sunday morning I felt afraid

I'm also not totally convinced he's singing Sunday - it sounds like Someday to me. Why's it just Sunday, and not anyother day of the week.

I also think an aspect of this song is about his own thoughts of suicide.

[HillBillyJunk]

what if it had nothing to do with a dead, missing, gone friend?

what if he was offered this eternal life without his special person/wife/gal...whatever. whoever the person is...but would rather live a real life, with someone he truly loves. " iwent lookin up in heaven but you wasnt anywhere in sight, they asked me to stick around but without you it just wasnt right"

not sure how to get this across. was given the opportunity for this eternal happiness and protection in heaven, before his significant other. but would rather live out the "pain" in life with someone he loves...

[DontWantNever]

not sure how to get this across. was given the opportunity for this eternal happiness and protection in heaven, before his significant other. but would rather live out the "pain" in life with someone he loves...[/quote]


that explains the met a little angel part....how about this as a metaphor for the much talked about mats reunion and not having bob to complete the original lineup (ala the pistols) and having grown up thats really a stretch

[PeterCetera]

I thought it was 'sunday morning I felt the blade'

[Veets]

It's gotta be "Sunday morning I feld afraid."

At Sunday's MPLS show, he started it:

Sunday morning I felt afeared
Someone leaving this world of tears...

Also, he ended it with a couple of lines from "No Place For Her." Put that together with the lyrics themselves, and I'd say it's about Katie O'Brien, a friend of Paul's who committed suicide. One more bit - isn't it true that in some religions, including Catholics, you can't get to heaven by committing suicide? Might explain why she wasn't anywhere in sight

-V