Lightfoot, Gordon - A Painter Passing Through Lyrics






Once upon a time I was on my own
Once upon a time like you've never known
Once upon a time I would be impressed
Once upon a time my life would be obsessed
Once upon a time, once upon a day when
I was in my prime, once along the way
If you want to know my secret don't come runnin' after me
For I am just a painter passing through in history

Yesterday is gone, yesterday's alright
Yesterday belongs in my dreams at night
Yesterday is swell, yesterday is great
Yesterday is strong, remembering can wait
Once upon a time, once upon a day when
I was in my prime, once along the way

If you want to know an answer I can't turn your life around
For I am just a painter passing through the underground

I was in my stride, always at my game
Here comes mister cool, along the walk of fame
I was in demand, always in control
The world was in my hands, my touch had turn to gold
Once upon a time, I was in a daze when
I was in my prime, once along the way

If you want to know my secret don't come runnin' after me
For I am just a painter passing through in history

Now that I am old, let me rest a spell
All that I am told, I can never tell
Never in my life, never will it pass
I am still alone, remembering at last
Once upon a time, once upon a day when
I was in my prime, once along the way

If you want to know an answer I can't turn your life around
For I am just a painter passing through the underground

If you want to know my secret don't come runnin' after me
For I am just a painter passing through in history





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Lightfoot, Gordon A Painter Passing Through Comments
  1. R.... J....

    such a pretty song that tells a really sweet story. i just love the poetic lyrics and the sweet melody. thank you gordon

  2. E.... F....

    this man is Canadian/ America's musical history in a nutshell, The greatest of all time bar none !

  3. N.... S....

    The quality of our dreams are both a reflection of our thoughts and actions as well as a general foreshadowing of the fate of our souls in the next life...A nightly, temporary karma that beckons us to change - for the good - so as to avoid a more permanent karma...

    Complexity(🌎)+Beauty(🌷)
    =Intent(❤️)

    The Figure 8 Analogy:

    An analogy on life, death, the dream-state and the symbolism intertwined within the human experience...

    We human beings are not moving in the - abstract - motion of a straight line towards death (for instance, the numerical straight line of say 1-89), rather we are moving in the motion of a figure 8...The Figure 8 is a natural repeating pattern that is divided into two halves and is thus the perfect symbol to represent the human life cycle and our two primary states of existence that we are continuously moving in and out of -the awake state and the dream-state.

    When we awake from sleep, we come full circle to when we fall back asleep (represented by the bottom half of the figure 8), and when we go into the dream-state, we come full circle to when we awake from the dream-state (represented by the top half of the figure 8). Upon death, the figure 8 of life untwines, but it is not the body untwining from the mind that this analogy represents. It's two states of mind untwining to form a larger state of mind...(8->0)...Because the awake state is really a state -of mind, with our body's physical reality "consciously" intertwined, and the dream-state is also a state -of mind, with our body's physical reality "subconsciously" intertwined. Therefore; upon death, these two states "of mind" untwine to form a larger state of mind...A state that has all the potentialities of the dream world (flying, telepathy, psychokinesis, etc) combined with all the actualities of the awake world(nature, form, bonds, etc). This I refer to as the "transitional analogy."

    While conceiving this analogy I realized life and death must be perceived - from one point of view - as seperate entities(the transitional analogy(8-0), but must also be perceived - from another point of view - as inseparable entities(the symbolic analogy), both of which are ultimately linked by the dream state.

    The symbolic analogy consists of the untwined figure 8 of life/the 'circle of death' - abstractly -overlapping the 'circle of life'/the earth, with the overlappment representing the dream-state (like the common area in a venn diagram) which implies that the dream-state is just as much a part of life as is of death - by which semi-explains precognitive dreams, prodromal dreams, "visitations" by deceased relatives, etc, for the dream-state has a foothold in the afterlife - and is based on the premise that "while our body sleeps, our dream-state symbolically represents the state that awaits upon our body's ultimate rest.

    In other words, while we are lying down and -sleeping/dreaming, this natural process symbolizes where we go when we're ultimately lying down/dead -to a place "like" our dream-state...A state "of mind", with our body's physical bonds eternally engrained and intertwined.

    👁~8~👁

  4. S.... D....

    Mr Lightfoot I think all of your music is so Amazing .You are a Incredible song writer we are so lucky to have you. your music has touched generations of my family !. I listen to your music when i was a Child my father loves your music now I am 49 and have always been a fan. My Son loves your Music and I know he will pass it on your a True Legend Thank you for your Timeless Music . Its so beautiful and I and all of your fans are blessed to have your music Its the best !.

    S.... D....

    Absolutely...... Couldn't agree more and I'm soon to be 70.... Prolly ya Dad's age eh?