Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of a deeply cherished place, Avalon, tied to both finding and losing love. The narrator's connection to Avalon is profound, described as the spot where love was found and where it was subsequently left behind before a departure. This duality sets up an immediate emotional tension between profound attachment and inevitable separation.
The central conflict appears to be the narrator's inability to stay in Avalon, despite its significance. The act of sailing "far, far away" suggests a compulsion or necessity to leave, even as the heart remains tethered to the memory of love found there. This creates a poignant sense of longing, as the narrator dreams of both the person and the place from "dusk 'til dawn."
The most striking aspect is the cyclical nature of the narrator's thoughts and intentions. The repeated phrase "I think I'll travel on to Avalon" implies a recurring desire to return, a hope that perhaps the lost love or the peace of that place can be recaptured. This suggests a persistent yearning, a belief that Avalon holds a key to resolution or fulfillment.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their simple, direct language that evokes a powerful sense of bittersweet nostalgia. The contrast between finding love and leaving it, coupled with the constant pull back to Avalon, creates a universally understood feeling of searching for something lost. The repetition reinforces this enduring emotional state, making the desire to return feel both inevitable and deeply felt.