Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of hopeful anticipation, a deferred reunion tinged with a touch of melancholy. The narrator looks forward to a future "someday" when they can "fly - I'll be with you," suggesting a separation that requires a transcendent escape. This future state is presented as perfect, where "nothing that can go wrong," a stark contrast to the implied struggles of the present.
The central tension lies between the present "day by day by day" existence and the longed-for "someday." The repeated phrase "Chasing a missing mountain" evokes a sense of elusive goals and a persistent, perhaps futile, pursuit. This imagery of a "missing mountain" suggests something vital is absent, a peak that can't quite be located or reached, mirroring the narrator's current state of being apart from the addressed "you."
The craft here is in the gentle, almost lullaby-like repetition that underscores the waiting. Phrases like "Bye and bye and bye" and "Day by day by day" create a sense of slow passage of time, emphasizing the duration of the separation. The unexpected image of "raining to chase the rainbow" is particularly striking, juxtaposing a potentially somber action (raining) with a hopeful, almost impossible quest, hinting at the narrator's own complex emotional state as they strive for their ultimate reunion.
Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their quiet yearning and the subtle portrayal of enduring hope against the backdrop of present difficulty. The simple, declarative statements about the future, combined with the cyclical, almost resigned rhythm of the present, create a powerful emotional resonance that speaks to the universal experience of waiting for a better, connected future.