Up Above My Hobby Horse’s Head

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of adults managing the transition from day to night for children, a seemingly simple act that belies a deeper, more complex internal state. The immediate image is one of gentle deception: "Children see the light, we close their eyes and we call it night." This sets up a contrast between the perceived innocence of the children and the adult world's more complicated reality, where time is manipulated and plans are made that seem to erase the future. The central tension lies in the adult's manipulation of time and perception, both for the children and themselves. They "talk the hours away" and "plan and scheme," actions that paradoxically "change tomorrow to yesterday." This suggests a cycle of activity that ultimately leads nowhere, a sense of being stuck despite constant motion. The idea of a "borrowed" life and a journey "on the road and there are no signs" further emphasizes a feeling of uncertainty and a lack of genuine direction. The most striking craft element is the recurring phrase "And as we dream their dreams, we talk the hours away / And as we plan and scheme, we change tomorrow to yesterday." This repetition highlights the adults' own internal disconnect; they are occupied with the children's dreams while simultaneously engaging in activities that negate their own future. The later lines, "And we say we love and we say we care / And we say we know and we say we're there," followed by "And we live our hates and we fight our wars," reveal a stark dichotomy between stated intentions and lived experience, culminating in the act of burning their own schemes "back to yesterday." This lyrical construction is effective because it captures a subtle, pervasive melancholy. The seemingly mundane act of putting children to bed becomes a metaphor for a larger adult struggle with purpose and authenticity. The constant talk of planning and scheming, only to erase it, creates a sense of existential futility that resonates deeply, suggesting that the adult world, in its attempts to control and define, often loses its way.