This track is about the struggle of waiting for something meaningful in life, particularly love, and the pain of feeling lost and alone. The songwriters use the metaphor of ‘August’ to represent a time of waiting and hoping for a brighter future. It’s about a phase in life where one seeks direction and clarity. The song was written to capture the universal experience of searching for light in the darkness of life’s challenges.”
Ever wondered what it feels like to find hope in hopelessness? ‘Dear August’ does just that, turning longing into a beautiful melody. It’s a journey through the heart of anyone who’s ever felt lost. Read on, and you might just find a piece of yourself in the lyrics.
“Dear August” Lyrics Meaning
The song starts with a feeling of loneliness, captured in the lines “Slowly, why’s the morning come so slowly / When I got no one to hold me through the dark?” Here, the slow arrival of morning symbolizes the agonizing wait for change or improvement in one’s life. It sets the tone for a song filled with yearning.
As we move forward, “Patient, they tell me that love is patient / But it never wants to wait on my drunk heart” reflects the conflict between the ideal of patience in love and the impatience of a heart aching for connection. The metaphor of a ‘drunk heart’ suggests a state of vulnerability and desperation for love.
Then comes a poignant transformation of pain into something bearable, even beautiful: “So I’ll take all of my, all of my, all of my wasted love / And turn it into wine, into wine, into wine in my cup.” This imagery of turning wasted love into wine signifies finding solace or escape in the midst of heartache.
The chorus, “Dear August, tell me that there’s light / At the end of all this starless night,” personifies August as a beacon of hope. It’s a plea for reassurance that there’s light, or relief, after a period of darkness and uncertainty.
The second verse, “Fading, now the summer heat is fading / I spend every evening praying for the dawn,” continues the theme of waiting and hoping. The fading summer heat could symbolize the waning of passion or joy, with the protagonist longing for a new beginning, symbolized by the dawn.
Finally, the repetition of the chorus emphasizes the central theme of seeking light and direction in a time of darkness. The song ends on a note of lingering uncertainty but with a glimmer of hope.
The Story Behind “Dear August”
‘Dear August’ was born out of a specific emotional landscape. The writers, PJ Harding and Noah Cyrus, were likely in a state of introspection and searching when they penned this song. It’s not just about the literal meaning of the words but the emotional journey they were on.
The lyrics suggest a period in their lives marked by longing, a search for meaning, and a struggle with the slow passage of time. This is evident in the way they talk about love, patience, and the transformation of pain into something else. The choice to personify a month — August — indicates a significant time in their lives, perhaps a turning point or a moment of deep reflection.
Their state of mind seems to have been one of grappling with uncertainty, feeling lost, and desperately seeking a light at the end of the tunnel. This song might have been a way for them to process these feelings, to find some clarity or at least express the complexity of their emotions.
In essence, ‘Dear August’ is more than just a song. It’s a window into the soul of its creators, reflecting a universal human experience of searching for hope in moments of despair.