ZBlogN

Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming To The Canyon)

Twelve Thirty
Mamas Papas Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴I used to live in New York City
Everything there was dark and dirty
Outside my window was a steeple
With a clock that always said twelve thirty

Young girls are coming to the canyon
And in the mornings I can see them walking
I can no longer keep my blinds drawn

And I can't keep myself from talking

At first so strange to feel so friendly
To say good morning and really mean it
To feel these changes happening in me
But not to notice till I feel it

Young girls are coming to the canyon
And in the mornings I can see them walking
I can no longer keep my blinds drawn
And I can't keep myself from talking

Cloudy waters cast no reflection
Images of beauty lie there stagnant
Vibrations bounce in no direction
And lie there shattered into fragments

Young girls are coming to the canyon
(Young girls are in the canyon)
And in the mornings I can see them walking
(In the mornings I can see them walking)
I can no longer keep my blinds drawn

(Can no longer keep my blinds drawn)
And I can't keep myself from talking


Overall Meaning

The song "Twelve Thirty" by The Mamas and The Papas describes the singer's experience of moving from New York City to the canyon. The switch has brought about some drastic changes in the singer's life. The song begins with the singer describing the bleakness of living in New York City where everything was dark and dirty. Outside their window stands a steeple with a clock that always reads twelve-thirty. This serves as a metaphor for how time stands still in New York City, and life can become monotonous.


The singer then sees young girls walking in the canyon in the morning, and they bring a sense of life and hopelessness to the singer's life. The singer can no longer keep their blinds drawn, and they find themselves talking more, allowing themselves to be more open and friendly. The singer describes this change as strange but ultimately positive. They now feel the changes in themselves despite not noticing them directly.


The last verse of the song portrays a more philosophical idea. The cloudy waters, representing one's inability to see clearly or understand things accurately, do not provide any reflection. The images of beauty that are present do not move or create any reaction. The vibrations exist in all directions but do not create any coherent impact. These metaphors depict the futility of life if we do not pay attention and appreciate the beauty and the meaningful aspects of life.


Line by Line Meaning

I used to live in New York City
The singer used to live in a place that was very urban and gritty.


Everything there was dark and dirty
The area the singer lived in was not bright or uplifting.


Outside my window was a steeple
There was a structure next to the singer's window that was tall and pointy.


With a clock that always said twelve-thirty
The clock on the steeple always read this particular time.


Young girls are coming to the canyon
Girls who are young are coming to the canyon nearby.


And in the mornings I can see them walkin'
The singer is able to watch young girls taking a walk every morning.


I can no longer keep my blinds drawn
The singer can't keep the blinds on their window closed any longer.


And I can't keep myself from talkin'
The singer can't hold back from speaking to the girls.


At first so strange to feel so friendly
Initially, it was odd for the singer to feel receptive and amiable towards others.


To say "Good mornin'" and really mean it
The singer is now able to greet others properly and earnestly in the morning.


To feel these changes happenin' in me
The singer is aware of a transformation taking place within them.


But not to notice till I feel it
The singer hasn't realized the extent of their changes until those changes became undeniable.


Cloudy waters cast no reflection
When water is murky, it is difficult to see one's reflection.


Images of beauty lie there stagnant
Despite the beauty of the area, the images that could reflect it are static.


Vibrations bounce in no direction
There is a feeling of energy or motion that is going to waste.


But lie there shattered into fragments
This feeling is left broken and incomplete.


Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: John Edmund Andrew Phillips

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

ncG1vNJzZmirn6O2pLTIrapnm5%2BifLe1w56maIWRoq60q76JmKmZo2ShuLHLr5yYjJiev7XFvmGQqK2enKyItdGlqph5opqshLvMoqWgl4SkrJW0xJh6mqappLtq

Arica Deslauriers

Update: 2024-05-19