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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Vocabulary
Willow (verb)
From "Echoes" by Pink Floyd:
The echo of a distant tide
Comes willowing across the sand
What does the verb 'willowing' mean in this context?
Merriam Webster is not aware of the verb willow, the only willow it knows is a tree. Wiktionary seems to know a bit more:
Willow, verb: To open and cleanse (cotton, flax, wool, etc.) by means of a willow.
Does it mean that the echo kind of 'polishes' the sand as the waves of the tide go back and forth on the shore? Is this what the authors wanted to say?
Thanks!
The echo of a distant tide
Comes willowing across the sand
What does the verb 'willowing' mean in this context?
Merriam Webster is not aware of the verb willow, the only willow it knows is a tree. Wiktionary seems to know a bit more:
Willow, verb: To open and cleanse (cotton, flax, wool, etc.) by means of a willow.
Does it mean that the echo kind of 'polishes' the sand as the waves of the tide go back and forth on the shore? Is this what the authors wanted to say?
Thanks!
Top answer
The first thing, as always with questions about song lyrics, is to verify that "willowing" is really what he says. Self-made transcriptions of song lyrics, such as are scattered across the Internet, are notorious for containing numerous errors that are then copied from site to site. This example might come from an era when lyrics were printed on LP sleeves, but even in that case I have seen some ridiculous errors.
- The first thing, as always with questions about song lyrics, is to verify that "willowing" is really what he says.
- Self-made transcriptions of song lyrics, such as are scattered across the Internet, are notorious for containing numerous errors that are then copied from site to site.
- This example might come from an era when lyrics were printed on LP sleeves, but even in that case I have seen some ridiculous errors.
- However, I listened to it on YouTube and it does sound as if "willowing" could be the word used.
- If so, I doubt it has that obscure technical meaning that you mention.
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15 Answers
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The first thing, as always with questions about song lyrics, is to verify that "willowing" is really what he says. Self-made transcriptions of song lyrics, such as are scattered across the Internet, are notorious for containing numerous errors that are then copied from site to site. This example might come from an era when lyrics were printed on LP sleeves, but even in that case I have seen some r
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I have that mp3. The vocal is mixed deep, and the producer stepped on it pretty hard with effects. The first sound is obscured behind a drumbeat and other stuff. Perhaps the word is "billowing", which would make perfect sense and be in keeping with the surrounding lyrics. I would expect Pink Floyd, even in those days, to be coherent. "Willowing" means nothing.
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Yeah, I thought of "billowing" too, but the problem is that to me it just doesn't sound as if he's saying that. I can hear no trace of "b".
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GPYYeah, I thought of "billowing" too, but the problem is that to me it just doesn't sound as if he's saying that. I can hear no trace of "b".I never doubted for a second that the word occurred to you. My problem is that I can't hear the first sound in the word whatever it is, but then again, my ears aren't what they used to be.
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Yeah, it looks for all the world like he's singing "willowing" in that second one. I guess the LSD hit them harder than I thought.
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If it really is "willowing" then I suppose it could be a deliberate invention, or it could be that they made a mistake and thought "willowing" was a valid word with the correct meaning.
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I imagine it's a coining, maybe a portmanteau of "waft" and "billow". They were an experimental band in an age of experimentation. I give them more credit than to have made such a mistake, but it's certainly not out of the question.
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To me it looks and sounds in the second clip like "wallowing". Merriam Webster Online gives as definition: "to roll about in deep mud or water" which would fit the context nicely, wouldn't it?
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... on second thought, the rolling about in "deep mud and water" seems usually to refer to elephants and pigs and the like, so maybe that's not quite the thing they wanted to say in their song. But another definition for "(to) wallow" on Merriam Webster Online says: "to billow forth: surge", so "wallowing" would still be more probable than "willowing", I guess.
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