Storm Coming by Gnarls Barkley Lyrics Meaning – Unveiling the Metaphorical Tempest in Music
Lyrics
But a song will only scratch the skin
And there are still places I haven’t been
Because I know what’s in there
Is already in the air
Oh yeah
There’s a storm on the way
There’s a storm on the way
All right
There’s a storm on the way, yeah
Uh huh
And it’s coming no matter what I say
Oh
Here I come, I come, I come, I come
Hey, hey, hey
There’s truth in the thunder
Love in the lightning
The feeling is frightening
But isn’t it exciting
I’m something like stormy weather
If I weren’t we’d never
Huddle together
Do I have to tell ya
That I’m also the sunlight
That shines shortly after
I just rain ’cause I have to
On to other chapter
I wish you lots of laughter
Till the next time you see me
Just remember you need me
I’m the storm coming, coming, coming
So here I come, I come, I come, I come
Well come on!
Here I come, I come, I come, I come
Ah come on!
Run towards the hills
To avoid the high floods
I can do a dance that’ll make the sky cry blood
Skills provoking
Seals to be broken open
All that’s left to do is try my love
Woah
An I’m singing in the cyclone
I’m writing a raging sea searching
For a sign of the times
Is it safe to say it’s me
Listen to our lives
The wind will whisper the way it is
I’m going to happen what a lovely day it is
Don’t ask why
Just live
And
Die
Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Storm Coming’ dances at the precipice of musical innovation and lyrical depth. At first listen, it’s a foray into the eclectic mix of genres that define the group; but linger a little longer and the storm clouds gather not above but within, swirling with meaning ripe for dissection.
The synergy between CeeLo Green’s soul-infused vocals and Danger Mouse’s production prowess turns this track into a sonorous beacon, signaling not just a weather pattern, but an emotional and existential upheaval. ‘Storm Coming’ eludes simple interpretation, instead serving as a canvas for rich metaphorical play.
The Looming Calamity: A Prelude to Change
The repeated lines, ‘There’s a storm on the way’ do more than prepare listeners for an incoming disturbance; they act as metaphors for the unavoidable changes and challenges in life. Just as we track clouds forming on the horizon, life’s tempests often give ample warning before they strike—yet they remain decidedly beyond our control.
The notion that ‘it’s coming no matter what I say’ highlights a universal truth: life is replete with storms we can’t dodge. Through the song’s stirring crescendo and resounding beats, we find the acceptance of life’s uncontrollable nature.
Thunderous Truths and Lightning Love
When CeeLo Green’s voice lilts, ‘There’s truth in the thunder, Love in the lightning,’ it’s a declaration that in the cacophony of life’s most turbulent moments, there is clarity and passion. These elements—thunder and lightning—are transient yet powerful, suggesting that the most forceful impacts on our lives are often fleeting.
The ‘feeling is frightening but isn’t it exciting’ line juxtaposes fear with exhilaration. This admittance rings loudly in the human experience—where to feel alive is often to be in the midst of the storm, where emotions crash and surge like waves.
Decoding the Sunlight After the Rain
The enigmatic midway point of the song unveils a protagonist that is both the storm and the subsequent sunlight. This dual identity could be viewed as a portrait of human nature, showing our capacity to be both harbingers of difficulty and heralds of hope.
Gnarls Barkley suggests that we must embrace the entirety of our impact on the world—and each other. To ‘rain ’cause I have to’ reinforces life’s necessity for release, expression, and renewal, ushering us to a ‘next chapter’ in which we continue to evolve and affirm life.
The Elemental Choreography of Existence
Describing a ‘dance that’ll make the sky cry blood,’ the songwriters transport us into a surreal landscape where artistry and emotion bring forth change as visibly as any physical force. This lyric intensifies the song’s theme of inherent power—pointing to the human potential to influence, shift, and even unsettle the world’s canvas.
The ‘skills provoking’ and ‘seals to be broken open’ serve as metaphors for taboo-breaking and pioneering spirit—encouraging listeners to embrace change, confront the established order, and ultimately become avid players in life’s ceaseless dance.
The Anthem of Existentialist Acceptance
In its closing verses, ‘Storm Coming’ invites us to ‘listen to our lives, the wind will whisper the way it is.’ This bidding is a surrender to the symphony of existence, acknowledging that wisdom often comes in soft gusts, not just booming declarations.
The directive to ‘Just live and die’ underscores a radical simplicity at the song’s core. In framing life as a storm-laden journey punctuated by moments of serenity, Gnarls Barkley distills the essence of existence to its basic beats, wrapped in the comforting knowledge that after every storm, new life awaits.
