Released: 2024
The Tragically Hip’s ‘Wait So Long’ is a poignant song about longing, regret, and the passage of time. It’s a narrative of a man reflecting on his past decisions, wrestling with the consequences, and yearning for a lost love.
The song starts with the protagonist expressing his initial sense of duty and patriotism. He talks about ‘raving about my country, doing what I can’, indicating his commitment to his homeland. However, he admits that this was perhaps just a stand, a pose, something he did because he felt he should.
In the next lines, a woman enters the scene. She’s depicted as laughing until she cries as she leaves him, a clear sign of emotional turmoil. The phrase ‘I think of you and you feel it and you know’ suggests a deep, unspoken connection between them.
The chorus ‘Why you wanna wait so long?’ is a repeated plea. It’s a question directed at the woman, asking why she’s waiting so long to return to him. The line ‘If you’re gone this long, well, you gotta know he’s long gone’ implies that she’s waiting for someone else who’s not coming back.
The protagonist then talks about ‘building up defenses and memorizing sentences’. This is a metaphor for preparing oneself emotionally, creating a shield to protect against heartbreak. It’s a way of staying strong in the face of emotional adversity.
The song then shifts to a more introspective tone. The protagonist talks about ‘shouldering my headstone’, a metaphor for carrying the weight of his past mistakes. He mentions ‘one more hill and I’ll be coming on home’, suggesting he’s nearing the end of his journey, whether that’s literal or metaphorical.
The lyrics ‘I’ve been jumping over fences and running through fresh cut fields of lavender’ depict a sense of freedom and nostalgia. It’s as if he’s trying to recapture his youth, a time when things were simpler and more carefree.
The song ends with a repeated plea for the woman to ‘hurry home’. It’s a desperate call for her to return, underscoring the protagonist’s deep longing and regret. The final line ‘I hope I know why you wanna wait so long’ indicates his continued confusion and frustration over her absence.
