Perfect song for an Autumn Sunday. One of my favorite Robyn Hitchcock songs – and that’s saying something, really. He has an amazing body of work, but this is quiet and beautiful little song that always catches my ear when it’s on.
I chose a YouTube video of him playing the song live, rather than a “perfect” clip of the song with only the album cover.
[youtube https://youtu.be/7jHaKe1zByE]
Of course, Hitchcock doesn’t really do straightforward songs – so he doesn’t just sing about the pretty colors of autumn:
The leaves
have never looked
as good
as now
(they’re going to die)
I love his delivery as well as the lyrics, how he drops his voice on the last line as if to say “didn’t you see that coming?”
“Autumn is Your Last Chance” is on “I Often Dream of Trains,” which is a lovely, weird little album that features a few instrumentals, some of the weirdest a cappella songs you’ll hear (“Uncorrected Personality Traits” and “Furry Green Atom Bowl”), and a few others like “Autumn is Your Last Chance.” The title track is another gem that is really worth listening to, and don’t be surprised if it gets stuck in your head.
Off to crunch in some dead leaves. Enjoy the song!