What does Race Among The Ruins mean?

Gordon Lightfoot: Race Among The Ruins Meaning

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Album cover for Race Among The Ruins album cover

Song Released: 1976


Race Among The Ruins Lyrics

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  1. anonymous
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    Nov 11th !⃝

    This song is a criticism of someone he knows, probably his daughter. "The promise of your dream world coming true" is the ideal boyfriend. "One less friend to call on" is the previous boyfriend. He may have known him. "Sailing in a race among the ruins" is a mental exercise she does to exonerate herself. He criticizes her for not facing the reality of tomorrow. It implies that she sabotages her relationships. When he says "if you plan to face tomorrow, do it soon," he implies that she'll wind up sad and alone if she doesn't.

  2. anonymous
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    Jun 13th 2022 !⃝

    I think it's about addiction, esp alcoholism. "One less friend to call on, was it someone that I know" refers to Alcoholics Anonymous. AA members are called "friends of Bill" (Bill Wilson, founder of AA). AA members know the same "friend".

  3. anonymous
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    Feb 2nd 2022 !⃝

    He is speaking to a someone who has just left their lover for another "one less friend to call on " was the former lover. "the road to love is littered with the bones of other ones... mysteriously undone" The bones are the scars of former relationships. "away we will go sailing in a race among the ruins" The new relaionship will be navigating through the ruins (remnants) of the previous.

  4. anonymous
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    Apr 23rd 2020 !⃝

    Wow. R U kidding? Please get back on UR meds!! Seems I have 2 fees words? Really, critcize me, after that previous excuse for a critique?? Also, where do you get telling me to submit something someone else wants to read? Here's a little criticism.F.O.A- whole. Ha.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  5. kooljohn176
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    Feb 7th 2016 !⃝

    A great Poet and songwriter GORDON LIGHTFOOT in this song ''Race Among The Ruins'' that falls between ''Pride of Man'' and ''Protocol'' to remind us that we are on the road of uncertainty in this day of age that can lead us to a doomsday end of times by such fools who are keeping our minds busy to be entertained by The Entertainers and Actors ''PLAYIN' JESTER TO THE CLOWN'' to distract us away from reality, which is not a joke these days. So now we should enjoy life in the present much more with our loved ones and ''think'' 'cause you never know what can happen to us being in the ''race among the ruins'' All we have to look to the past races that were left in ruins following us in the present to look again to the Middle East at the new madness we've created by our race to help totally ruin Syria's Allepo and HOMS cities. Where for now I think we have ''one less friend to call upon'' that was also a ''KING OF EDESSA'' a very long time ago in the now for us to repent in the name of JESUS CHRIST to be forgiven for our sins, cause they're less Syrians and true Christians left in this world that died and are still dying.


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