Outside my window, the trees are beautiful, but every day the wind shakes more of their bright yellow and red leaves to the ground. I’m sad to see the leaves fall; winter comes too soon.
If I wanted one special leaf to fall down to me, then I would feel differently. I would want the wind to blow harder, and for the leaves to fall faster! That’s the feeling expressed in “The Last Leaf”, a new song by the band OK Go. It’s a sweet song about faithful love.
If you should be the last autumn leaf hanging from the tree
I’ll still be here waiting on the breeze to bring you down to me
And if it takes forever, forever it’ll be
And if it takes forever, forever it’ll beAnd if you should be the last seed in spring to venture out a leaf
I’ll still be here waiting on the rain to warm your heart for me
And if it takes forever, forever it’ll be
And if it takes forever, forever it’ll be
Notice the use of waiting on in the song. Wait on is a phrasal verb that means to serve someone, as a waiter does in a restaurant. For example:
Sandra waited on us at the cafe and we left a big tip for her.
However, in this song, wait on has a different meaning. It means the same thing as wait for: to expect something or someone. Using it in this way is very common in American speech today.
I am waiting for an email from my sister.
I am waiting on an email from my sister.
In many situations, wait on is used to show impatience. If you are waiting on someone, you can’t move ahead without them. You feel a little frustrated. If you are waiting for them, you are excited and happy; you’re looking forward to seeing them.
In this song, the singer is waiting on the wind to blow the last leaf down to him, and he’s waiting on the rain to warm the heart of his love. He is a little frustrated, but he will wait. Even if it takes forever for his love to come to him, he will wait.
Listen to the song and watch the video; it’s animated in an unusual way. It’s delicious!
Last Leaf
OK Go | Myspace Music Videos
[photo by gursoy seref]
