Lemon Tree

Savage Garden's 'Lemon Tree' is a poignant exploration of boredom, isolation, and the search for meaning in the mundane. The song begins with the narrator sitting in a 'boring room' on a rainy Sunday afternoon, feeling the weight of time passing without purpose. This setting establishes a sense of stagnation and ennui, as the narrator waits for something or someone to bring change, but nothing ever happens. The recurring image of the 'yellow lemon tree' symbolizes the monotony and lack of excitement in his life, contrasting sharply with the 'blue blue sky' mentioned in the past, which represents a time of hope and possibility.

As the song progresses, the narrator's restlessness becomes more apparent. He drives around aimlessly, trying to change his perspective but ultimately feeling lonely and unfulfilled. The repetition of 'turning, turning, turning' emphasizes his futile attempts to find something different or meaningful. The lemon tree remains a constant, unchanging presence, symbolizing the persistent sense of dissatisfaction and the inability to escape his current state of mind.

The lyrics also touch on themes of isolation and the desire for connection. The narrator acknowledges that 'isolation is not good for me' and expresses a longing to break free from the metaphorical lemon tree that represents his solitary existence. The 'desert of joy' he steps around in suggests a barren emotional landscape, where fleeting distractions ('another toy') fail to bring lasting happiness. Ultimately, the song captures the universal human experience of feeling trapped in a cycle of monotony and yearning for something more, while grappling with the challenges of isolation and the search for meaning.