Private Universe

Album: Together Alone (1993)
Play Video
  • No time, no place to talk about the weather
    The promise of love is hard to ignore
    Who said the chance wasn't getting any better
    The labor of love is ours to endure
    The highest branch on the apple tree
    It was my favorite place to be
    I could hear them breaking free
    But they could not see me

    I will run for shelter
    Endless summer lift the curse
    It feels like nothing matters
    In our private universe

    I have all I want, is that simple enough?
    A whole lot more I'm thinking of
    Every night about six o'clock
    Birds come back to the pond to talk
    They talk to me -- birds to talk to me
    If I go down on my knees

    It feels like nothing matters
    In our private universe

    And it's a pleasure that I have known
    And it's a treasure that I have gained
    And it's a pleasure that I have known

    It's a tight squeeze, but I won't let go
    Time is on the table and the dinner's cold Writer/s: Neil Mullane Finn
    Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 5

  • Jasper from Sydney, AustraliaThe line "The highest branch on the apple tree, it was my favourite place to be, i could hear them breaking free but they could not see me" Is also a childhood refrence of Neil's. He used to sit in a tree in his backyard and spy on the neighbours. I read a Crowded House book and it said it was a plum tree that he sat in and spied on the neighbours not an apple tree. Whatever the tree is, that's a refrence to a bit of his childhood too.
  • Paul from Glasgow, United KingdomI heard Neil Finn used to sit in a tree as a child and that's why "the birds come back to the palm to talk".

    The Kare Kare production was very influencial on the released single for this song which originally appeared on the album "Together Alone". On the album "Afterglow" by Crowded House you will find a much simpler version. Both are good though!

  • Stu from Bala, WalesThe lyrics are actually "...the birds come back to the PALM to talk...". Muwahahaha indeed!
  • Joe from Dublini don't mean to be picky or anything, but, i think it's "...the birds come back to the POND to talk..."

    i could be wrong tho.

    altho that's doubtful

    muwahaha
  • Scott from Los Angeles, CaThe lyric, "Every night 'bout 6 o'clock. Birds come down to the parking lot. They talk to me...birds talk to me. If I get down on my knees." I heard is from a book. The name of it escapes me, but I got it from someone I consider a reliable source.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Carol Kaye

Carol KayeSongwriter Interviews

A top session musician, Carol played on hundreds of hits by The Beach Boys, The Monkees, Frank Sinatra and many others.

Corey Hart

Corey HartSongwriter Interviews

The Canadian superstar talks about his sudden rise to fame, and tells the stories behind his hits "Sunglasses At Night," "Boy In The Box" and "Never Surrender."

Lita Ford

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

Rosanne Cash

Rosanne CashSongwriter Interviews

Rosanne talks about the journey that inspired her songs on her album The River & the Thread, including a stop at the Tallahatchie Bridge.

Kevin Godley

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie Combination

Stand By Me: The Perfect Song-Movie CombinationSong Writing

In 1986, a Stephen King novella was made into a movie, with a classic song serving as title, soundtrack and tone.