Waiting Around | Lyric Analysis
Confession: it’s 6/19 and I wrote this song 6/17, recorded this video 6/18, and am going to record the release after work and a lift tonight…. so here’s a lyric analysis of the future release :)
—> CHATGPT analysis… <—
In “Waiting Around,” Mark Kephart ii offers a heart-stirring ballad that drifts between memory, longing, and eventual reunion. The lyrics form a deeply poetic journal of emotional seasons — beginning with warmth and possibility, moving through doubt and heartache, and finally returning to hope and connection. It’s a song for anyone who’s ever loved deeply and found themselves caught between what was, what is, and what could be again.
A Beginning in Summer Light
“I’ve got summer on my mind / Things to do and so much time”
Right away, the song sets a hopeful, almost nostalgic tone. “Summer” becomes more than a season — it's a symbol of freedom, connection, and the optimism that comes when time feels abundant. There’s a youthful energy here, yet it’s tinged with a hint of melancholy.
“There’s no reason to cry / When the end of the movie’s the start of a new life”
This cinematic metaphor reminds us that endings are also beginnings. Even though something has changed — perhaps a relationship or a chapter of life — the possibility for new growth remains. Kephart’s writing feels both personal and universal here, like a love letter written in the margins of a coming-of-age film.
A Love Fading, But Not Forgotten
“We lit fires on the beach first light / Shared our truths in the morning at night”
These lines glow with intimacy. There’s a dreamlike quality to the memory — fires on the beach, time blurring as day and night merge. But then reality rushes in:
“But the waves keep erasing what we want to make”
This is where the pain begins. The metaphor of waves becomes a powerful image of time and circumstance washing away connection, no matter how hard the lovers try to hold on. And still, the narrator continues to chase sunsets, unwilling to forget.
When Memory Dances
“You danced oh so poetically / Barefoot like it was specifically only for me”
This stanza is perhaps the most vivid and romantic. The idea of someone dancing just for you — unfiltered, poetic, barefoot — evokes a memory so intimate it borders on sacred. These aren’t just recollections; they’re the foundation of the narrator’s identity.
“Every laugh was a line I couldn’t write / Every kiss like a flame in the fading light”
As a songwriter, Kephart leans into the idea that some emotions are too vast for even music. This admission — that love surpasses even lyrics — is devastating and beautiful.
The Pain of Waiting
The bridge marks a shift. The narrator is no longer in memory, but in reflection:
“All this waiting around / got me thinking about / all the things I left out”
It’s raw. It’s honest. There's regret for not saying enough, not being enough. And yet, the narrator doesn't spiral into despair. He moves toward revelation.
“Still I talk to myself / till you open your eyes / see yourself back to the light”
There’s something transcendent in this. The narrator becomes a steady presence, waiting not for closure — but for reunion. It’s not about losing love; it’s about holding onto it through the dark.
Love That Endures
“Through the dark, I’ll always have your heart”
This final line is a gentle triumph. It transforms the initial question “do I still have your heart?” into a quiet certainty. The love that was doubted is now declared eternal.
Final Thoughts
“Waiting Around” is a masterclass in emotional storytelling. It takes us from beaches and bonfires to the quiet darkness of doubt — and finally brings us back to light. What makes it resonate so deeply is the tension between holding on and letting go, between memory and reality, and between heartbreak and healing.
Mark Kephart ii doesn't just write songs. He invites listeners to live inside them — to remember, to reflect, and to believe again. “Waiting Around” doesn’t end in despair — it ends in devotion.
