Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: power-pop
Song Meaning of “Isfahan” by Joe Jackson
Isfahan is a beautiful and evocative song by Joe Jackson that explores the beauty of Isfahan, Iran, and a longing for its ancient landscapes. The song captures the lush and captivating beauty of the city and its landscape. Through its dreamy instrumentation, the song conveys a sense of wandering and longing. The strings provide an entrancing backdrop for Jackson’s plaintive and melodic voice.
The lyrics explore the beauty of the city and the nostalgia for a once grand home. The lyrics allude to the grandeur of Isfahan, with references to “palaces” and “olden times”. There is a sense of longing and of a lost paradise, as Jackson yearns to see Isfahan once more.
The song speaks of a sense of both admiration and envy for the past, as Jackson sings of the “golden years” in Isfahan. It also speaks of a grief for a home that is no more, as the singer wishes for his “sad heart to find its home.” He longs for the “silsila”, the songs and rhythms of the city, for “the love that [he] once had there.”
Ultimately, Isfahan is a hopeful song, looking towards the future with positivity.