“Grace” by Jeff Buckley

Like many of Jeff Buckley’s songs, “Grace” has taken on new meaning almost 20 years after the singer’s death. Buckley dives into an interesting paradox in the song: Life feels short and fragile, yet it also moves at a molasses-like pace. In some ways, this mirror’s Buckley’s own life. He died when he was just 30 years old, yet he leaves behind a massive, mature catalog of music that an octogenarian would be proud to call his own.

“Grace” deals with a man coming to terms with his own death, and the emotional struggle of the woman he is leaving behind. The man faces death without fear, while his companion dreads the passing of time, viewing every moment as one step closer to their inevitable separation. At one point Buckley sings, “My fading voice sings of love, but she cries to the clicking of time.”

Toward the end of the song, Buckley muses on the subject of death, singing, “I’m not afraid to go, but it goes so slow.” In this line, he touches on one reason why so many people are afraid to die. We know that death is inevitable, but we don’t know when it will happen, and waiting for the inevitable end leaves us frustrated and afraid.

Although Buckley’s narrator seems largely at peace with his fate, one aspect of it seems to trouble him. He sings,

And the rain is falling and I believe
My time has come,
It reminds me of the pain
I might leave
Leave behind.

It’s this moment that makes this song such a powerful choice for a funeral or memorial service. Buckley sings from the perspective of someone who has died, or soon will die, acknowledging the sorrow and grief that will come. In moments of pain, a soulful song like “Grace” offers mourners the comfort of knowing they are not alone.

Read the full lyrics for “Grace” here, or watch the video below.