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Alexi Murdoch – Her Hands Were Leaves Lyrics 7 years ago
To me this songs takes on a very grim, unsettling and at the same time a calm tone as is clear from the kind of dissonance created by the 7th chord voicing.

"See my brother he is walking in the sun
His back is bare he carries no burden for anyone
I see the island, a silver line
Brother how you shine
And all around the light
And all around the light"

This first para, I see as a mild assertion to a seemingly harsh reality that his brother is no more on this earth. He has no burden now as he is not alive anymore. The singer sees the island symbolic of his revelation/realization of a kind of heaven his brother is in now.

"Now I see my father he’s so small against the sky
Child, the tree, the shadow is on his eye
He doesn’t know who he’s supposed to be
Father you are free
And all around the light
And all around the light"

The second paragraph, again, starts in a tone of disclosure or revelation. His father, who is usually this high dominating figure that he looks up to, now, seems so small against the sky symbolic of reality. The child and the tree may have a connection with his brothers' past. Memories come afloat here. The shadow indicating the stress his father is going through. He has lost himself and the singer is telling him that he is free; free to express, free to cry all around the light.

"Now my mother she is crying on the stairs
Her hands are leaves, the light is in her hair
As she prays she thinks that no one heard
Mother you are a bird
Mother you are a bird
And all around the light
And all around the light
And all around the light
All around the light"

Here, he tells of his mother who is still crying for her loss. I use the word "still" as her crying on the stair is indicative of the fact she doesn't want anyone to know she is crying which is in turn indicative of the fact this period is a little ahead of his brothers passing. The loss still haunts her to its full effect. She prays for him everyday. The singer talks of her as a bird flying all around the light.

The light is a personification of his brother.

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