At city centre 9 pm
Just like you wrote
And I try to think about
Snow coming in
Just like before
I will be on stand-by
Releasing the vapour
Into the lung
Letting the wings unfurl
And for a moment I feel young
I call on the bird
Unfurl
It’s time to chose side now
That’s what you said
When we talked on the phone
So white our eyes
You are still
Are you paralyzed
Just like you wrote
And I try to think about
Snow coming in
Just like before
I will be on stand-by
Into the lung
Letting the wings unfurl
And for a moment I feel young
I call on the bird
Unfurl
That’s what you said
When we talked on the phone
So white our eyes
You are still
Are you paralyzed
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
from Jonas Renkse jonas@katatonia.com to Joel Blauvelt leviathans.smile@gmail.com date Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM subject Re: Anesthetize mailed-by katatonia.com
hide details 7:00 PM (17 hours ago)
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The bird as a symbol of death.
I guess in a way it could be considered a truce.
Good to hear about the local open mic sessions. Thanks,
J.
I think it deals with someone needing to stage an intervention with someone in throws of addiction & substance abuse. They know this person they're close to is at an impasse of whether to quickly unfurl & end their life themselves or just let whatever chemicals their abusing eventually be what kills them off. All the signs point to that this person doesn't wanna live anymore.
I think this song describes the singer's feelings towards someone who is close to him, perhaps a female companion. He compares the way she makes him feel to the relief he gets from medication. He is making references to his medical problems. In addition, he compares his feelings for her to the changing of the seasons. In a way, she sets him free, like a bird. This is what this song makes me think about, I doubt I am correct.
Honestly, this to me seems to be partle about drugs. The chorus, "releasing the vapor into the lungs".
This song can easily be interpreted differently by everyone. I have several theories as to its meaning (including suicide via O.D.) but the following is the most recent to come to mind. Stephanie_Anna will certainly elaborate on the drug O.D. theory ;)
This song can easily be interpreted differently by everyone. I have several theories as to its meaning (including suicide via O.D.) but the following is the most recent to come to mind. Stephanie_Anna will certainly elaborate on the drug O.D. theory ;)
The more I looked at it the more I found that there is a double meaning to 'Calling the Bird' (a Dove represents peace or a crow represents death <drug O.D.>). For the most part I feel that it represents making peace/calling a truce/accepting. This could have been a meeting with someone who he used to...
The more I looked at it the more I found that there is a double meaning to 'Calling the Bird' (a Dove represents peace or a crow represents death <drug O.D.>). For the most part I feel that it represents making peace/calling a truce/accepting. This could have been a meeting with someone who he used to be involved with. Releasing the vapor into the lung is a sigh of relief. I feel that when this happens we tend to roll our eyes or look in a direction that easily presents the 'white of our eyes'. Unfurling our wings can mean to let all of the things that have been bothering the narrator, go. The person he is talking to is stunned to hear this news (although equally or exceedingly relieved) and has no idea how to respond. "Are you paralyzed?"
This song can easily be interpreted differently by everyone. I have several theories as to its meaning (including suicide via O.D.) but the following is the most recent to come to mind. Stephanie_Anna will certainly elaborate on the drug O.D. theory ;)
The more I looked at it the more I found that there is a double meaning to 'Calling the Bird' (a Dove represents peace or a crow represents death ). For the most part I feel that it represents making peace/calling a truce/accepting. This could have been a meeting with someone who he used to be involved with. Releasing the vapor into the lung is a sigh of relief. I feel that when this happens we tend to roll our eyes or look in a direction that easily presents the 'white of our eyes'. Unfurling our wings can mean to let all of the things that have been bothering the narrator, go. The person he is talking to is stunned to hear this news (although equally or exceedingly relieved) and has no idea how to respond. "Are you paralyzed?"
...and if you think about it, Katatonia has recently shared that they are experiencing a writers block. Is this a coincidence that this is also the last song released by the band? If Jonas has come to terms to whatever has been tormented him, certainly it would be difficult to write dreary and depressing lyrics for new material. You gotta be feeling it to effectively share it :(
...and if you think about it, Katatonia has recently shared that they are experiencing a writers block. Is this a coincidence that this is also the last song released by the band? If Jonas has come to terms to whatever has been tormented him, certainly it would be difficult to write dreary and depressing lyrics for new material. You gotta be feeling it to effectively share it :(
I have to agree with Ghost on this one, This song can have so many meanings but it definitely involves death. My Theory as said before would be of a drug overdose for suicidal matters. Its as if this person was suffering for so long that his/her final wish is just to die and the narrator is agreeing with the decision. The narrator perhaps has this person suicidal letter and wants to support this person in this decision -"I will be on stand by"-
The chorus of course is the moment of truth, death will come and there's a sense of relief.-"Releasing the vapor"- Hes been holding his breath for so long for this moment to come. He accepts it, he feels young and happy. Calling on the bird, (depending which bird, but Jonas himself also mentioned that bird represents death so probably a crow...) to come and reach out for his soul and let his "angel" wings unfurl. Just let go..
-Its time to choose side- The narrator either comes with or not, they've been planning for this moment but he's undecided.
This song is so metaphorical its hard to really put a true meaning to it...Just my opinion. As ghost said perhaps the last part would just the pure state of shock that this person is finally gone and just doesn't want to accept it.
Either way, We've analyzed this song for days to try and find the true meaning..I wonder if were close..
July86 AKA Stephanie_Anna
July86 AKA Stephanie_Anna
Right on the mark July86. As you already know Jonas has defined the bird to represent Death.
Right on the mark July86. As you already know Jonas has defined the bird to represent Death.
For those of you who are interested, I wrote Jonas to clarify. Here is a copy of the message:
For those of you who are interested, I wrote Jonas to clarify. Here is a copy of the message:
I'll keep it short and sweet man. Unfurl - 'I Call on the Bird'----is that referring to making peace/calling a truce/accepting OR is it referring to a crow and all that it represents.
I'll keep it short and sweet man. Unfurl - 'I Call on the Bird'----is that referring to making peace/calling a truce/accepting OR is it referring to a crow and all that it represents.
At a local open mic 'In the White, Soil's Song and Unfurl' acoustic renditions are destroying all of the local pop-head shit that people are used to. The...
At a local open mic 'In the White, Soil's Song and Unfurl' acoustic renditions are destroying all of the local pop-head shit that people are used to. The people at the bar are always SILENT when these song are played.
Keep it up man. When the time is right, the new material will dominate too.
J
from Jonas Renkse jonas@katatonia.com to leviathans.smile@gmail.com date Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 7:00 PM subject Re: Anesthetize mailed-by katatonia.com
Reply
The bird as a symbol of death.
I guess in a way it could be considered a truce.
Good to hear about the local open mic sessions. Thanks,
J.
Maybe the bird can mean both. I understand that Jonas has already established it as death, but it could also be a peace offering. Couldn't the peace offering be death?
Maybe the bird can mean both. I understand that Jonas has already established it as death, but it could also be a peace offering. Couldn't the peace offering be death?
I agree most with July86. However, when I heard this the first couple times then read the lyrics, my first thought was a suicide pact by 2 lovers/ppl involved w/each other. Reasons, not sure. But that's my immediate thought. And possibly by some type of drug, though the allusion to vapours could be metaphorical--but I don't think so in this case.
Really love this track, both album and live acoustic version As someone who tended to be anxious/asthmatic when tired, i really found myself in the images right here, when anxiety eventually leave place to peace, realesing the mind : -Phone : Always telling myself (or my love ones telling me) to relax when anxious, -Snow : i love falling snow, which is peaceful and quiet putting some pillow on things -Being on standby waiting for the paralyzed me to finally be "free" by... -Releasing the tension on the chest, like a vapor, which is an incredible feeling when being stuck, -For finally releasing the bird, unfurling my wings for more pro active situation, motivated.
Such a song really helped me to materialize anxiety, being then able to release it more and more quickly. Now this song has something like nostalgia or sophrologic pattern.
Very beautiful song, which, to my opinion, describes how everyone can unfurl his own wings by sharing life with others. About the positive feeling someone could bring into our lifes, and the fact that sometimes we are unable to give back such feeling in return. Just like, evolving individually, step by step, but together. Love this.
Musically speaking, the overdriven bass sound + the vocals are top notch, giving that feeling to float effortlessly, just like when you just spread your wings, and having that levitation feeling.
In my opinion I've always thought this song is about someone who is deep in depression, almost paralyzed with depression and another person reaching out to them and asking then to choose sides, either remain on the side of infinite depression or the side of healing/ freeing themselves from depression (symbolically unfurling their wings).