In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Baptized with the perfect name
The doubting one by heart
Alone, without himself
War between him and the day
Need someone to blame
In the end, little he can do alone
You believe but what you see
You receive but what you give
Caress the one
The Never-Fading rain
In your heart
To tears of snow-white sorrow
Caress the one
The hiding amaranth
In a land of the daybreak
Apart from the wandering pack
In this brief flight of time
We reach for the ones, whoever dare
You believe but what you see
You receive but what you give
Caress the one
The Never-Fading rain
In your heart
To tears of snow-white sorrow
Caress the one
The hiding amaranth
In a land of the daybreak
Reaching, searching
For something untouched
Hearing voices of the Never-Fading calling
Caress the one
The Never-Fading rain
In your heart
To tears of snow-white sorrow
Caress the one
The hiding amaranth
In a land of the daybreak
The doubting one by heart
Alone, without himself
War between him and the day
Need someone to blame
In the end, little he can do alone
You believe but what you see
You receive but what you give
Caress the one
The Never-Fading rain
In your heart
To tears of snow-white sorrow
Caress the one
The hiding amaranth
In a land of the daybreak
Apart from the wandering pack
In this brief flight of time
We reach for the ones, whoever dare
You believe but what you see
You receive but what you give
Caress the one
The Never-Fading rain
In your heart
To tears of snow-white sorrow
Caress the one
The hiding amaranth
In a land of the daybreak
Reaching, searching
For something untouched
Hearing voices of the Never-Fading calling
Caress the one
The Never-Fading rain
In your heart
To tears of snow-white sorrow
Caress the one
The hiding amaranth
In a land of the daybreak
Lyrics submitted by IluvTarja, edited by Pierrepont
Amaranth Lyrics as written by Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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To me, this says that the father is a lot wiser than his son: he knows that the way to get the angel back to heaven is to burn the hut. But the boy is more compassionate, because he wants to help her and treat her like a human being. This is apparent in the first verse--he doesn't want to be alone anymore. Also, in the second verse, the 'war between him and the day' symbolizes the conflict between him and his father, and 'little he can do alone' means that without his father, the angel would not have gotten back-- but there is still some conflict.
As for the pre-chorus and chorus: You believe but what you see: This shows that the boy chooses to see the angel as just a girl, and so doesn't believe his father is right about hurting her. But since the father sees her as an angel, he is able to help her. You recieve but what you give: Standard old adage, seeming to promise hope for the boy because he was so nice to the angel.
Caress the one, the Never-Fading Rain in your heart - the tears of snow-white sorrow Caress the one, the hiding amaranth In a land of the daybreak The never-fading rain refers to the boy's unhappiness, and is symbolized by the angel's predicament. But the 'hiding amaranth' represents hidden hope-- the way to save the angel is to kill her. Think about that for a minute. And by putting them in parallel construction, the song shows that beauty and pain can coexist, but in the end, hope wins out. You just have to find the amaranth.