I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I've never seen the Northern Lights,
I've never seen the snow
I never walked across the ice
I ignore the ocean's flow
Where I'm born is where I'll die
Where I live is where I cry
My children left on a cold night
My husband said it's how things go
Like rabbits blinded by the light
Kids want a better place to grow
Where I'm born is where I'll die
At night I shiver and I try
To forget that I never cheated
That I tried to be strong
No matter how wise I was, I feel wrong
To forget that I never followed
That man that I adored
Who promised me pretty sins and gold
And I'm waiting for the sun
And I'm waiting for the sun
I will never be out of sight
I'll never feel the snow
I'll never reach the truth of lies
I'm just watching my flowers grow
Where I'm born is where I'll die
At night I can't sleep when I try
To forget that I never cheated
That I tried to be strong
No matter how wise I was, I feel wrong
To forget that I never followed
That man that I adored
Who promised me pretty sins and gold
And I'm waiting for the sun
And I'm waiting for the sun
To forget that I never cheated
That I tried to be strong
No matter how wise I was, I feel wrong
To forget that I never followed
That man that I adored
Who promised me pretty sins and gold
And I'm waiting for the sun
And I'm waiting for the sun
I've never seen the snow
I never walked across the ice
I ignore the ocean's flow
Where I'm born is where I'll die
Where I live is where I cry
My children left on a cold night
My husband said it's how things go
Like rabbits blinded by the light
Kids want a better place to grow
Where I'm born is where I'll die
At night I shiver and I try
To forget that I never cheated
That I tried to be strong
No matter how wise I was, I feel wrong
To forget that I never followed
That man that I adored
Who promised me pretty sins and gold
And I'm waiting for the sun
And I'm waiting for the sun
I will never be out of sight
I'll never feel the snow
I'll never reach the truth of lies
I'm just watching my flowers grow
Where I'm born is where I'll die
At night I can't sleep when I try
To forget that I never cheated
That I tried to be strong
No matter how wise I was, I feel wrong
To forget that I never followed
That man that I adored
Who promised me pretty sins and gold
And I'm waiting for the sun
And I'm waiting for the sun
To forget that I never cheated
That I tried to be strong
No matter how wise I was, I feel wrong
To forget that I never followed
That man that I adored
Who promised me pretty sins and gold
And I'm waiting for the sun
And I'm waiting for the sun
Lyrics submitted by purpleyawn, edited by Maggie127, rabbitheartedkid
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It seems to picture the point of view of the one who is left behind in the woodkid's journey, the mother/lover. A passive figure who'll never get a glimpse of the anything beyond homeland, but keeps loyalty to the kid and waits for his glorious return. And as wise as loyalty and not going after him may be, the loneliness is still unsettling. Somewhat reminded me of "Penelope", Odisseus' wife, who in the poem waits for him for 10 years.
I just love how this is followed by "Iron", which works like a response to this one, showing the struggle of the one who went on the journey. Here the snow and ice are displayed in a idealistic manner:
"I've never seen the Northern Lights, I've never seen the snow I never walked across the ice I ignore the ocean's flow"
While in "Iron" the harsh reality comes down:
"This steady burst of snow is burning my hands I'm frozen to the bones, I am A million miles from home, I'm walking away I can't remind your eyes, your face."
Just awesome...
I think you pretty much nailed it !! You have an awesome ear and a great way of explaining things. Thank you for your input !!
I made an account just to +1 your thoughts. Great insight! Thank you!
during the concert yesterday he said that this song's written for his mother, so I guess your interpretation is pretty close to the truth!
I always imagine this woman from the past, medieval times maybe, who once had a choice - to either run away with a man she was deeply in love with, a man who might have had a certain reputation but promised her "pretty sins and gold", and she knew she could as well be condemned by her family or the people from her hometown if she went with this man - or to be reasonable and marry the other man, this decent, upright, if somewhat boring man, and be a good wife to him. She chooses the latter, but spends her life regretting this decision. At nights she finds herself dreaming about what it all could have been like if she'd chosen the other man despite everything, how exciting and adventurous life she could have led. She realises how dull everything around her is now, her children are gone (either died "on a cold night" or just moved away) and the most excitement she gets now is from "watching her flowers grow"...She was a good, loyal wife, always acting wise, but she knows that if she got another chance, she would choose a completely different life.
To me, the narrator is a married old woman who did everything she's supposed to do: get married, have kids, never cheat, never sin. However, she regrets it, and she thinks about all of the things she has lost in order to live life where and how she should be, and where she'll die.
That's a pretty sad song and I feel like there is so many women outhere who coudl relate to that, and I feel their sorrow in Atoine's voice. To me this is o ene of his highest points in the album.
Where this song is placed on the album, and the album in general, I think is about a sort of soldier of fortune who in his youth falls in love with a girl, and before going off promises her great wealth when he returns. This song takes place years later, after he has been gone for a long time, and she has found someone else, had children of her own, and they have left her. This is her reflecting back on her life, and that soldier she fell in love with, and had attached feelings of excitement and adventure to. She is unaware that he never stopped loving her, and wanted to return, but, according to the final song, presumably died far away on another shore.
And yes, it is put before Iron to serve as a stark contrast of two worlds, the lover's, and the soldier's.