I had a change of perspective with this song today as it was in my car and I had a pet die lastnight. I can't speak for the band's intention with this song, but I think interpretation can go beyond a song for the sake of romanticizing the historical legacy of the bard or representing a specific story.
It's really a very moving depiction of a final farewell - quite likely from a deathbed. There are numerous allusions to concepts of ending, finality, mortality, and erosion of memory.
Here's a few lines that really seem to point to a death theme, in my opinion.
"When hours have gone by, I'll close my eyes."
Recognizing the time that's behind them, and admitting that their time has peacefully come.
"In a world far away, we may meet again.
But now hear my song, about the dawn of the night.
Let's sing the bard's song."
Comforting the audience with the notion that death is a new beginning (dawn of the night), and requesting that we sing with them to ease their passing while paying a romantic tribute to the moment.
"Tommorrow will take us away
Far from home
No-one will ever know our names
But the bard's song will remain"
Time will change everything, all memories will fade, and we can't possibly know what lies ahead ("far from home" being symbolic of the unknown beyond). I think "the bard's song" is a metaphor for death itself.
"Tommorrow will take it away
The fear of today
It will be gone
Due to our magic song"
The bard's song (death) will lift all our burdens.
"There's only one song
Left in my mind"
The narrator is finished with their life. Perhaps they see their past as a collection of tales, and death is the only song left for them.
"Now the bard songs are over
And it's time to leave"
Obvious.
"Noone should ask You for the name
Of the one
Who tells the story"
We all face death, we're all commemorated in some fashion, and death is a momentous occassion for all of us. Perhaps asking who tells the story (who is god? why does he let us die? what does he has in store for us? etc.) only bogs down our lives. The narrator is asking the audience to leave all that out of it. It's his moment. His death. He knows what he faces is a mystery, and he's just going to move forward gracefully. No stumbling over blind attempts to appeal to the unknown for entrance to whatever possible afterlife and such.
"Tomorrow all will be known
And You're not alone
So don't be afraid
In the dark and cold
'Cause the bards' songs will remain
They all will remain"
We'll all know the truth eventually. Don't sweat it. We all go there so you're not alone. "The dark and cold" is another metaphor for the unknown, which is where all of us are in our final moments. We don't know what lies ahead. Whatever it is, we all face it eventually so there's no use being afraid.
My interpretation can't account for the whole song, but I've had it turning over in my head all day anyway. I sang it whenever I was in the car today to pay tribute to the passing of Ninja, my sugar glider.
I had a change of perspective with this song today as it was in my car and I had a pet die lastnight. I can't speak for the band's intention with this song, but I think interpretation can go beyond a song for the sake of romanticizing the historical legacy of the bard or representing a specific story.
It's really a very moving depiction of a final farewell - quite likely from a deathbed. There are numerous allusions to concepts of ending, finality, mortality, and erosion of memory.
Here's a few lines that really seem to point to a death theme, in my opinion.
"When hours have gone by, I'll close my eyes." Recognizing the time that's behind them, and admitting that their time has peacefully come.
"In a world far away, we may meet again. But now hear my song, about the dawn of the night. Let's sing the bard's song." Comforting the audience with the notion that death is a new beginning (dawn of the night), and requesting that we sing with them to ease their passing while paying a romantic tribute to the moment.
"Tommorrow will take us away Far from home No-one will ever know our names But the bard's song will remain" Time will change everything, all memories will fade, and we can't possibly know what lies ahead ("far from home" being symbolic of the unknown beyond). I think "the bard's song" is a metaphor for death itself.
"Tommorrow will take it away The fear of today It will be gone Due to our magic song" The bard's song (death) will lift all our burdens.
"There's only one song Left in my mind" The narrator is finished with their life. Perhaps they see their past as a collection of tales, and death is the only song left for them.
"Now the bard songs are over And it's time to leave" Obvious.
"Noone should ask You for the name Of the one Who tells the story" We all face death, we're all commemorated in some fashion, and death is a momentous occassion for all of us. Perhaps asking who tells the story (who is god? why does he let us die? what does he has in store for us? etc.) only bogs down our lives. The narrator is asking the audience to leave all that out of it. It's his moment. His death. He knows what he faces is a mystery, and he's just going to move forward gracefully. No stumbling over blind attempts to appeal to the unknown for entrance to whatever possible afterlife and such.
"Tomorrow all will be known And You're not alone So don't be afraid In the dark and cold 'Cause the bards' songs will remain They all will remain" We'll all know the truth eventually. Don't sweat it. We all go there so you're not alone. "The dark and cold" is another metaphor for the unknown, which is where all of us are in our final moments. We don't know what lies ahead. Whatever it is, we all face it eventually so there's no use being afraid.
My interpretation can't account for the whole song, but I've had it turning over in my head all day anyway. I sang it whenever I was in the car today to pay tribute to the passing of Ninja, my sugar glider.