This song is definitely about killer guitar riffs.
The lyrics are about going to sleep - either literally or metaphorically, which in this case would mean dying. The title "Down With The Sun" indicates that someone lies down as the night approaches, which again can mean either literal duskfall or the end of one's life.
I guess the first idea - the literal sleep - is the more appropriate one.
O darkness, if in thy arms I could rest
for a while, and with these earthly eyes
see thy dim smile.
Maid of twilight, lass of duskfall,
hang the Moon on the sky's arch.
Soothe the weight of a darkening day,
croon me into the slumber.
Rock here in the birch's lap,
swing in the manor of wind.
Lay down your weary head,
let the blue stars darken.
These words say that the sleep is welcomed, it's desirable.
And now:
For vain is all the toil and trouble,
vain is all the heartbreak.
In the end I'll find my solace
in an earthen cradle.
Now these words might be about the solace that sleep brings - when we fall asleep, we are not aware of our problems. In this case, I would perceive the lyrics as the reproach for not trying and giving up easily, leaving all the problems behind and just going to sleep without trying to fix them.
Just a thought.
It's a great song from a great album, still, I think that 'Above The Weeping World' was more solid both lyrically and musically.
This song is definitely about killer guitar riffs.
The lyrics are about going to sleep - either literally or metaphorically, which in this case would mean dying. The title "Down With The Sun" indicates that someone lies down as the night approaches, which again can mean either literal duskfall or the end of one's life.
I guess the first idea - the literal sleep - is the more appropriate one.
O darkness, if in thy arms I could rest for a while, and with these earthly eyes see thy dim smile.
Maid of twilight, lass of duskfall, hang the Moon on the sky's arch. Soothe the weight of a darkening day, croon me into the slumber.
Rock here in the birch's lap, swing in the manor of wind. Lay down your weary head, let the blue stars darken.
These words say that the sleep is welcomed, it's desirable.
And now:
For vain is all the toil and trouble, vain is all the heartbreak. In the end I'll find my solace in an earthen cradle.
Now these words might be about the solace that sleep brings - when we fall asleep, we are not aware of our problems. In this case, I would perceive the lyrics as the reproach for not trying and giving up easily, leaving all the problems behind and just going to sleep without trying to fix them.
Just a thought.
It's a great song from a great album, still, I think that 'Above The Weeping World' was more solid both lyrically and musically.