i think this song relates a to the singer's nihilistic view of life, which isn't a unique theme to some of his other songs.
the first two verses seem to set up the rest of the song, the way the rest is going to relate to mythology. the Crow Moon is coming. Spring is starting to arrive. to a person he says "well, you keep looking out" (looking forward to Spring coming), but he is establishing the symbolism for the rest of the song by preferring to "watch phenomenons that rise out of the darkness" and the "machines of the ancient races."
i say 'nihilistic' because i think suicide is too strong of a message when it's being veiled in something so vague and dreamlike as mythology. though 'apathetic' is too weak a word to use since he's referring to tales and creatures all related to death.
the author's darkness comes across strongest in his bridge. he leaves his heart (emotions) to the Wild Hunt that's coming. he'll allow them the capture it/him. the Wild Hunt being the myth that huntsmen riding just over the ground might catch you and take you from the earth to join their pack. i just don't quite get why he's so certain that he's leaving in the Fall, because none of the myths he mentions have any definite time that they appear. maybe something to do with the whole Spring/life and Fall/death symbols.
"sleep out in the glade...to be closer when my spirit's pulled away." i don't think this is any sort of return to nature, but a reference to the Wild Hunt again. the huntsmen travel just off the ground, so the
author is just staying there not only so he can be seen (because he's by the giant tree) but just to speed up the whole process--not that he's in any particular hurry, but drawing out the event by pretending to cover would be pointless.
"left a nervous little boy out on the trail today..". "trail" is always some path of self-discovery, so i guess the author was somewhat apprehensive about the decision beforehand but grew committed to his decision along the way. it was a walk of transcendence, because he was "just a mortal" when he first left, so if he was a mortal as a boy (ignorance) to begin with, then he is something much more now; something above mere life-and-death humanity that worries about trivialities such as the Spring season bringing new life and rebirth.
"have Satan departing now and be even when the blues fall down like hail" is more nihilism in the way that good and bad break even. same goes for him being forgotten when he's gone. Cadejo is Latin American. seeing white cadejo foreshadows good fortune, while black cadejo can mean the straight-up devil or death or bad times a'comin.
what a breath of fresh air this author/singer is. most music is completely vapid and meaningless, but him you actually have to go and do some research to gather the meaning, all wrapped up in what is just a plain old great tune. Keats with a guitar!
You write "i just don't quite get why he's so certain that he's leaving in the Fall".
You write "i just don't quite get why he's so certain that he's leaving in the Fall".
In sweden the hunting season starts in the Fall. They start hunting the Moose.
Some how I first thought the song was written from the view of a Moose but after reading your post i'm not sure...
In sweden the hunting season starts in the Fall. They start hunting the Moose.
Some how I first thought the song was written from the view of a Moose but after reading your post i'm not sure...
i think this song relates a to the singer's nihilistic view of life, which isn't a unique theme to some of his other songs.
the first two verses seem to set up the rest of the song, the way the rest is going to relate to mythology. the Crow Moon is coming. Spring is starting to arrive. to a person he says "well, you keep looking out" (looking forward to Spring coming), but he is establishing the symbolism for the rest of the song by preferring to "watch phenomenons that rise out of the darkness" and the "machines of the ancient races."
i say 'nihilistic' because i think suicide is too strong of a message when it's being veiled in something so vague and dreamlike as mythology. though 'apathetic' is too weak a word to use since he's referring to tales and creatures all related to death.
the author's darkness comes across strongest in his bridge. he leaves his heart (emotions) to the Wild Hunt that's coming. he'll allow them the capture it/him. the Wild Hunt being the myth that huntsmen riding just over the ground might catch you and take you from the earth to join their pack. i just don't quite get why he's so certain that he's leaving in the Fall, because none of the myths he mentions have any definite time that they appear. maybe something to do with the whole Spring/life and Fall/death symbols.
"sleep out in the glade...to be closer when my spirit's pulled away." i don't think this is any sort of return to nature, but a reference to the Wild Hunt again. the huntsmen travel just off the ground, so the author is just staying there not only so he can be seen (because he's by the giant tree) but just to speed up the whole process--not that he's in any particular hurry, but drawing out the event by pretending to cover would be pointless.
"left a nervous little boy out on the trail today..". "trail" is always some path of self-discovery, so i guess the author was somewhat apprehensive about the decision beforehand but grew committed to his decision along the way. it was a walk of transcendence, because he was "just a mortal" when he first left, so if he was a mortal as a boy (ignorance) to begin with, then he is something much more now; something above mere life-and-death humanity that worries about trivialities such as the Spring season bringing new life and rebirth.
"have Satan departing now and be even when the blues fall down like hail" is more nihilism in the way that good and bad break even. same goes for him being forgotten when he's gone. Cadejo is Latin American. seeing white cadejo foreshadows good fortune, while black cadejo can mean the straight-up devil or death or bad times a'comin.
what a breath of fresh air this author/singer is. most music is completely vapid and meaningless, but him you actually have to go and do some research to gather the meaning, all wrapped up in what is just a plain old great tune. Keats with a guitar!
Great explanaition! Thanks!
Great explanaition! Thanks!
You write "i just don't quite get why he's so certain that he's leaving in the Fall".
You write "i just don't quite get why he's so certain that he's leaving in the Fall".
In sweden the hunting season starts in the Fall. They start hunting the Moose. Some how I first thought the song was written from the view of a Moose but after reading your post i'm not sure...
In sweden the hunting season starts in the Fall. They start hunting the Moose. Some how I first thought the song was written from the view of a Moose but after reading your post i'm not sure...