Sunday, March 7, 2021

Bo Burnham... What?

Future Islands, "Glada"

New canopies arise 
From the crumbling framework 
The remnants of fire 
And you came as you are 
And they said, 
“Heaven’s a mystery, 
unless you’re a star.” 
“Unless you’ve a crown.” 
But they’re wrong 
And you can walk this head around 
and gone 
Or we can fly 
——— 
Who am I? 
Do I deserve the sea again? 
The slow lapping waves 
Bathing my face in light 
In the night 
Long after summer winds 
In the last, diving in 
Finding love and a friend 
In the dawn 
——— 

The blueberries arrive 
Round the purpling nettles 
The ramsons' empire 
And you came from the stars 
And you said, 
“We are the prey that we seek in the dark” 
———  
But who am I? 
Do I deserve the sea again? 
Slow lapping waves 
Bathing my face in light
In the dawn 
For far and long, as I have been 
The last time around
 Now finding a friend 
Who am I? 
Why do I deserve the sea again? 
After all I’ve done 
And finding love in the end
Love in the end...

In an interview at Beat Route singer Samuel T. Herring explains that a glada is a common bird (know as a Red Kite in English) in Southern Sweden where he living with his partner.
“They’re just these beautiful birds that swoop over the fields. They don’t really ever flap their wings, they just kind of soar around. Every once in a while, you’ll see them turn and that’s when you see the flash of red on the back. I was always drawn to these birds; they’re just really beautiful to me."
The name also means “happy” in Swedish.