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...

Edward Teach Flag

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.