It was Opeth's first album to reach the Billboard Top 200, with a peak at #192. It also charted #14 on the Top Independent Albums chart. Windowpane was the album's single and has a music video for it, which is edited down from its original length.
Recorded simultaneously with Deliverance, Damnation was entirely void of the musical elements of death metal and instead showcased a 1970s progressive rock vibe, with clean vocals and guitar sounds and prominent mellotron. The album was also produced by Steven Wilson, who contributed backing vocals and keyboards, and co-wrote one song, Death Whispered a Lullaby. Mikael Åkerfeldt dedicated Deliverance and Damnation to his grandmother, who died in a car accident during the recording.
Windowpane
Opeth Lyrics
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Made clear in seconds of light
Disappears and returns again
Counting hours, searching the night
Might be waiting for someone
Might be there for us to see
Might be in need of talking
Might be staring directly at me
Inside plays a lullaby
Slurred voice over children cries
On
The inside
Haunting loneliness in the eye
Skin covering a secret scar
His hand is waving a goodbye
There's no response or action returned
There is deep prejudice in me
Outshines all reason inside
Given dreams all ridden with pain
And projected unto the last
Windowpane by Opeth is a hauntingly poetic song that explores themes of loneliness, longing and prejudice. The first line of the song, "Blank face in the windowpane, made clear in seconds of light" creates an eerie image of a face appearing and disappearing in the reflection of a window. This face could be interpreted as a symbol of the singer's own loneliness, as he spends the night counting down the hours and searching for someone to connect with.
The second verse of the song suggests that the face in the windowpane may be waiting for someone or something, possibly for the singer to notice it. This personification of the face highlights the singer's desire for connection and suggests that he is projecting his own emotions onto the world around him.
The chorus, "Inside plays a lullaby, slurred voice over children cries, on the inside" further explores the theme of loneliness, as the singer imagines that the person in the window may be suffering in a similar way to himself. The haunting melody and lyrics combine to create a sense of melancholic beauty, making Windowpane a powerful and emotive song.
Overall, the song is a reflection on the human experience of loneliness and the desire for connection. The imagery of the face in the windowpane is used as a metaphor for this longing and provides a powerful and evocative image for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Blank face in the windowpane
A lifeless expression staring back from the glass
Made clear in seconds of light
Visible only when light strikes the face, then disappears
Disappears and returns again
Reappears periodically with little explanation
Counting hours, searching the night
Watching for something over the course of hours and into the night
Might be waiting for someone
Possibly waiting for a specific person to arrive
Might be there for us to see
May be visible for the sake of being seen
Might be in need of talking
Perhaps in need of a conversation or interaction with someone
Might be staring directly at me
Seems as though they are specifically looking at the artist
Inside plays a lullaby
Internally, there is a peaceful tune being played
Slurred voice over children cries
Distorted voice accompanying sounds of weeping children
On the inside
All of this is happening within the subject's mind
Haunting loneliness in the eye
The eyes convey a deep sense of isolation and sadness
Skin covering a secret scar
Though externally whole, there is an unseen wound beneath the surface
His hand is waving a goodbye
The person is leaving, giving a farewell gesture with their hand
There's no response or action returned
The singer receives no acknowledgement or reciprocation for the gesture
There is deep prejudice in me
The artist harbors internal bias and bigotry
Outshines all reason inside
This prejudice is all-consuming and overrides rational thought
Given dreams all ridden with pain
Dreams or aspirations are accompanied by intense suffering or difficulty
And projected unto the last
This suffering extends to the very end of one's existence
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Mikael Lars Akerfeldt
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind