Alone
Arcturus Lyrics
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As others were - I have not seen
As others saw - I could not bring
My passions from a common spring.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrow; I could not awaken
My heart to joy at the same tone;
And all I loved, I loved alone.
Then - in my childhood - in the dawn
Of a most stormy life - was drawn
From every depth of good and ill
The mystery which binds me still:
From the torrent, or the fountain,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
From the sun that 'round me rolled
In it's autumn tint of gold
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed me flying by
From the thunder and the storm,
And the cloud that took the form
(When the rest of Heavens was blue)
Of a demon in my view.
The lyrics to Arcturus's song "Alone" are actually an adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's "Alone" poem. The lyrics speak to the idea of feeling isolated and different from others, even from a young age, and not being able to connect with others in the same way. The singer describes how they couldn't find joy in the same things as others or feel the same type of sorrow as others. This feeling of isolation seems to have been present in the singer's life from the beginning, as they describe it as being part of their "stormy life". The mystery that binds them still seems to be this sense of otherness and the inability to fit in.
The second stanza of the song continues this idea of being isolated and different, with the singer describing where they draw their inspiration from ("the torrent, or the fountain, / From the red cliff of the mountain, / From the sun that 'round me rolled / In its autumn tint of gold"). The singer seems to find inspiration in the natural world and its power, including the destructive forces of lightning, thunder, and storms. The demons mentioned in the final line of the song could represent the singer's own internal struggles and isolation.
Overall, the lyrics to "Alone" by Arcturus speak to a feeling of being different and isolated from others, and finding solace and inspiration in the natural world.
Line by Line Meaning
From childhood's hour I have not been
Since I was young, I have been different from others around me.
As others were - I have not seen
I don't see the world the same way others do.
As others saw - I could not bring
I couldn't force myself to feel the same passions as others.
My passions from a common spring.
My passions do not come from the same sources as others'.
From the same source I have not taken
My sorrows have not come from the same things that make others sad.
My sorrow; I could not awaken
I cannot force myself to feel joy when others do.
My heart to joy at the same tone;
Others' happiness and source of love don't align with mine.
And all I loved, I loved alone.
I have loved things that others don't understand and could never experience as I do.
Then - in my childhood - in the dawn
When I was young, I became aware of my differences.
Of a most stormy life - was drawn
Life has had many difficult moments that are unique to me.
From every depth of good and ill
Both the good and bad experiences in life have shaped me.
The mystery which binds me still:
The questions surrounding my identity still puzzle me.
From the torrent, or the fountain,
My experiences come from both the overwhelming and the peaceful,
From the red cliff of the mountain,
I have had moments of clarity and revelation,
From the sun that 'round me rolled
I've had moments of radiant happiness and beauty surround me,
In it's autumn tint of gold
that often occur near the end of a season.
From the lightning in the sky
I've been shaped by powerful, sudden moments of inspiration and perspective,
As it passed me flying by
that only briefly influenced me but left a lasting impression.
From the thunder and the storm,
I've been shaped by both the destructive and the rejuvenating forces of life,
And the cloud that took the form
including those moments of doubt or fear that hung over me,
(When the rest of Heavens was blue)
when all else seemed bright and unobstructed.
Of a demon in my view.
that seemed to threaten me or my sense of self in some way, like a demon.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ARTHUR FREED, NACIO HERB BROWN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind