The Chronicles of Sarnia
Final Fantasy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To keep your love away
The pages worn with all of my faults
The cover torn away
I gave my life to the Water God
For an apprenticeship
Answering his mail and his door
For nyads, hyppogryphs, after...
Midwinter Banquet, he shook his head
"Sadly, no,
I can reverse the river's flow,
but I can never send you home."
I had to hide myself in a book
to keep your love away
When you read me, I get to look
Back at my younger days
The Chronicles of Sarnia is a song that speaks to the pain of heartache and the lengths that one might go to in order to protect themselves from it. The opening lines suggest that the singer has essentially hidden themselves away in a book as a way of shielding themselves from the pain caused by a relationship that ended badly. The pages of the book are described as being worn with the singer's faults, and the cover torn away, indicating perhaps that the relationship with which they associate the book was fraught with difficulties.
The second half of the song takes on a more fantastical tone, as the singer describes giving their life to the Water God in exchange for an apprenticeship. They go on to describe answering mail and door for various mythical creatures, but it is the Water God who ultimately delivers the most devastating news - that he can reverse the river's flow, but he can never send the singer home. It seems that the fantasy world described in the song is a means of escape for the singer, a place in which they can immerse themselves and forget about the heartbreak that they experienced in the real world.
Line by Line Meaning
I had to hide myself in a book
I couldn't bear your love anymore, so I retreated to a book
To keep your love away
I used the book as a shield to protect myself from your affection
The pages worn with all of my faults
The book has become tattered and worn over time, just like me as a person
The cover torn away
Even the cover of the book, meant to protect and disguise me, has been ripped and ruined
I gave my life to the Water God
I devoted myself to serving the Water God completely
For an apprenticeship
In exchange, I was given an opportunity to study and learn from the Water God
Answering his mail and his door
My duties included mundane tasks like answering the Water God's mail and doorbell
For nyads, hyppogryphs, after...
But I also got to interact with magical beings like nyads and hyppogryphs, among others
Midwinter Banquet, he shook his head
At the event, the Water God expressed disappointment
"Sadly, no,
He explained that there was no way to make things right
I can reverse the river's flow,
Despite his immense power, he was not able to solve my problems
but I can never send you home."
His explanation revealed that I was stuck in my current predicament permanently
When you read me, I get to look
The book allowed me to revisit my past and relive my youth
Back at my younger days
I could reflect on happier, simpler times through the pages of the book
Contributed by Anthony D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.