Leanan Sidhe
Boiled in Lead Lyrics
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Devils were on my trail.
Leanan sidhe let me be.
Ain't got time to listen
Ain't got eyes to see.
Leanan sidhe let me be.
Watch the storm clouds, they're telling me to run
I hear the wind say to hide.
A thousand accusations of all the things I've done
Are after me demanding I be tried.
Towards dawn I saw the ashes
Of birches long since dead.
Leanan sidhe let me be.
I left them clutching shadows;
Left my curse unsaid.
Leanan sidhe come to me.
Watch the trail, now, it's coming to an end
The river speaks the terms of my fate
I can hear the laughter of the falcon and the wren
I fear my repentance comes too late.
The lyrics to Boiled in Lead's song "Leanan Sidhe" tell a story of a man who is running from something, possibly from his own past and the things he has done. He begs the Leanan Sidhe, a fairy woman from Irish mythology known for inspiring poets and musicians but also for being deadly, to let him be, as he doesn't have time to listen to her or see her. He feels pursued by a thousand accusations of his wrongdoings, which demand him to be tried. The storm clouds and the wind seem to warn him to run and hide, but towards dawn, he sees the ashes of dead birches, a symbol of his past and the destruction he has caused. He regrets leaving his "curse unsaid" and now calls for the Leanan Sidhe to come to him.
As the trail comes to an end and the river speaks the terms of his fate, he hears the laughter of the falcon and the wren, which might signify his impending judgment. He fears that his "repentance comes too late" and he will have to face the consequences of his actions. The lyrics create a sense of urgency and desperation, as well as a strong connection to Irish folklore and mythology.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I left there running like a thousand
I ran away as fast as I could, feeling like I was being chased by countless malevolent entities.
Devils were on my trail.
I felt like I was being pursued by demons or other evil spirits.
Leanan sidhe let me be.
I implored the Leanan Sidhe, a fairy from Irish mythology known for captivating and ultimately destroying artists and poets, to leave me alone.
Ain't got time to listen
I didn't have any spare time to devote to anything beyond my escape.
Ain't got eyes to see.
I was so focused on getting away that I didn't have the capacity to take in my surroundings.
Watch the storm clouds, they're telling me to run
I saw that the brewing storm was going to be dangerous and decided to flee.
I hear the wind say to hide.
I listened to the wind's warning to find a place to take cover.
A thousand accusations of all the things I've done
I felt like I was being blamed for a huge number of misdeeds.
Are after me demanding I be tried.
My pursuers were clamouring for my arrest and punishment.
Towards dawn I saw the ashes
As the sun rose, I saw the remnants of burnt trees.
Of birches long since dead.
These were the ashes of birch trees that had been dead for a long time.
I left them clutching shadows;
I didn't take any tangible mementos with me when I left the area around the burnt trees.
Left my curse unsaid.
I didn't vocalize my fears, frustrations, or anger.
Leanan sidhe come to me.
I changed my previous plea and welcomed the Leanan Sidhe to approach me.
Watch the trail, now, it's coming to an end
The path I was on was approaching its conclusion.
The river speaks the terms of my fate
I saw the river as a symbol of my predetermined destiny.
I can hear the laughter of the falcon and the wren
I hear the mocking and gleeful laughter of birds, which are symbolic of my impending doom.
I fear my repentance comes too late.
I'm afraid that I waited too long to try and make amends for my past transgressions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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