- David McCormick (lead singer)
- Alan… Read Full Bio ↴A Rotterdam November is:
- David McCormick (lead singer)
- Alan Schwaderer (keys, guitar, backup vocals)
- Jared Nelson (guitar, backup vocals)
- Andy Baker (bass)
- David Niacaris (drums)
- Dylan Anitok (guitar, backup vocals)
The band formed in late 2006, Boise, Idaho.
Their name alludes to what happened in the aftermath of the bombing of the city of Rotterdam during WWII. After the heart of the venerable city had been completely destroyed, architects reconstructed it from scratch. The band's name reflects the interpretation of this idea of "an old city with a new heart" as a Christian metaphor for the renewing transformation of a heart damaged by sin.
Unraveling Of A Tragedy
A Rotterdam November Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two dark eyes stare back at me, they tell the story
of a past I can't erase.
God, I come before you. My life is shattered glass.
I wish I had more for you, but unfortunately, this is
all I've got left.
Chorus:
I can't let go, no I cannot forgive, I hate the man
hands many more tragedies lie within.
I'd rather feel pain, just to feel again. It's been so long, I actually don't remember how much my
chains weigh.
I may be breathing, but don't for once think I'm
alive. I may have even dreamed once, but all trace
of that is gone from inside my eyes.
Chorus
Bridge:
Do you think you could send the rain, to wash me
clean, turn the battlefields green again.
I can't let go, no I cannot forgive, I hate the man
living inside my skin. In bloody fields and dirty
hands many more miracles lie within.
In this song, A Rotterdam November describes the emotional turmoil of a person who is haunted by their past and is unable to move on. The artist uses vivid imagery to convey the pain the person feels, such as the tears rolling down their face and their shattered life being compared to broken glass. The two dark eyes staring back at the person tell the story of their past, which they are unable to erase. The person is looking at themselves in the mirror and feels a deep sense of sorrow and despair.
The chorus is powerful and captures the intensity of the person's emotions. They feel hatred towards themselves, unable to forgive the man living inside their skin. The person has experienced tragedy and has seen more tragedies lie within the bloody fields and dirty hands. They would rather feel pain just to feel something again, as they have been numb for so long. The person is breathing but not truly alive, having lost all trace of hope and dreams.
In the bridge, the person is pleading for help from a higher power, asking for the rain to wash them clean and turn the battlefields green again. Despite the plea for help, the person is ultimately unable to let go or forgive themselves.
Overall, the song illustrates the intense pain and struggle of someone who is unable to move on from their past, despite desperately wanting to. It is a powerful representation of the human experience.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm looking at a mirror. Tears roll down my face.
As I stare at my own reflection, tears flow down my cheeks.
Two dark eyes stare back at me, they tell the story of a past I can't erase.
As I look into the eyes staring back at me, they reveal a past that I wish I could forget but can't.
God, I come before you. My life is shattered glass.
I pray to God as my life feels completely broken like shattered glass.
I wish I had more for you, but unfortunately, this is all I've got left.
Despite my efforts, all that remains of my life is what I have right now.
Chorus: I can't let go, no I cannot forgive, I hate the man living inside my skin. In bloody fields and dirty hands many more tragedies lie within.
I am unable to move on or forgive myself, as I despise the person I have become. More tragedies will likely occur due to my own self-destructive tendencies.
I'd rather feel pain, just to feel again. It's been so long, I actually don't remember how much my chains weigh.
I would rather experience pain than feel nothing at all. I have been carrying my burdens for so long that it's hard to remember how heavy they truly are.
I may be breathing, but don't for once think I'm alive. I may have even dreamed once, but all trace of that is gone from inside my eyes.
Though I am still alive, I am merely existing and not truly living. Any hope or ambition I once had has vanished and my eyes show no sign of life.
Chorus
The chorus repeats the previously stated feelings of inability to move on, self-hatred, and expectation of future tragedies.
Bridge: Do you think you could send the rain, to wash me clean, turn the battlefields green again.
In an attempt to start anew, I ask for a cleansing rain to wash my soul and bring new life to the barren, battle-ridden land around me.
I can't let go, no I cannot forgive, I hate the man living inside my skin. In bloody fields and dirty hands many more miracles lie within.
The last chorus repeats the same feelings, but this time replacing 'tragedies' with 'miracles,' implying a faint hope that something good may come from the pain and suffering.
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.