Nightfall
Amorphis Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

As a rot to rape the spring sown seed
A plague sprang forth of his tracks
Churns ran red when cows milked blood
And famine cracked poor backs

Who would hear a lament sad
Under the bright blue sky
That's sung in hovels dark and low
With eyes too weak to cry

But horror be the nightfall's gloom
For the man upon the road
When moon doth laugh at worthless lives
Twice hard for all promise showed

Empty stare upon his face
Nine fathoms deep




He set upon the road again
On ground that bears no seed

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Nightfall" by Amorphis tell a story of a disastrous event that leads to despair and horror. The lines "As a rot to rape the spring sown seed, A plague sprang forth of his tracks, Churns ran red when cows milked blood, And famine cracked poor backs" describe a situation where a plague has spread and affected crops, cattle, and people, leading to a shortage of food and a difficult, impoverished existence.


The following lines speak of the sadness and despair of those affected by the plague: "Who would hear a lament sad, Under the bright blue sky, That's sung in hovels dark and low, With eyes too weak to cry." The chorus speaks of the horror that falls upon the man on the road when the night descends and the moon shines "twice hard for all promise showed." The final lines speak of the isolation and emptiness of the man who is now walking on barren land, "Empty stare upon his face, Nine fathoms deep, He set upon the road again, On ground that bears no seed."


The lyrics of "Nightfall" are poetic and evocative, offering a powerful vision of despair and hopelessness. The themes of the song explore the pain of loss and isolation, which are universal human experiences. The song is notable for its melancholic tone, which is emphasized by the use of melodic, haunting music.


Line by Line Meaning

As a rot to rape the spring sown seed
The destruction caused by an evil force is likened to the spoiling of newly planted crops during the spring season.


A plague sprang forth of his tracks
The actions of the evil force give rise to a widespread and devastating outbreak of disease.


Churns ran red when cows milked blood
Even the animals suffer from the destruction, as their milk turns into blood.


And famine cracked poor backs
The widespread famine caused by the destruction takes a severe toll on the physical and emotional well-being of the people.


Who would hear a lament sad
There are very few people who would take time to listen to a sorrowful song.


Under the bright blue sky
Even though the sky is clear and bright, people still suffer in the darkness.


That's sung in hovels dark and low
The lament is sung in places of poverty and desperation, where people have little hope.


With eyes too weak to cry
People in these impoverished places have exhausted all of their tears and no longer have the energy to weep.


But horror be the nightfall's gloom
The darkness of nightfall brings with it a sense of terror and dread.


For the man upon the road
The person traveling on the road becomes especially vulnerable to the terrors of the night.


When moon doth laugh at worthless lives
The full moon, which is often associated with madness and bizarre happenings, seems to mock the insignificant and meaningless nature of human life.


Twice hard for all promise showed
The suffering and struggles are made even more difficult because there was once hope and promise for a better future.


Empty stare upon his face
The person's facial expression shows a sense of emptiness or hopelessness.


Nine fathoms deep
The person feels trapped in a deep hole or abyss of despair.


He set upon the road again
Despite the hardships and struggles, the person continues to press on and move forward.


On ground that bears no seed
The road ahead is barren and lacks the potential for growth or prosperity.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ESA HOLOPAINEN, OLLI-PEKKA LAINE, PASI KOSKINEN, TOMI KOIVUSAARI, VELI PEKKA KASARI

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found