The embry… Read Full Bio ↴Ashram is a neoclassical darkwave band from Naples, Italy.
The embryo of the band was formed in June 1997 when Sergio Panarella and Luigi Rubino first started collecting ideas for the project that would later be known as Ashram. While undergoing the writing process of their first ever release, the duo invited Alfredo Notarloberti, the notorious napolitan violinist, to take their side in this ambitious project. With the line-up complete, the band recorded eleven songs out of which seven were selected and included on the demo "For My Sun", self-released in May'99. The remarkable energy and empathy between these musicians granted them an appearance as the opening track on Energeia's compilation “Intimations of Immortality Vol. 5” with the song "Spirit of the Rising Moon", and drew some media attention to this emmerging band. Shortly after, Ashram signs with the French label Prikosnovenie.
In 2001, the line-up is expanded as Leonardo Massa joins the group on cello, thus completing the ensemble that would participate in the recording of the critically acclaimed debut self-titled album released in the following year. This new release was followed by intense live activity, as the band performed innumerous shows in Italy and even a couple of tours in Portugal. In 2006 they've released their second full-length album "Shining Silver Skies".
5 Steps...
Ashram Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I remember your colours.
A feeling of infinite,
Like slowly falling leaves on a winter's day...
They fly softly,
They dance, they rock me.
And as soon as I manage to follow one's flight,
Another one catches my attention.
Each time in a different way,
They are emotions of your memory that leave me breathless,
They are indelible, everlasting...
I let the leaves fall,
I don't hold - afterall, I can't...
My soul is five steps long...
When, after some little noises upstairs,
With a leap you were five steps from me, 5 steps,
Five,
And the distance covered was the lengh of my soul.
My soul ended there,
It knew where to go,
With no doubts, no hesitations,
One way,
The only way that could be travelled over.
When I held you,
Silence, breaths, symphony of deep whispers,
Light and piercing,
Some things don't have any life to render an account to,
Any loyal gesture, any obligation, any duty to fulfil.
They take you by the hand
And you know you're following yourself,
You know you can't be wrong...
I let the leaves fall,
I don't hold - after all, I can't...
My soul is five steps long...
I want to live five-steps long emotions
That break down on me like a wave,
As if I were a shore to go back to
And then move away from five steps, again and again...
You're like the sea...
The five steps that part us, they measure the precise lengh of my soul...
It is as long as its distance from you...
It ends where you starts,
And there it finishes.
It completes itself.
The song "5 Steps" by Ashram is a reflective and deeply emotive piece that delves into the concept of distance and how it affects our emotions and experiences. In the opening stanza, the singer wakes up and is immediately reminded of someone special through the colors that they represent. The feeling is described as one of infinite beauty that is akin to the falling leaves on a winter's day. The leaves themselves are a metaphor for the emotions that are stirred up by the memory of the person in question. The emotions are so powerful that they leave the singer breathless and unable to hold on to them. The five steps that they mention are representative of the distance that separates them from the person they long for.
As the song progresses, the singer describes how their soul is five steps long and that this is the distance that they are willing to travel for the person they love. The relationship between the two of them is described as symphonic, with their silence and breaths forming a deep and meaningful connection. The five steps that separate them are both finite and infinite at the same time, marking the lengths that the singer will go to be with this person while also acknowledging that distance will never completely disappear.
In conclusion, "5 Steps" is a poignant and powerful song that speaks to the human experience of longing and distance. It reminds us that while we can't always be with the people we love, the emotions and connections that we share with them are long-lasting and unbreakable. The song touches on themes of love, loss, and the impermanence of life, and it is a beautiful meditation on what it means to be human.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake up.
The beginning of a new day, a fresh start.
I remember your colours.
The vivid memories of someone important.
A feeling of infinite,
The overwhelming sensation of never-ending emotions.
Like slowly falling leaves on a winter's day...
The gentle and peaceful imagery of falling leaves on a cold winter's day.
They fly softly,
The leaves fly gently and gracefully through the air.
They dance, they rock me.
The movement of the leaves brings comfort and peace.
And as soon as I manage to follow one's flight,
As soon as one memory surfaces, another follows.
Another one catches my attention.
The flood of memories never seems to end.
Leaves that will never touch the ground - they travel,
The leaves carry the memories through time and space.
Each time in a different way,
Each memory comes with a unique emotion and feeling.
They are emotions of your memory that leave me breathless,
The memories associated with this person are so strong that they consume the singer.
They are indelible, everlasting...
The memories are permanent and will never fade.
I let the leaves fall,
The singer is letting go of the memories and not holding onto them.
I don't hold - after all, I can't...
The singer cannot hold onto something that is intangible.
My soul is five steps long...
The singer's soul is limited in its capacity to feel emotions associated with this person.
When, after some little noises upstairs,
The artist hears someone coming down the stairs.
With a leap you were five steps from me, 5 steps,
The distance of five steps symbolizes the separation between the artist and the other person.
Five,
The number five is significant in its symbolism.
And the distance covered was the length of my soul.
The distance between the singer and the other person is equal to the capacity of the singer's soul.
My soul ended there,
The artist's soul stops at the distance of five steps.
It knew where to go,
The artist's soul was drawn to the other person.
With no doubts, no hesitations,
The artist is certain of their feelings.
One way,
There is only one path for the singer's soul to follow.
The only way that could be travelled over.
The artist's soul has only one destination.
When I held you,
The physical connection between the singer and the other person.
Silence, breaths, symphony of deep whispers,
The intimate moment shared between the singer and the other person.
Light and piercing,
The intensity of the feelings experienced by the singer.
Some things don't have any life to render an account to,
There is no need for an explanation or justification of the emotions felt by the artist.
Any loyal gesture, any obligation, any duty to fulfill.
There is no obligation or duty to be fulfilled.
They take you by the hand
The singer is guided by their feelings towards the other person.
And you know you're following yourself,
The singer's emotions are guiding them without hesitation.
You know you can't be wrong...
The artist trusts their instincts and feelings.
I want to live five-steps long emotions
The artist wants to continue to feel intense emotions associated with the other person.
That break down on me like a wave,
The feelings come with intensity like the waves of the sea.
As if I were a shore to go back to
The singer is the anchor, a constant presence in their relationship.
And then move away from five steps, again and again...
The artist wants to experience the intense emotions repeatedly, drawing close and then pushing away.
You're like the sea...
The other person is compared to the vast and powerful sea.
The five steps that part us,
The distance of five steps causing a separation between the singer and the other person.
They measure the precise length of my soul...
The singer's soul is limited in its capacity to feel emotions associated with the other person.
It is as long as its distance from you...
The magnitude of the artist's feelings for the other person is equivalent to the distance between them.
It ends where you starts,
The artist's soul ends where the other person begins.
And there it finishes.
The singer's journey ends with the other person.
Contributed by Jordan N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.