Musically reminiscent at times of Bon Iver’s atmosphere heavy For Emma, Forever Ago or the Grateful Dead’s “Mountains of the Moon” from their 1969 release Aoxomoxoa, the sonic landscape of the band's album Seven Sisters is sparse but far from empty. On tracks like “Khima,” “Borderline” and “Brother, Sister,” the slow scrawl of the banjo melody floats through the song and surrounds you like birdsong, coming at you predictably but surprisingly from several directions at once. Each of the songs on this album stays with you, forming a soundtrack for and changing the shape of the rest of your day.
It’s appropriate that a debut album concern itself with creation and Seven Sisters is no exception. Whether it is the creation of love and a place for that love, as the narrative of the album suggests; or the creation of the universe, as the album’s title and repetition of astronomical and astrological imagery suggests; Beta Radio’s lyrics and music carve out a space in your head and find a way to fit into your own cosmology.
Lyrically, Seven Sisters explores religion, albeit from a couch rather than a pulpit. The religious allusions are subtle and unobtrusive, concerning themselves more with mysticism than proselytization, much like David Eugene Edwards’ 16 Horsepower and Wovenhand.
Line for line, the lyrics are beautiful and surprising. In “A Place for Me” the lines “I wanted not to fight / With my heart but I’ll fight with my fists all night” evoke the heartache of leaving, of lovers’ spats of loss and regret.
The album leaves you with a simple but urgent lyric refrain in “Return to Darden Road”– “Where do you go? / Come back to me / ‘Cause I love you so.” Review by deckfight
Kilimanjaro
Beta Radio Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
come yellow dawn summer's gone it never was staying
seems all is clear waking here above the beaches
it leaves turns with years reappears yellow as peaches
time will still ring as you bring forward your best man
all that was wrong has just gone before it began
now your display june to may you're making me wonder
gone in life i have been carried all the way
taught to say if it's only me i'll go
i didn't know you are a territorial
bird of prey if it's only me i'll stay
dipping robes into blood watching horses run
walking numb if it's only me i'll lie
all walk by into the war memorial
but i won't go out of kilimanjaro
The lyrics of Beta Radio's song Kilimanjaro are quite perplexing, as they seem to be based on a somewhat enigmatic narrative. It's difficult to identify a specific symbolic structure to the lyrics or to attribute specific meaning to them. Nonetheless, the overall impression of the lyrics is that of a deeply introspective, contemplative tone, almost like poetry capturing moments of life.
The song seems to revolve around a profound sense of uncertainty about the future, with the singer looking out over the vast expanse of nature, seemingly waiting for something to happen. There is a tangible feeling of nostalgia throughout the song. The line "summer's gone it never was staying" suggests that the singer is yearning for happier times that have since passed and knows that they probably won't come back again. The line "all that was wrong has just gone before it began" could imply that the singer has left behind a difficult past, but is now trying to put his/her life back on track.
As the song progresses, the singer seems to be coming to terms with the present condition. The line "gone in life I have carried all the way" reveals a sense of acceptance, almost as if the singer has given up trying to control the circumstances in life. The singer is aware that sometimes one has to let go and accept the imperfections of life. The song ends on a somber note with the last line "but I won't go out of Kilimanjaro," suggesting that the singer may be going through some internal struggle, but is still determined to stay afloat and overcome his/her struggles.
Line by Line Meaning
on kilimanjaro on fuji i'm waiting
I am waiting on top of Kilimanjaro and Fuji mountains
come yellow dawn summer's gone it never was staying
Summer has passed, and the yellow dawn has arrived. The summer felt like it never stayed for long.
seems all is clear waking here above the beaches
Everything seems so clear to me as I am awake on a high point overlooking the beaches.
it leaves turns with years reappears yellow as peaches
As time passes, things change their colors and shape, just like how yellow peaches reappear every year.
time will still ring as you bring forward your best man
Even though time passes, your accomplishments and successes will always be remembered.
all that was wrong has just gone before it began
Anything that was wrong in the past is gone, and it feels like it never even started.
now your display june to may you're making me wonder
Your display is from June to May, which makes me wonder how I could have stayed in the shadow of anything else.
how i could stay in the shade of anything other
I cannot understand how I was content with living in the shadow of something else.
gone in life i have been carried all the way
In my life, I have been carried through and not lived fully by myself.
taught to say if it's only me i'll go
I was taught to think that if I am alone in anything, then I should leave or not be a part of it.
i didn't know you are a territorial
I did not know that you were a territorial person.
bird of prey if it's only me i'll stay
I will stay if I am by myself, as you can be very possessive and territorial.
dipping robes into blood watching horses run
I am witnessing violence and bloodshed while observing horses running.
walking numb if it's only me i'll lie
I feel emotionally numb, and if I am going to be alone, then I will just lie down.
all walk by into the war memorial
Everyone else is walking towards the war memorial.
but i won't go out of kilimanjaro
But I will not leave Kilimanjaro.
Contributed by Lily O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Caleb Trevatt
Favourite song of the year so far! Thanks guys.
Clara
Love this song
john143777
Truly gem! abusing the repeat button..haha
Being Dee
on kilimanjaro on fuji i'm waiting
come yellow dawn summer's gone it never was staying
seems all is clear waking here above the beaches
it leaves turns with years reappears yellow as peaches
time will still ring as you bring forward your best man
all that was wrong has just gone before it began
now your display june to may you're making me wonder
how i could stay in the shade of anything other
gone in life i have been carried all the way
taught to say if it's only me i'll go
i didn't know you are a territorial
bird of prey if it's only me i'll stay
dipping robes into blood watching horses run
walking numb if it's only me i'll lie
all walk by into the war memorial
but i won't go out of kilimanjaro
陳志華
天氣冷老人家比較容易中風
Gabrielle Aplin
ı love ya
陳志華
要大地震了
陳志華
呂學樟買票