Performed by Björk with The Icelandic Choir
Based on a … Read Full Bio ↴SONG INFO
Performed by Björk with The Icelandic Choir
Based on a poem by E.E. Cummings called "It may not always be so"
"Basically, there's 'Sonnets', and they have many unrealities, and this is reality number 11. It's like a chunk of poems, and this is one of them. It's kind of him taking the piss of himself, when you make up things that scare you out of nowhere - you're just paranoid. In this particular case it's about him being madly in love with a girl, things are totally euphoric and couldn't be more perfect, and then his mind starts playing games on him. He starts imagining, what if, in five years time or something, she sould meet someone else, and how he would deal with that. He asks his girlfriend then; in five years time, when she meets and falls in love with someone else, and will smell his hair and kiss him and be naked with him and all these things - could she please tell him gently, and then he would go up to her new lover and wish him good luck with his new girlfriend, take his hand and wish him all the happiness in the world, and then walk away. It's sort of "how hard can you make it on yourself", you know? I just think it was sort of funny, because it happens - the few times in your life when you feel you've got it right, your mind start going off on "what happens if this goes wrong?" and this feeling of carrying a chinese vase across a motorway... "oh it's definitely gonna break, I know it's gonna break", and you make it up in your head when everything is actually OK." (Björk, XFM 25aug04)
Sonnets / Unrealities XI
Björk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I say and if your lips
Which I have loved should touch another's
And your dear strong fingers clutch her heart
As mine in time not far away
If on another's face your sweet hair lay
In such a silence as I know
Stand helplessly before the spirit at bay
If this should be, I say
If this should be you of my heart
Send me a little word
That I may go unto her
And take her hands saying
Accept all happiness from me
Then I shall turn my face
And hear one bird sing terribly
Afar in the lost lands
In Björk's song "Sonnets/Unrealities XI," she speaks of a love that is on the verge of ending. She begins by acknowledging that things may not always be the same between the two people in love. She continues by imagining a scenario where her lover's lips touch another's and their fingers clutch the heart of someone new. Even if this happens, she says, it won't be long before she herself is in the same position, with another lover. Then the song takes a melancholic turn as Björk wonders how she will feel if another woman is in her place, lying next to her lover and hearing his sweet words. She wonders whether she'll still be able to acknowledge these words and remain silent, or whether they will break her spirit. If this happens, she pleads with her lover to let her know, so she can go to the new woman and give her a message of happiness and acceptance.
The song concludes with Björk listening to a bird singing in the distance. The bird's terrible cry represents the lost land of love that she has left behind.
Overall, the song's message is one of acceptance and resignation. Björk knows that love is not always forever and that people move on, but she still wants to be able to offer happiness to her old flame's new love.
Line by Line Meaning
It may not always be so
Perhaps things will change.
And I say and if your lips
And if your lips,
Which I have loved should touch another's
Which I loved, should touch hers.
And your dear strong fingers clutch her heart
And your fingers grasp her heart firmly.
As mine in time not far away
As mine will soon enough.
If on another's face your sweet hair lay
If your hair lies on someone else's face.
In such a silence as I know
In the quiet that I'm accustomed to.
Or such great rising words, as uttering overmuch
Or if you're speaking passionately and excessively.
Stand helplessly before the spirit at bay
And you feel apprehensive or helpless.
If this should be, I say
If this happens, I say,
If this should be you of my heart
If it's you who captured my heart.
Send me a little word
Send me a small message.
That I may go unto her
So I can go to her.
And take her hands saying
And I'll take her hands and say,
Accept all happiness from me
Take all the happiness I offer.
Then I shall turn my face
Then I'll turn and leave.
And hear one bird sing terribly
And I'll hear a bird singing sorrowfully.
Afar in the lost lands
In the distant, unknown lands.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: E. E. Cummings, Bjork Gudmundsdottir
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@nogaharel9604
Ever since I hear that song for the first time, many years ago, I felt the words are utterly beautiful, and touching...To be able to let go of our emotional attachment, and to wish nothing but happiness to our lover’s new love, is to reach a higher spiritual level...it is a real nobelness of the soul...
@xris9593
"accept all happiness from me" ... alone... totally alone... heart-breakingly beautiful ...
@yanisp.4892
i don't know why but this makes me feel emotional.
@saloanime
great poem, great song
@JorgeAriasPavez
Wena compadre! Se ganó 3 + con este posteo jajajajajajajajajajaj
@saloanime
tienes tres cuentas distintas ajajaj XD
@sheisinmars4791
It healed me
@SrJass
Tengo un pleno sentimiento de amor/odio por el final de la canción. Que hermosa que es.
@musicsavage
A 2 minutes only masterpiece.
@gatheringleaves
Beautiful, Passionate