One is an independent … Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple bands with the name Canoe.
One is an independent indie folk rock band based in Portland, Oregon. Their first album, out January 10th, 2008, is called Places. Their second, out June 21st, 2009, is called The Goldminer.
Canoe is often touted as a mix between Death Cab for Cutie and James Taylor. Influences include Coldplay, David Bazan, Sufjan Stevens, and Iron and Wine.
Holland 1945
Canoe Lyrics
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Was born with roses in her eyes
But then they buried her alive
One evening, 1945
With just her sister at her side
And only weeks before the guns
All came and rained on everyone
Now she's a little boy in Spain
On empty rings around the sun
All sing to say my dream has come
But now we must pick up every piece
Of the life we used to love
Just to keep ourselves
At least enough to carry on
And now we ride the circus wheel
With your dark brother wrapped in white
Says it was good to be alive
But now he rides a comet′s flame
And won't be coming back again
The Earth looks better from a star
That's right above from where you are
He didn′t mean to make you cry
With sparks that ring and bullets fly
On empty rings around your heart
The world just screams and falls apart
But now we must pick up every piece
Of the life we used to love
Just to keep ourselves
At least enough to carry on
And here′s where your mother sleeps
And here is the room where your brothers were born
Indentions in the sheets
Where their bodies once moved but don't move anymore
And it′s so sad to see the world agree
That they'd rather see their faces fill with flies
All when I′d want to keep white roses in their eyes
The lyrics to Canoe's song Holland 1945 describe a tragic love story set against the backdrop of World War II. The singer describes his love for a girl who was "born with roses in her eyes", but who was buried alive by the horrors of war. He imagines her now as a little boy in Spain, playing pianos filled with flames on empty rings around the sun.
The song then shifts to a more universal perspective, as the singer describes the need to "pick up every piece of the life we used to love" in order to carry on. He speaks of "riding the circus wheel" with his "dark brother wrapped in white", and notes the sadness of seeing the world agree that it is better to see faces fill with flies than to keep white roses in their eyes.
Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the destructive nature of war, and the need to hold onto love and hope even in the face of tragedy and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
The only girl I've ever loved
The singer's true love in life
Was born with roses in her eyes
She was born with natural beauty and grace
But then they buried her alive
She died a tragic death and was buried hastily
One evening, 1945
The year and the time of the tragic incident
With just her sister at her side
The only person with her in her last moments
And only weeks before the guns
The tragedy occurred just a few weeks prior to the end of the war
All came and rained on everyone
A metaphor for the destruction and devastation caused by the war
Now she's a little boy in Spain
A new identity for the deceased
Playing pianos filled with flames
A metaphor for the passion and creativity that was lost
On empty rings around the sun
A metaphor for the infinite void left by her death
All sing to say my dream has come
A hopeful note in a song that recounts a personal tragedy
But now we must pick up every piece
The artist and his loved ones must carry on despite the tragedy
Of the life we used to love
The memory of the past life that was lost forever
Just to keep ourselves
A motivation to keep going despite the heartbreak
At least enough to carry on
The bare minimum needed to survive and move forward
And now we ride the circus wheel
A metaphor for the ups and downs of life
With your dark brother wrapped in white
A reference to death
Says it was good to be alive
A sentiment expressed by the deceased before passing away
But now he rides a comet's flame
The afterlife or another plane of existence
And won't be coming back again
A final farewell
The Earth looks better from a star
A new perspective that comes with the passage of time
That's right above from where you are
A sense of detachment that comes with the new perspective
He didn't mean to make you cry
A sense of regret or guilt over causing pain to loved ones
With sparks that ring and bullets fly
A metaphor for the chaos and destruction of war
On empty rings around your heart
The emotional emptiness that follows personal tragedies
The world just screams and falls apart
The chaos and turmoil in the wake of tragedies
And here's where your mother sleeps
A personal connection to loss
And here is the room where your brothers were born
Another personal connection to the past
Indentions in the sheets
A sign of what once was, but is no more
Where their bodies once moved but don't move anymore
A powerful image of loss and finality
And it's so sad to see the world agree
A sense of shared sorrow and mourning
That they'd rather see their faces fill with flies
A commentary on the futility of war and the pain it causes
All when I'd want to keep white roses in their eyes
A personal desire to hold on to memories of the loved ones who passed away
Writer(s): Jeff Mangum
Contributed by Brooklyn D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.