When
DeLange Ilse Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
An empty space, an empty heart
Reaching for forever
Without a place to start
Before me there's this angel
Who's too afraid to cry
Her wings they have been broken
Before me there's an ocean
I'm familiar with it's blue
It's beyond my every notion
I know its depth is true
Before me there's a mountain
I have to climb to see
But I know there will be waiting
A better view of you and me
When I've swam across the ocean
When I've climbed the mountain top
When I've seen the angel flying
Then I can die to heal your heart
Above me there's an endless sky
But the clouds are never still
In every way like you
Do we love the thing we kill?
Can we fight the doubts we keep alive?
Can we overcome all fear?
Is the battle ever over?
Is it ever really over?
When I don't try to stop the sky
When I let the clouds be free
When nothing scares me anymore
And I killed the doubt in me
When I've swam across the ocean
When I've climbed the mountain top
When I've seen the angel flying
Then I can die to heal your heart
Before me there was nothing
Empty space, an empty heart
Reaching for forever
Without a place to start
Before me there's this angel
Who's too afraid to cry
And her wings they had been broken
And now I watch her fly
The song 'When' by DeLange Ilse is a poignant portrayal of the challenges and uncertainties that we face in life. The opening lines of the song depict an emptiness that we all feel at some point in our lives, a void that we struggle to fill. However, the song also conveys a sense of hope in the face of adversity. It encourages us to keep pushing forward, to keep striving towards our goals even when the path ahead seems uncertain.
The song is made up of a series of vivid metaphors that explore different aspects of life. For instance, the ocean is used to signify the vast and unknown future that looms before us while the mountain represents the obstacles that we must overcome to achieve our dreams. Similarly, the 'angel' in the song is a metaphor for the parts of ourselves that we must heal and nurture to attain true freedom and happiness.
Perhaps the most striking part of the song is its final lines. The artist suggests that only when we have swam across oceans, climbed mountains, and seen angels fly can we truly be ready to heal the hearts of those around us. The song thus urges us to keep pushing ourselves to reach our full potential, to harness the strength within ourselves to make the world a better place.
Line by Line Meaning
Before me there is nothing
I am facing a blank canvas with no direction
An empty space, an empty heart
My heart is void of purpose
Reaching for forever
I am seeking something that transcends time
Without a place to start
I lack a point of reference to initiate my journey
Before me there's this angel
There is a fragile spirit standing in front of me
Who's too afraid to cry
This spirit is too scared to express its vulnerability
Her wings they have been broken
Past circumstances have left this spirit fragile and weak
Help me teach her how to fly
I want to guide this spirit towards a path of growth
Before me there's an ocean
There is a vast body of water obstructing my progression
I'm familiar with it's blue
I am aware of this obstacle and its nature
It's beyond my every notion
It surpasses my understanding of its magnitude
I know its depth is true
I am aware of the treacherous nature of this obstacle
Before me there's a mountain
There is an insurmountable peak on my path
I have to climb to see
I need to overcome this obstacle in order to progress
But I know there will be waiting
I am optimistic that something worthwhile will be found after overcoming it
A better view of you and me
I will gain a new perspective of our situation when I reach the peak
Above me there's an endless sky
There is an infinite space beyond what I can see
But the clouds are never still
These skies are in constant motion and difficult to grasp
In every way like you
This seems analogous to our stifled relationship
Do we love the thing we kill?
Do we unconsciously self-sabotage the things we care about?
Can we fight the doubts we keep alive?
Can we overcome our internal dissension?
Can we overcome all fear?
Is it possible to conquer all our anxieties?
Is the battle ever over?
Will we ever be emotionally content?
Is it ever really over?
Is emotional healing ever truly complete?
When I don't try to stop the sky
When I stop resisting the inevitability of life
When I let the clouds be free
When I let go of my control of a situation
When nothing scares me anymore
When I am finally free of my fears
And I killed the doubt in me
When I have eradicated my own self-doubt
And now I watch her fly
Now, I witness the growth of the previously fragile spirit
When I've swam across the ocean
When I have overcome my most challenging obstacle
When I've climbed the mountain top
When I have reached the pinnacle of my journey
When I've seen the angel flying
When I have witnessed personal growth occur in others
Then I can die to heal your heart
At this point, I am ready and willing to sacrifice myself for the betterment of others
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: ILSE DE LANGE, PATRICK LEONARD, PATRICK RAYMOND LEONARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nadia Kristensen
Even with broken wings, we'll find a way to fly , first tattoo i ever got, several years ago, 15 years ago, i just knew, i had to have that tattoo, and so its there, om my back, covered with a tattoo af a native american and a Phoenix rising above