A Thousand Towers White
Dragonland Lyrics


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[Music: Holmlid, Mörck; Lyrics: Mörck]

["The coast of the Southlands stretches countless miles, with jagged rocks like a Dragon's teeth, hopeless marshlands and many pirate coves of sea-borne bandits. But such was not the sight that the Islander saw when he finally laid his weary eyes upon dry land. The fabled beaches just a day's ride south of Westmar with their soft dunes seemed so much like those he had left at home, or even of the Ivory Shores which his uncle had once seen in his youth. Utterly exhausted when he touched upon firm ground and still mourning his lost friends, he could still barely contain himself. For he was well aware what mighty a sight and many-spired radiancy that lay to the north; the jewel of the west, the pride of men - the Royal City of Westmar"]

I raise up my head and gaze upon silvery seashores
with the sand on my feet and with the sun on my back
For days the coast leads my journey shining in the misty dew I see
There, a thousand spires
Glowing like fire in the sun
I see them rising o'er these open plains
And I know I shall remember forever
how I saw a thousand towers white

When young I was told
Of a city of might and of honour
An empire's crown, as powerful as it was feared
And now as I stand before her
I set my eyes upon a waking dream

There, a thousand spires
Gleaming like ice in the sun
I see them rising o'er these open plains
And I know I shall remember forever
how I saw a thousand towers white

Mirrorlike gates stretch before me
blazing serene in the dawn
Split open for vast lines of many men
I gaze beyond in bewilderment

Shattered hearts and dreams
crushed by grievous tyranny
Crumbling homes and screams
among corrupted industry

[Solo: Mörck]

A sinister reign
brother is turned against brother
irrational fear enslaved the dwarves and the elves

What lies beyond such opression?
shining towers cast a shade on me

There, a thousand spires
Glowing like fire in the sun
but I see no honour in these broken men




yet I know I will remember forever
how I saw a thousand towers white

Overall Meaning

The song "A Thousand Towers White" by Dragonland has a narrative structure where a character, referred to as the Islander, discovers the Royal City of Westmar in his journey. The lyrics describe his amazement at the sight of the city's towers and his expectation of seeing a place of might and honor. However, the view of the city is contrasted with the reality of the oppression and corruption that lies beneath it. The Islander sees "shattered hearts and dreams," as well as "crumbling homes and screams" among the city's corrupted industry. The symbolism of the towers represents the facade of power and splendor that conceals the truth about the city's state of affairs.


The lyrics suggest that the Islander's view of Westmar is a reflection of his perception of the world he lives in. He believed that the city was a symbol of power and honor, but upon closer inspection, he discovered that there was a deeper and darker truth beneath that facade. The contrasting imagery of the towers glowing like fire and gleaming like ice in the sun reinforces this idea of the duality of appearances versus reality.


Overall, the song is a commentary on the nature of power, the danger of blind faith in authority, and the underbelly of corruption that too often plagues societies.


Line by Line Meaning

I raise up my head and gaze upon silvery seashores
I lift my head to look at the shiny beaches by the sea


with the sand on my feet and with the sun on my back
I feel the sand under my feet and the sun shining on my back


For days the coast leads my journey shining in the misty dew I see
For many days, I have traveled along the coast, where the shimmering beaches sparkle in the mist


There, a thousand spires
There are many tall towers


Glowing like fire in the sun
They shine brightly in the sunlight


I see them rising o'er these open plains
I see them towering over the open plains


And I know I shall remember forever
I am sure that I will remember this forever


how I saw a thousand towers white
how I saw many white towers


When young I was told
When I was young, I was told


Of a city of might and of honour
About a powerful and honorable city


An empire's crown, as powerful as it was feared
A city that was both powerful and intimidating, like the crown of an empire


And now as I stand before her
And now that I stand before the city


I set my eyes upon a waking dream
It feels like I am experiencing a dream come true


Gleaming like ice in the sun
The towers sparkle like ice in the sunlight


Mirrorlike gates stretch before me
Gates that are smooth and shiny are in front of me


blazing serene in the dawn
They shine brightly in the calm morning light


Split open for vast lines of many men
The gates open up for a large crowd of people


I gaze beyond in bewilderment
I look beyond, feeling confused and surprised


Shattered hearts and dreams
People's dreams and hearts have been broken


crushed by grievous tyranny
They were destroyed by cruel oppression


Crumbling homes and screams
Homes are falling apart and people are screaming


among corrupted industry
In a place where the industry is corrupt


A sinister reign
A cruel and evil rule


brother is turned against brother
People are fighting against those who they should be united with


irrational fear enslaved the dwarves and the elves
Fear made the dwarves and elves become slaves


What lies beyond such opression?
What is there beyond this oppressive regime?


shining towers cast a shade on me
Even though the towers are shining, I still feel like I am in a shadow


but I see no honour in these broken men
I don't see any honor in these defeated men


yet I know I will remember forever
But I am certain that I will remember this forever


how I saw a thousand towers white
how I saw many white towers




Contributed by Lauren B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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