Growing up in Malibu, California, she began learning the violin at the age of four and left regular school five years later with the goal of becoming a world-class violinist; she practiced eight or nine hours a day and read a wide range of literature. Progressing to writing her own music, she studied under various teachers and went to Indiana University, which she left over issues regarding the relationship between classical music and the appearance of the performer. Through her own independent label Traitor Records, Autumn debuted with her classical album On a Day: Music for Violin & Continuo, followed by the release in 2003 of her album Enchant.
She appeared in singer Courtney Love's backing band on her 2004 America's Sweetheart tour and returned to Europe. She released the 2006 album Opheliac with the German label Trisol Music Group. In 2007, she released Laced/Unlaced; the re-release of On a Day... appeared as Laced with songs on the electric violin as Unlaced. She later left Trisol to join New York-based The End Records in 2009 and release Opheliac in the United States, where previously it had only been available as an import. Currently she is on tour to promote her newest album Fight Like A Girl. She played the role of Painted Doll in Darren Lynn Bousman's 2012 film The Devil's Carnival.
By The Sword
Emilie Autumn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Searching mountains, fields, and meadows green
What is it my heart can hope to find
All I long for I have never seen
Tales of glory written in the dust
Tapestries of deepest purple gold
Legends carved in stone tell me I must
Journey through the mist and bitter cold
My companions I have never known
Blindly running forth, is honor worth
Endless hours of silence spent alone?
But in this brotherhood I still believe
And for the ones we've lost my soul will grieve
Yet through the world alone I wander for I know somewhere
I will find my brothers, by the sword I swear
In my memory awakening
Like a dream too sweet to cast away
Shadows of the past begin to sing
Calling out to me in their gallant way
Come away with us brother in arms
Through the seas of silver, fields of gold
Join us as we battle those who harm
And fight with valour as in days of old
But in this brotherhood I still believe
And for the ones we've lost my soul will grieve
Yet through the world alone I wander for I know somewhere
I will find my brothers, by the sword I swear
Seeking in the corners of the earth
My companions I have never known
Blindly running forth, is honor worth
Endless hours of silence spent alone?
But in this brotherhood I still believe
And for the ones we've lost my soul will grieve
Yet through the world alone I wander for I know somewhere
I will find my brothers, by the sword I swear
Rescue damsels fine and maidens fair
Free the noble who have done no wrong
Though it seems the world may little care
Some are left that to the Round belong
But in this brotherhood we still believe
And for the ones we've lost our souls will grieve
Yet through the world alone we wander for we know somewhere
We will find our brothers, by the sword we swear
By the sword I swear
I will find my brothers
I will find my sisters
I will find my brothers
I will find my sisters
By the sword I swear
The song "By The Sword" by Emilie Autumn describes the journey of a restless soul in search of meaning and purpose in life. The singer is searching for something he or she has never seen, and believes that the only way to find it is to embark on an arduous quest, journeying through harsh landscapes and battling foes along the way. The lyrics are inspired by tales of chivalry from the middle ages, where knights swore oaths of loyalty to their kings and participated in epic battles.
Throughout the song, the singer expresses the belief in a brotherhood, one in which he or she still believes despite having lost some of its members. The song's chorus is a vow to find these brothers and sisters, "by the sword," indicating that the singer is willing to fight for this cause. Despite the dangerous journey and the loneliness that accompanies it, the cause is still worth fighting for in the singer's mind.
Line by Line Meaning
Days of old, I tell my restless mind
Reflecting on past times, I ponder the unknown
Searching mountains, fields, and meadows green
Exploring the world for something that is yet unseen
What is it my heart can hope to find
Questioning the purpose of my journey and what lies behind
All I long for I have never seen
Desiring a fulfillment that I have never keen
Tales of glory written in the dust
Stories of triumph that may have been left in the past
Tapestries of deepest purple gold
Riches from a time that is no longer told
Legends carved in stone tell me I must
Whispers from history that I cannot ignore or mistrust
Journey through the mist and bitter cold
Embarking on a challenging path that is dark and lonely to behold
Seeking in the corners of the earth
Looking in all the distant places where my search may have worth
My companions I have never known
There is no one who understands why I have grown
Blindly running forth, is honor worth
Chasing an idealisitic dream, is it worth losing what I'm worth
Endless hours of silence spent alone?
Isolation and quietness, where no voice or sound has been shown
But in this brotherhood I still believe
Despite my lonely journey, I still believe in the bond of family
And for the ones we've lost my soul will grieve
Paying respect for those who have gone, for they will always be in my memory
Yet through the world alone I wander for I know somewhere
Continuing my path alone, for I know deep down that somewhere out there
I will find my brothers, by the sword I swear
I will be reunited with my loved ones, even if it's through battle that we share
In my memory awakening
Memories of the past, starting to surface from deep within
Like a dream too sweet to cast away
Reminiscing about moments gone by, a memory that will always stay
Shadows of the past begin to sing
Echoes of history, resurfacing to bring
Calling out to me in their gallant way
An invitation to join in the fight, to bring about change and display
Come away with us brother in arms
Join us in the quest to bring balance and break all that harms
Through the seas of silver, fields of gold
Together we will travel far, through oceans and lands, exploring all bold
Join us as we battle those who harm
Fighting tyrants and injustice, protecting the innocent from harm
And fight with valour as in days of old
Fighting with bravery and courage, as in the legendary tales of old
Rescue damsels fine and maidens fair
Saving those in distress, with kindness and care
Free the noble who have done no wrong
Setting the innocent free, giving them the right to remain strong
Though it seems the world may little care
Even when the world doesn't show any interest or flare
Some are left that to the Round belong
There are still good people left, who value trust and belonging
But in this brotherhood we still believe
Despite all the hardships that we face and receive
And for the ones we've lost our souls will grieve
Honouring the fallen, and with tears in our eyes, we will leave
Yet through the world alone we wander for we know somewhere
Still journeying alone, for somewhere out there, our comrades we may share
We will find our brothers, by the sword we swear
We will not rest until we reach our destination, even if it means that weapons we must bear
By the sword I swear
I vow to stay true and committed, and to always be there
I will find my brothers
I will find my loved ones, even if my journey may have obstacles or struggles
I will find my sisters
I will find my trusted allies, those who have seen me at my worst and at my best
By the sword I swear
I swear to never give up or abandon what I hold dear and rare
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EMILIE AUTUMN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind