As a teenager, Barker was known to sing heavy metal and soul covers at high-school assemblies. She first entered the British music scene via the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2002, where she appeared with Rob Jackson, Boo Hewerdine’s guitarist. The success of this performance led them to form a band called the-low-country, in which Barker was the songwriter and front person. They released two albums (the first being in 2003), played numerous alt-country venues and festivals, and enjoyed several plays on John Peel’s show.
2005 saw the birth of Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo, consisting of Barker and the all-female trio of Anna Jenkins, Jo Silverston and Gill Sandell who collectively provide backing harmony vocals and who respectively play violin, cello and musical saw, and accordion, piano and flute.
The band’s second studio album, Despite The Snow, was recorded in live sessions in a 16th century barn in Norfolk. Self-released in November 2008 on Emily’s own label Everyone Sang, the album again garnered much praise.
February 2011 saw the release of Almanac. Dear River followed in 2013.
* Official site
Nostalgia
Emily Barker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
CUT MY RED HEART IN TWO
MY KNUCKLES BLEED DOWN JOHNSTON STREET
ON A DOOR THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN FRONT OF ME
TWELVE THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM YOUR SMILE
I'M TWELVE THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM ME
STANDING ON THE CORNER OF BRUNSWICK
OH WHISPER ME WORDS IN THE SHAPE OF A BAY
SHELTER MY LOVE FROM THE WIND AND THE WAVES
CROW FLY BE MY ALIBI
AND RETURN THIS FABLE ON YOUR WING
TAKE IT FAR AWAY TO WHERE GYPSIES PLAY
BENEATH METAL STARS BY THE BRIDGE
OH WRITE ME A BEACON SO I KNOW THE WAY
GUIDE MY LOVE THROUGH NIGHT AND THROUGH DAY
ONLY THE SUNSET KNOWS MY BLIND DESIRE FOR THE FLEETING
ONLY THE MOON UNDERSTANDS THE BEAUTY OF LOVE
WHEN HELD BY A HAND LIKE THE AURA OF NOSTALGIA
The lyrics to Emily Barker's song Nostalgia are filled with vivid imagery and raw emotions. The song is about the pain of separation, the struggle to hold onto memories and the longing for a loved one who is far away. The opening lines, "Tram wires cross Melbourne skies, cut my red heart in two" sets the scene for the rest of the song. The city of Melbourne, with its tram wires and bustling streets, is now a painful reminder of the love that was left behind.
The lines "Twelve thousand miles away from your smile, I'm twelve thousand miles away from me" speak to the distance between the singer and her love. The physical separation has created an internal distance, a feeling of being disconnected from oneself. This is further illustrated in the line "Standing on the corner of Brunswick, got the rain coming down and mascara on my cheek" which shows the vulnerability and rawness of the singer's emotions.
Throughout the song, there is a sense of desperation and a need for the past to be brought back. The lines "Oh whisper me words in the shape of a bay, shelter my love from the wind and the waves" and "Oh write me a beacon so I know the way, guide my love through night and through day" both convey a sense of longing for guidance and a way to reconnect with the lost love. The song ends with the lines "Only the sunset knows my blind desire for the fleeting, only the moon understands the beauty of love when held by a hand like the aura of nostalgia" which speaks to the fleeting nature of love and the bittersweet beauty that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
TRAM WIRES CROSS MELBOURNE SKIES
The tram cables intersecting the sky in Melbourne create a picture of separation and division.
CUT MY RED HEART IN TWO
No longer being in Melbourne has an impact in her life which makes it feel like her heart is split in two.
MY KNUCKLES BLEED DOWN JOHNSTON STREET
Walking down Johnston St. provokes a painful memory that makes her knuckles bleed.
ON A DOOR THAT SHOULDN'T BE IN FRONT OF ME
Encountering a familiar door in a different place highlights the strange feeling of disorientation.
TWELVE THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM YOUR SMILE
Being 12k miles away has an impact in her life which makes her miss that someone.
I'M TWELVE THOUSAND MILES AWAY FROM ME
The distance between them makes Emily feel so far from herself as well.
STANDING ON THE CORNER OF BRUNSWICK
Being in Brunswick, Emily is reminded of her memories of that place.
GOT THE RAIN COMING DOWN AND MASCARA ON MY CHEEK
Being sad in the rain with mascara running down her face illustrates her sadness.
OH WHISPER ME WORDS IN THE SHAPE OF A BAY
Asking for whispers of comfort and safety that remind her of the bay (comfortable places).
SHELTER MY LOVE FROM THE WIND AND THE WAVES
Asking to keep her love secure from the harshness of life.
CROW FLY BE MY ALIBI
Requesting the crow to be the excuse for her absence or a witness to the situation.
AND RETURN THIS FABLE ON YOUR WING
Asking the crow to take a story with it and release it elsewhere.
TAKE IT FAR AWAY TO WHERE GYPSIES PLAY
Sending the story to a mysterious place where people are free in new surroundings.
BENEATH METAL STARS BY THE BRIDGE
A description of the place where the story will be received, which adds to the feeling of adventure.
OH WRITE ME A BEACON SO I KNOW THE WAY
Requesting a sign that will show the way back home, either physically or emotionally.
GUIDE MY LOVE THROUGH NIGHT AND THROUGH DAY
Asking for guidance and protection to keep love strong in difficult times.
ONLY THE SUNSET KNOWS MY BLIND DESIRE FOR THE FLEETING
A reference to the sunset as the only witness to the characters fleeting desires.
ONLY THE MOON UNDERSTANDS THE BEAUTY OF LOVE
Comparing the moon to love, a mysterious and beautiful thing that only some understand.
WHEN HELD BY A HAND LIKE THE AURA OF NOSTALGIA
Compares the feeling when being held by someone to nostalgia, a strange and bittersweet feeling.
Contributed by Adeline N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rahulpurushotam5306
Tram wires cross northern skies
cut my blue heart in two
my knuckles bleed down tattered street
on a door that shouldn't be in front of me
Twelve thousand miles, away from your smile
I'm twelve thousand miles away from me
Standing on the corner of Brunswick
got the rain coming down and mascara on my cheek
Oh whisper me words in the shape of a bay
shelter my love from the wind and the rain
Crow fly be my alibi
and return this fable on your wing
take it far away to where gypsies play
beneath metal stars by the bridge
Oh write me a beacon so I know the way
guide my love through night and through day
Only the sunset knows my blind desire for the fleeting
only the moon understands the beauty of love
when held by a hand like the aura of nostalgia
@vesticavaja1050
Recently, I've watched "Wallander" for the second time- it's priceless thanks to a mix of Emily's music, landscape and Branagh
@solangecampos520
Tô me for the 20th
@terrencedessaix6038
I WATCH INTERMEDIATE WALLANER FIRST AND SECOND SERIES TO COMPARE IDEAS SO GOOD
@briankay4713
Still here in 2022...one of the most beautiful songs ever written ❤️ 💕...End of xx
@EmilyBarker
oh thank you very much Brian!
@MB-px7ml
Me, too! Gorgeous, haunting melody,
@hollybobbett9580
Wallander brought most people here but shows how good the song is we all heard it and wanted to hear it again
@Endrit719
I got this recommended on spotify not from the movie
@koala7254
yes.
mesmerizing.
(wallander too)
@rdbuilder2010
The first time I watched Wallander I was hooked on this tune.