Nostalgia
Emily Barker & The Red Clay Halo Lyrics
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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 first verse sets the scene of a heartbreak that has caused the singer's pain to manifest physically, with bleeding knuckles from knocking on a closed door. The distance between her and her lover seems to amplify the pain, with the singer being twelve thousand miles away from both her lover and herself, resulting in a feeling of being lost and disconnected. The use of tram wires and Melbourne skies shows a yearning for familiarity and a sense of belonging. The chorus reads like a prayer or a plea, asking for protection and guidance for her love.
The second verse is a call for a higher power to intervene, with a crow being asked to act as an alibi and take away the pain and hurt caused by the singer's failed relationship. The imagery of gypsies playing beneath metal stars creates a sense of mystery and escape, lending to the idea that the singer wants to run away from her reality. The second chorus is similar to the first, asking for reassurance and a sense of direction.
Overall, the song is about feeling lost, heartbroken and searching for solace in a world that seems unfamiliar and unforgiving. It highlights the human need for connection, belonging and guidance.
Line by Line Meaning
Tram wires cross Melbourne skies
The tram cables cross the sky of Melbourne.
Cut my red heart in two
Split my heart into two.
My knuckles bleed down Johnston Street
My knuckles are bleeding while I walk down Johnston Street.
On a door that shouldn't be in front of me
I am standing in front of a door that I shouldn't be at.
Twelve thousand miles away from your smile
I'm so far from your smile, about 12,000 miles away.
I'm twelve thousand miles away from me
I'm so far from myself that I'm not myself anymore.
Standing on the corner of Brunswick
I'm at the intersection of Brunswick street.
Got the rain coming down and mascara on my cheek
Rain is pouring down, and I have mascara on my cheeks.
Oh whisper me words in the shape of a bay
Whisper words to me in the shape of a bay.
Shelter my love from the wind and the waves
Protect my love from the wind and the waves.
Crow fly be my alibi
Crow fly away and be my alibi.
And return this fable on your wing
Bring back this fable on your wing.
Take it far away to where gypsies play
Take it to a place where gypsies play.
Beneath metal stars by the bridge
Under metal stars by the bridge.
Oh write me a beacon so I know the way
Write me a beacon so I can find my way.
Guide my love through night and through day
Guide my love through the day and the night.
Only the sunset knows my blind desire for the fleeting
Only the sunset knows how much I secretly desire the transient things.
Only the moon understands the beauty of love
Only the moon can understand the beauty of love.
When held by a hand like the aura of nostalgia
When held by a hand, like the feeling of nostalgia.
Contributed by Reagan K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
haris raza
Tram wires cross Melbourne skies
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
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
Cathari
This song gives Wallander its unique enchanting atmosphere. Perfect.
Pedro Marinheiro
I agree :)
Lourdes baby
Stunning voice,so natural,without effects or vocal acrobatics and,so hard to find nowadays! Thanks to Wallander (Kenneth Branagh version), which I’ve just started watching on Netflix,I’ve discovered her wonderful music 🙏🏻👏👏👏👏
pg R
In a world where much of our time is spent listening to unwanted sounds, few songs and even fewer voices truly stand out as original. This is one of them.
Mary Drew
From the very first time I heard this haunting song on "Wallander", I've never forgotten it's melodic fusion of folk, chamer and ballad perfection! So glad I've found this group of talented musicians with Emily Baker's vocals; simply perfect~
Paul Cocuzzo
I always found the Wallaner version stirring. This version makes me cry.
Ron Krupovich
There's a sombre, lonely, plaintive mood to this song, evoked by the exquisite emotion-laden voice of Emily Barker, that strikes right to the heart. Haunting might not be the right word---but this song definitely gets in under the skin. Beautiful. Poetry in song!
The Tweed
I have just watched the first three seasons of wallander. Forgot about how good an actor sir kenneth brannagh is. The depth and emotion he has brought to the part is outstanding. Never seen the sweedish version. Great theme song too xx
ech0tang0
So haunting and amazing. I've fallen in love with this group.
Lethstewmark
Their latest album is very good. Well worth buying! Saw them at The Greenman festival: very good live too! Found their music sublime.