Return to Yggdrasil
Enslaved Lyrics
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From which the spirits had left ages ago
Sacrifice and honour replaced by betrayal and usurpers
A trail of sweat and blood, a gathering to the pagan outer worlds
For ages we have wandered
Under the wings of deception
Too long have we been waiting
An uprising by those that claim the Supremacy of One
Against the misleaders of the blind, deceivers of the Masses
Man can no longer claim ignorance as reason for waiting
It is all for the taking, the world for their making
We will gather again
Under the leaves
We will gather again
In honour of the nine nights
For ages we have wandered
Under the wings of deception
Too long have we been waiting
For the long winter to end
We will gather again
To praise the courage
We will gather again
To watch the harvest
The lyrics of Enslaved's song "Return to Yggdrasill" depict a society in a state of change, where the old ways of sacrifice and honour have given way to betrayal and usurpation. The first verse speaks of a new sound being heard throughout the land, indicating that something significant has happened that has caused a shift in the spiritual atmosphere of the society. The second verse speaks of the people having been wandering for ages under the wings of deception, waiting too long for the long winter to end. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for a social or cultural winter, indicating a time of darkness, stagnation or decay, with the implication that the time has come for the society to emerge from this state of dormancy.
The chorus of the song is a call to action, summoning people to gather under the leaves of Yggdrasill, the great world ash tree of Norse mythology. Here, they will gather to honour the nine nights, which is a reference to the pagan festival of Yule, a sacred time when the Norse gods were celebrated and offerings were made to ensure the return of the sun after the longest night. The song implies that this gathering is not just about celebrating the harvest and the courage of the people, but also about reclaiming the old ways and rejecting the falsehoods that have taken hold.
Overall, "Return to Yggdrasill" is a song that speaks of a society in flux, where old beliefs and customs are being challenged by new forces, but where the spirit of the people remains strong and committed to their roots.
Line by Line Meaning
A new sound heard throughout the land
A change in the atmosphere that can be heard and felt all around
From which the spirits had left ages ago
The spirits have departed this land a long time ago
Sacrifice and honour replaced by betrayal and usurpers
People have replaced honor and sacrifice with disloyalty and those who take without earning
A trail of sweat and blood, a gathering to the pagan outer worlds
After much hard work and sacrifice, a group has formed that aligns with pagan beliefs and values
For ages we have wandered
We have been wandering for a long time
Under the wings of deception
We have been misled and deceived for too long
Too long have we been waiting
We have waited far too long
For the long winter to end
For difficult struggles and challenges to come to an end
An uprising by those that claim the Supremacy of One
A rebellion led by those who believe that there is only one true power
Against the misleaders of the blind, deceivers of the Masses
Going against those that mislead and take advantage of the less informed and the masses
Man can no longer claim ignorance as reason for waiting
People can no longer blame a lack of knowledge for their inaction
It is all for the taking, the world for their making
Everything is within reach and they can create the world they desire
We will gather again
We will come together and unite once more
Under the leaves
Under the shelter of nature
In honour of the nine nights
In respect and memory of the nine nights of Odin's ordeal
To praise the courage
To commend those who have shown bravery and strength
To watch the harvest
To observe and gather the rewards of their hard work and effort
Contributed by Xavier M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.