After Erland recorded a track –‘Coming Home’ produced by Nock for Tongs Butterfly recordings compilation- “What the folk vol2”- the three of them began writing and playing together around London. Following in the path of Pentangle, The Trees and early Fairport they decided to form their group entitled “Erland and the Carnival.”
Carnival are best known for their contemporary arrangements of traditional Scottish and English folk songs, including Sally Free and Easy, The Parting Glass, Was You Ever See and Love Is a Killing Thing collected by Ralph Vaughn Williams. The band have just finished recording their debut album at Damon Albarns Studio, 13 and have released material, independently, through various collaborative projects.
The band's name comes from the Jackson C Frank song My Name is Carnival after the band recorded their own version of the song from his album Blues Run the Game. They are inspired by the likes of super folk groups Pentangle and Fairport Convention.
Sites: Discogs.
Wealldie
Erland and the Carnival Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Every little thing they say, only noises in my mind
Everybody wants to know the answer to the cancer
But they feast on the lies
Everybody wants to know the reason, change of season
Makes them cry deep inside
All the stars turn bright
Everybody wants to light a fire, kill the darkness
But they don't shine
Everybody knows to hold the sail from the morning
When the rivers die
Everybody's talking 'bout this changing, needs arranging
For the coming day
Zebras slept a thousand years under water
In the dreams of me
We all die
"Wealldie" by Erland and the Carnival is a song that seems to be a commentary on the zeitgeist of our times. The lyrics speak of people shouting and talking about things that seem to be irrelevant to the singer, stating that these are just "noises in my mind." The singer also speaks about how everyone wants to know the answer to the cancer, but they feast on the lies. The message here is that people are distracted from the important things in life and are concerned with superficial things instead. The singer talks about how everyone wants to light a fire and kill the darkness, but they don't shine themselves. Essentially, the song seems to be about how we don't focus on the real problems and instead are consumed with our own vanity and self-interest.
The line about the zebras sleeping a thousand years under water in the dreams of the singer is cryptic but could potentially have several interpretations. One interpretation could be that the sleeping zebras represent something dormant or hidden within our subconscious, waiting to be awakened. The line "We all die" is a stark reminder that despite all the noise and distractions in life, death is the great equalizer that we all face.
In terms of musical style, "Wealldie" has an eerie quality to it, with the use of minor chords and the singer's haunting voice. The lyrics are also quite poetic and open to interpretation, lending the song an air of mystery.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's shouting out [Incomprehensible]
People are making a lot of noise without any clear message or meaning.
Every little thing they say, only noises in my mind
I'm not able to make sense of what people are saying because everything they say sounds like noise to me.
Everybody wants to know the answer to the cancer
Everyone wants to find a solution to the problem, but they don't know how to do it.
But they feast on the lies
People consume lies as though they were a feast, rather than seeking the truth.
Everybody wants to know the reason, change of season
People are looking for reasons behind things that happen, like the changing of seasons.
Makes them cry deep inside
The search for answers is emotionally difficult for people.
Everybody gets to hold the wheel, learn to feel
Everyone has the opportunity to take control of their own life and learn to be more in touch with their emotions.
All the stars turn bright
When people learn to be more in tune with themselves, the world becomes brighter and more beautiful.
Everybody wants to light a fire, kill the darkness
Everyone wants to bring light to the world and eliminate darkness, but not everyone is able to do so.
But they don't shine
Despite the desire to bring light into the world, many people don't have the ability to actually do it.
Everybody knows to hold the sail from the morning
People know that they need to start their day strong and with purpose in order to achieve their goals.
When the rivers die
When something important in life is gone or missing, like a river that has dried up.
Everybody's talking 'bout this changing, needs arranging
People are discussing the need for change and the importance of making plans for the future.
For the coming day
Preparing for the future, perhaps for inevitable changes or challenges.
Zebras slept a thousand years under water
A dream-like image of something impossible, like zebras sleeping underwater for a long time.
In the dreams of me
This image exists only in the artist's subconscious, in their own dreams or thoughts.
We all die
A reminder that death is the only certain thing in life, something that all people will experience.
Contributed by Christian T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Cristian Argüello
I can't believe this video has so few views. I love this song and that little creepy sound, they are very different from another bands. Thanks for publishing this!
numanair
What an excellent song. I wish I could find more like it.