The song begins with an Indian sounding snake-charmer like line, which is joined by the full band after a few bars.
Foreign Land
Eskimo Joe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shut off the world's demands
Just get the facts down
Do you understand?
This is a foreign land
So try to understand me
Do you understand?
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
Even when you're all alone
Even when it's not your home
Take a little look around
Melting as it hits the ground
I touch my hand
Up to the air
Dying in the foreign land
So do you understand me
Do you understand?
Do you understand?
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
Even when you're all alone
Even when it's not your home
I smell the blood of an Australian
Try to understand me if you can
If you can
If you can
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
If this is what it feels to love
Then l can feel that
Even when you're all alone
Even when it's not your home
I smell the blood of an Australian
In Eskimo Joe's song "Foreign Land," the lyrics describe a feeling of disorientation and confusion in a new, unfamiliar place. The lyricist speaks of shaky hands and a need to shut out the world's demands in order to focus on the task at hand, which seems to be taking stock of their surroundings and trying to understand them. The repeated refrain of "if this is what it feels to love, then I can feel that" suggests that perhaps the disorientation is, in fact, the result of falling in love with this foreign land - something that is both exhilarating and scary.
The song also references the experience of being alone in a foreign place. The line "even when you're all alone, even when it's not your home" speaks to the feeling of being utterly adrift in a new environment. However, the lyricist seems to find some solace in this new place, as evidenced by lines like "melting as it hits the ground" and "I touch my hand up to the air." These lines suggest a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them, despite its unfamiliarity.
The reference to smelling the blood of an Australian at the end of the song is a bit cryptic, but it could be interpreted as a reminder of one's origins and a grounding force in the midst of all the confusion. The overall message of the song seems to be one of acceptance - of oneself, of others, and of the strangeness of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Steady my shaky hands
I need to calm myself down and focus.
Shut off the world's demands
I need to block out distractions and register only the facts.
Just get the facts down
Make sure that you only write down what you hear others say.
Do you understand?
Is everything crystal clear to you?
This is a foreign land
I am in a place that is completely new and unpredictable.
So try to understand me
I could use your help in coming to grips with where I am.
Do you understand?
Do you now see things the way I do?
So you understand?
Is there anything else I could further explain to you?
If this is what it feels to love
This foreign land is so beautiful it makes me feel like I am in love.
Then l can feel that
I am in the right place, and there is no place else I want to be.
Even when you're all alone
Even in solitude, the beauty of this land can be appreciated.
Even when it's not your home
Even when you are far away from home, this land can make you feel at ease.
Take a little look around
Take a moment to appreciate the beauty around us.
Melting as it hits the ground
Snow falling from above transforms into breathtaking scenery.
I touch my hand
I reach out and feel the cold, crisp air.
Up to the air
I feel the cold winter breeze on my hands and face.
Dying in the foreign land
Being in this land is so wonderful that it hurts knowing that we will one day leave.
Try to understand me if you can
Please try to see the place and how I feel in the same light as me.
I smell the blood of an Australian
I am reminded of a connection to my homeland that never fades, even in this foreign land.
Lyrics © WORDS & MUSIC A DIV OF BIG DEAL MUSIC LLC
Written by: STUART LESLIE MACLEOD, STEPHEN R PARKIN, JOEL PETER QUARTERMAIN, KAVYEN BEATON TEMPERLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@TheBoez
This band deserves more recognition.
@HicksGaming_20
Agreed
@brisbanetoyambatours4183
Agree I saw them live in a pub few years ago the singers voice is something elsw
@tupacssarcos7078
agreed
@jesuseduardoroldan
100%
@brettmcmahon7263
Very true, very very underrated band.
Australia's best kept secret.
@SR-xk8cd
Grossly underrated Aussie band, saw Eskimo Joe live as a support act back in 2001, they were phenomenal live.
@treehugger23
Soooooo jealous
@SatonsClutch
this is one of the most underrated songs i've heard in my life
@danielkirby819
Nailed it Imertia.