The narrative of the song is difficult to follow, but seems to have a recognizable structure nonetheless. The song moves from his love life, to his inner life, and then back out to his love life. In the first verse Frank begins by addressing a lover in a failed romance and goes to reflect on his own life. Frank’s reflections become increasingly more penetrating: they move from wondering about his life choices and then transition to thoughts about the nature of his own mind and God. The song then seems to move back into a consideration of lost love and ends with a declaration “I’d do anything for you.”
The title appears to be a spelling variation on the Germanic name Siegfried, which is composed of the roots sig, meaning victory, and frithu, meaning peace. The name “Siegfried” has several cultural resonances Frank may be channeling:
Siegfried is a warrior in Norse mythology. In folklore, Siegfried slays the dragon Fafnir and wins the princess Brünnhilde. He is considered an archetypal figure of bravery. Siegfried was popularized through the operas of Richard Wagner (1813-1883), specifically his four-part work Der Ring des Nibelungen.
The song may also make reference to Siegfried Sassoon; a British war poet who had a number of homosexual and heterosexual affairs and encounters, echoing Frank’s own bisexuality. Siegfried Sassoon was a soldier – possibly the reason Frank repeatedly mentions being or not being brave. Also, Siegfried had a close friend by the name of Wilfred Owen. Wilfred had fallen madly in love with Siegfried and wrote many love letters to him. Frank may be relating himself and the situation he describes in the song to Wilfred Owen.
Siegfried is a character from the Soul Calibur series. “Soul Calibur” was a track from Ocean’s mixtape, nostalgia, ULTRA.
Frank premiered “Siegfried” on his European Tour, ‘California Live,’ at the BMW Welt in Munich back in June 2013.
seigfried
Frank Ocean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Your speckled face
Flawed crystals hang from your ears
I couldn't gauge your fears
I can't relate to my peers
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here
Maybe I'm a fool
And settle, two kids and a swimming pool
I'm not brave (brave)
I'm not brave
I'm living over city
And taking in the homeless sometimes
Been living in an idea
An idea from another man's mind
Maybe I'm a fool
To settle for a place with some nice views
Maybe I should move
Settle down, two kids and a swimming pool
I'm not brave
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather go to jail
I've tried hell
(It's a loop)
What would you recommend I do?
(And the other side of a loop is a loop)
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell (brave)
Speaking of Nirvana, it was there
Rare as the feathers on my dash from a phoenix
There with my crooked teeth and companions sleeping, yeah
Dreaming a thought that could dream about a thought
That could think of the dreamer that thought
That could think of dreaming and getting a glimmer of God
I be dreaming a dream in a thought
That could dream about a thought
That could think about dreaming a dream
Where I can not, where I can not
Less morose and more present
Dwell on my gifts for a second
A moment one solar flare would consume, so I nod
Spin this flammable paper on the film that my life
High flights, inhale the vapor, exhale once and think twice
Eat some shrooms, maybe have a good cry, about you
See some colors, light hangglide off the moon
(In the dark, in the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you, anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you, anything for
The lyrics to Frank Ocean's "Seigfried" are introspective and contemplative. The first verse talks about the flaws and imperfections on the surface of another person, and the singer's inability to understand their fears. He cannot relate to his peers, and would rather live outside of his comfort zone and chip away at his pride than lose his mind in the routine of everyday life. The singer wonders if he's a fool for wanting something different, but he cannot deny the desire to break free from societal expectations and live on his own terms. He's not brave, but he's willing to take risks and challenge himself in order to find a sense of purpose.
The second verse starts with a reference to Nirvana, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for achieving enlightenment or transcending the mundane. The singer is dreaming about dreaming, and acknowledges that his thoughts are ethereal and intangible. He tries to ground himself in reality by focusing on his gifts and passions. He understands that life is fleeting and could be consumed by a solar flare at any moment, so he tries to make the most of his time. He mentions using drugs as a means of escape, but ultimately concludes that he would do anything for someone he cares about, even in the darkness of uncertainty.
The song as a whole reflects themes of self-discovery, isolation, and the search for meaning. It's a poignant and honest depiction of one's innermost thoughts and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
The markings on your surface
The imperfections on your face
Your speckled face
Your unique and diverse appearance
Flawed crystals hang from your ears
You have jewelry that is beautiful but not perfect
I couldn't gauge your fears
I don't understand what makes you scared
I can't relate to my peers
I don't have anything in common with the people around me
I'd rather live outside
I prefer to be unconventional and do things differently
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here
I would rather risk my ego than my mental health
Maybe I'm a fool, Maybe I should move
Perhaps I'm naive, I should relocate
And settle, two kids and a swimming pool
Settle down and live a traditional life with a family and materialistic things
I'm not brave (brave), I'm not brave
I don't have the courage to go against societal norms
I'm living over city
I reside above the city skyline
And taking in the homeless sometimes
I occasionally invite homeless people into my home
Been living in an idea
I've been existing in a concept
An idea from another man's mind
The concept I'm living in is someone else's creation
Maybe I'm a fool, To settle for a place with some nice views
Maybe I'm foolish to choose a place to live based solely on its aesthetics
I'd rather live outside, I'd rather go to jail
I prefer to live an unconventional life, even if it means going to prison
I've tried hell
I've been through difficult times
What would you recommend I do?
What advice would you suggest for me?
This is not my life, It's just a fond farewell to a friend
This is not my true existence, just a goodbye to someone important
It's not what I'm like, It's just a fond farewell (brave)
This is not my typical behavior, just a sentimental goodbye
Speaking of Nirvana, it was there
Talking about a state of enlightenment
Rare as the feathers on my dash from a phoenix
As unique as the feathers on my dashboard from a mythical bird
There with my crooked teeth and companions sleeping, yeah
There with my imperfect smile and sleeping friends
Dreaming a thought that could dream about a thought
Imagining a concept that has the ability to have its own dreams
That could think of the dreamer that thought
That has the capacity to think about the dreamer who imagined the concept
That could think of dreaming and getting a glimmer of God
That could consider dreaming as a way to glimpse divinity
I be dreaming a dream in a thought
I am dreaming about a concept within a dream
Where I can not, where I can not
In a place where I cannot reach
Less morose and more present
Less emotional and more engaged in the current moment
Dwell on my gifts for a second
Appreciate my talents for a brief moment
A moment one solar flare would consume, so I nod
A fleeting moment that could be easily lost, so I acknowledge it
Spin this flammable paper on the film that my life
Play with the dangerous elements of my existence
High flights, inhale the vapor, exhale once and think twice
Experience a euphoric high, reflect on it before making decisions
Eat some shrooms, maybe have a good cry, about you
Take psychedelic mushrooms, possibly cry about someone I care for
See some colors, light hangglide off the moon
Visualize vivid colors, joyously float off the moon with a hang glider
I'd do anything for you
I am willing to do anything for you
Anything for you
Anything at all
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Written by: Steven Paul Smith, Ommas Keith-Graham, James Ryan Wuihun Ho, Christopher Breaux, George Harrison, John Winston Lennon, Richard Starkey, Rostam Batmanglij
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@boyvidi9041
The markings on your surface
Your speckled face
Flawed crystals hang from your ears
I couldn't gauge your fears
I can't relate to my peers
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather chip my pride than lose my mind out here
Maybe I'm a fool
Maybe I should move
And settle, two kids and a swimming pool
I'm not brave (brave)
I'm not brave
I'm living over city
And taking in the homeless sometimes
Been living in an idea
An idea from another man's mind
Maybe I'm a fool
To settle for a place with some nice views
Maybe I should move
Settle down, two kids and a swimming pool
I'm not brave
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather live outside
I'd rather go to jail
I've tried hell
(It's a loop)
What would you recommend I do?
(And the other side of a loop is a loop)
This, this fe-, this feel
This feel, this feels
This feels how molly must feel
This feels how molly must feel
How molly must feel, this feels how molly must feel
How molly must feel
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
This is not my life
It's just a fond farewell to a friend
It's not what I'm like
It's just a fond farewell (brave)
Speaking of Nirvana, it was there
Rare as the feathers on my dash from a phoenix
There with my crooked teeth and companion sleeping, yeah
Dreaming a thought that could dream about a thought
That could think of the dreamer that thought
That could think of dreaming and getting a glimmer of God
I be dreaming of dreaming a thought
That could dream about a thought
That could think of dreaming a dream
Where I cannot, where I cannot
Less morose and more present
Dwell on my gifts for a second, a moment
One solar flare, we're consumed
So why not spend this flammable paper on the film that's my life?
High flights, inhale the vapor, exhale once and think twice
Eat some shrooms, maybe have a good cry about you
See some colors, light hang glide off the moon (In the dark)
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you, anything for you
(In the dark)
I'd do anything for you, anything for
@mykolasranft1315
Speaking of Nirvana, it was there
Rare as the feathers on my dash from a phoenix
There with my crooked teeth and companions sleeping, yeah
Dreaming a thought that could dream about a thought
That could think of the dreamer that thought
That could think of dreaming and getting a glimmer of God
I be dreaming a dream in a thought
That could dream about a thought
That could think about dreaming a dream
Where I can not, where I can not
@111AMAZINGMAN
This song is a sad summer night
@maxdeleus8725
realest comment out there
@kxlljn
no sad summer nights for me
@des6591
Me rn
@kxlljn
nvm
@ivyisntcool7309
Collin Simpson all summer sad nights for me.
@TheCareCommunity
If you listen to Seigfried for the first time, you might not like it. It takes time . So take your time. But I promise you when you listen to it at 12 midnight for the 6th time, it will become your favorite song of all time. Its powerful just wait, its gonna hit you.
@ok6866
True
@Ash_Boop
Weirdly I started really liking this song while playing Minecraft and exploring a giant cave in the new experimental mode of caves and cliffs. It was real surreal, couple with the fact that I swear I dreamt of that exact cave a few years ago, somehow. This song is great.
@MarMar-uy8xt
@@Ash_Boop wha- that was the same scenario i was in