Haunted
Glass Hammer Lyrics
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Cold as the stream racing by
Lonely as the mountains which rear
O'er this scene of sorrow drear
These are the hearts that are broken
Lifeless, the burden they bring to me
One last kiss 'pon her fair cheek
They turn to leave, though haunted they will be
One comes, then turns away
Two more appear on a winter's day
One comes in summer, lingering
This one is moved, shedding a tear
Sensing the weight of long years flown
He turns to leave, haunted he will be
As the years march on
"Watch over me
Send me an angel
To keep me safe
Wolves ever prowl
Just beyond vision
Beyond the stillness
Beyond our longing"
Here I will wait out the years
Once I tried to reach out and touch
For a moment one child could see
Standing in lonely splendour she saw
One sublime who waits for all time
Till the ending of sorrows
She turns to leave though haunted she will be
As the years march on
As the years march on
The Glass Hammer song "Haunted" describes the feelings of loneliness, loss, and sorrow that accompany the passage of time. The opening lines, "Deep as the wind in forest gloom, cold as the stream racing by, lonely as the mountains which rear, o'er this scene of sorrow drear," create a sense of dark and somber imagery. The sadness evident in the scene comes from broken hearts and burdens that are brought to the singer. The last kiss on the fair cheek serves as the final goodbye, and the lingering feeling will be present for many years to come, haunting the characters in the song.
The following stanzas expand on the theme of loss and the passage of time. The years march on, and people come and go in the singer's life. The second verse describes the arrival and departure of people during different seasons, but the pain of loss and the haunting feeling remain constant. The third verse is a plea for an angel to watch over the singer and to keep them safe from the wolves that lurk beyond the stillness. The final stanza resigns to waiting out the years until the ending of sorrows.
Overall, "Haunted" is a poignant and contemplative song that speaks to the universal experience of loss and the pain of moving on. Despite the sadness and haunting feeling, there is a sense of hope and resilience in the singer's words.
Line by Line Meaning
Deep as the wind in forest gloom
The hearts of those who are broken are heavy and impenetrable, like the depth of the wind in the dark forest.
Cold as the stream racing by
The hearts of the broken are cold and unfeeling, like the rushing stream beside them.
Lonely as the mountains which rear O'er this scene of sorrow drear
The broken are lonely and isolated, like the towering mountains looming over this melancholy scene.
These are the hearts that are broken
The preceding lines describe those who are truly brokenhearted and suffering.
Lifeless, the burden they bring to me
The burden of grief and pain that the broken carry is so heavy that it drains the life from those around them.
One last kiss 'pon her fair cheek
The final goodbye of a loved one, punctuated with a farewell kiss.
They turn to leave, though haunted they will be
When the mourners depart, they will be haunted by the memory of their loss for years to come.
As the years march on
The passage of time only deepens the ache of the brokenhearted.
One comes, then turns away
A stranger appears for a moment, but quickly vanishes again.
Two more appear on a winter's day
Two more strangers come into the scene, perhaps seeking some respite from the cold winter weather but ultimately unable to console those who are grieving.
One comes in summer, lingering
Another visitor arrives during the warmer months, but lingers no longer than the others before ultimately leaving without providing true comfort.
This one is moved, shedding a tear
One of the visitors is genuinely moved by the sorrow they witness, unable to contain their grief and shedding a tear for the loss.
Sensing the weight of long years flown
This visitor understands the weight of years gone by, and the constant reminder of what has been lost that lingers with the broken.
He turns to leave, haunted he will be
Despite his empathy, this visitor will also be haunted by the memory of the loss as he departs.
As the years march on
The inescapable march of time will only make the burden of grief heavier.
"Watch over me Send me an angel To keep me safe Wolves ever prowl Just beyond vision Beyond the stillness Beyond our longing"
The broken plead for divine intervention, protection, and safety from the pain and grief they face, for there are hidden dangers lurking beyond the stillness of their sorrow.
Here I will wait out the years
The broken accept their fate, choosing to wait out the remainder of their years in the shadow of their loss and the pain that it brings.
Once I tried to reach out and touch For a moment one child could see Standing in lonely splendour she saw One sublime who waits for all time Till the ending of sorrows She turns to leave though haunted she will be As the years march on As the years march on
The broken still search for hope and healing, reaching out for a moment of clarity and understanding in the midst of their pain. They see a sublime beauty waiting patiently for the end of their sorrows, but even that glimmer of hope cannot shake the eternal haunting of grief that lies ahead.
Contributed by Grayson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Borean Knight
I discovered Glass Hammer long ago (early 2000s) after Neal Morse mentioned them in an interview. Great to see them still producing quality prog! Very Rush-like!
Jack Gowen
Killer track from a killer album. Great to see the band is still in top form.
Jeramie Jackson
Amazing as always. In a perfect world I could listen to this on vinyl with much more low end! :P
Hans Vought
Great song from a great album! Steve Babb has also published a fantasy novel about the adventures of Skallagrim. Check it out!
JimAsAuthor
Wow. Just wow. Love it! Thank you for sharing this great music!
Dan Lohrfink
Have to keep coming back and listening/watching these videos, as I am reading the Skallagrim In The Vales of Pagarna book now. The full sensory experience!
Glass Hammer
@Dan Lohrfink Would you post a short review of the book on Amazon for me? :::steve::::
Glass Hammer
@Dan Lohrfink When I started telling Skallagrim's story on Dreaming City I pictured the Hound from Game of Thrones. By the time I started writing the book, it was John Snow! lol So very glad to hear you loved the book. You've made my day! :::steve::::
Dan Lohrfink
@Glass Hammer Finally get back to respond about the book. First off, I loved it. Knowing the songs behind the story added another depth to it; but on it's own it's still fantastic. It "corrects" some presuppositions I have about the songs and connections that I thought I saw/heard. My overall take: It's one of those books that's so vividly written, that you say "this would make a great movie" Then when you see the movie, you say, "the book was better." Not sure a movie could live up to the written story. Not that I would dissuade any movie makers from backing a truck full of cash and dumping it into your office. Looking forward to more oral/aural/literary gems from you. (And maybe the ocassional live performance, say a return to Progstock?)
Only negative comment - Skallagrim doesn't look 22 in the artwork (And not just from the scar); seems way older. Which would also work in the book; but you've made 22 "canon".
Glass Hammer
Please let us know what you think of the book :)