Formed by Claes Strängberg and his brother Per in 2004, Immanu El was joined by Michael Persson and Emil Karlsson soonafter where they began to work on their first release.
The band name, Immanu El, is a play on words (of sorts) on the Hebrew Bible's prophecy of Immanuel, the prophesied Messiah, and the Semetic word for God, El (deity), and "with us" (Immanu). The band's name takes on even deeper meaning in light of the Judeo-Christian philosophies of Jesus being simultaneously the Jewish Messiah and God in one.
After touring, supporting such bands as Logh and Loney, Dear they got the chance in 2005 to play a set on the 'Rookie Stage' in the Hultsfred Festival; an opportunity for unsigned bands to perform at a major event.
They released their first EP titled Killerwhale, before being signed to And the Sound Records in 2006. The following year, Immanu El recorded and released their first full-length album They'll Come, They Come. Building on the success of their first album they released their second album Moen in 2009, followed by In Passage in 2011.
Skagerak
Immanu El Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
skies are painted
as swallows fly
restless and playful
Sun is low
warm cliffs beneath my feet
breezes fall
Underneath
i can feel your hands
drowning the ghosts
i carry
Hold my breath
as life is blown into my lungs
Capture my heart again
i am pierced by your love
August falls
north winds are chasing me
winter comes
i'm falling helplessly again
When we share our love
all eyes will see
Hold my breath
as hope is laid into
my mind
close my eyes
as love awakes inside
my heart
The song "Skagerak" by Immanu El is a piece that talks about the different seasons of life, particularly the ups and downs of love. The first verse speaks of a calm imagery of the landscape with the wavelets ceasing, the skies being painted and swallows flying playfully. The second verse introduces a sense of restlessness as the sun is low and warm beneath the feet, and breezes fall. It's as if things are on the brink of change, and diving into the gold represents taking a leap of faith towards a positive change.
The third verse delves deeper into the emotional aspect of the lyrics, with the emotional embrace of drowning the ghosts of the past, and holding one's breath as life is blown into one's lungs, drawing a comparison to starting a new chapter in life. The chorus further reinforces the idea of falling in love again and being pierced by that love, representing the intensity and depth of emotions that accompany a newfound love. The final verse touches on the difficulty of change and accepting seasons of life, with the mention of north winds chasing and a sense of falling helplessly again. However, the ultimate message is that through love, being vulnerable, and sharing it with others, all eyes will see the beauty and joy that comes from it.
Overall, "Skagerak" is a song that speaks to the emotional journey that individuals experience through the different seasons of life, particularly in love. It speaks to the beauty of change, although often painful, can bring new beginnings and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Wavelets cease
The small waves stop moving
skies are painted
The sky has a colorful appearance
as swallows fly
The birds are flying gracefully
restless and playful
The birds seem energetic and carefree
Sun is low
The sun is setting
warm cliffs beneath my feet
The singer is standing on warm rocks
breezes fall
The wind has slowed down
when i dive into the gold
The artist dives into the sunset
Underneath
The artist is beneath the water
i can feel your hands
The artist senses the presence of someone else
drowning the ghosts
The presence is helping the singer forget their past troubles
i carry
The artist has been carrying emotional baggage
Hold my breath
The singer is taking a deep breath
as life is blown into my lungs
The deep breath feels refreshing and reviving
Capture my heart again
The singer's heart is being moved emotionally
i am pierced by your love
The emotion of love is strong and deep
August falls
The month of August is ending
north winds are chasing me
The weather is turning cold and windy
winter comes
The cold season is approaching
i'm falling helplessly again
The artist feels emotional again
When we share our love
Love between two people
all eyes will see
People will notice the love
as hope is laid into
The emotion of hope is felt in
my mind
The artist's thoughts
close my eyes
The singer is closing their eyes
as love awakes inside
The emotion of love is felt strongly
my heart
The singer's heart
Contributed by Liam W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.