Very little is known of Dowland's early life, but it is generally thought he was born in London, or possibly Dublin. It is known that he went to Paris in 1580 where he was in service to the ambassador to the French court. He became a Roman Catholic at this time, which he claimed led to his not being offered a post at Elizabeth I's Protestant court. (However, he had told nobody of his conversion.) He worked instead for many years at the court of Christian IV of Denmark. He returned to England in 1606 and in 1612 secured a post as one of James I's lutenists. He died in London on the 20th February 1626.
Most of Dowland's music is for his own instrument, the lute. It includes several books of solo lute works, lute songs (for one voice and lute), part-songs with lute accompaniment, and several pieces for viol consort with lute.
He later wrote what is probably his best known instrumental work, Lachrimae or Seaven Teares Figured in Seaven Passionate Pavans, a set of seven for five viols and lute, each based on his well-known song "Flow My Tears". It became one of the best known pieces of consort music in his own time. His pavane "Lachrymae antiquae" was also one of the big hits of the seventeenth century.
Dowland's music often displays the melancholia that was so fashionable in music at that time, typified by a consort piece with the punning title "Semper Dowland, semper dolens" ("Always Dowland, always doleful").
In darkness let me dwell
John Dowland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The roof despair, to bar all cheerful light from me;
The walls of marble black, that moist'ned still shall weep;
My music, hellish jarring sounds, to banish friendly sleep.
Thus, wedded to my woes, and bedded in my tomb,
O let me dying live, till death doth come, till death doth come.
In darkness let me dwell
is a bleak and melancholic song that evokes a sense of despair and hopelessness. The lyrics suggest a desire to be surrounded by darkness, as if it could provide some sort of solace or escape from the pain and suffering of the world. The imagery of a sorrowful ground, a despairing roof, and black marble walls that weep all add to the pervasive sense of sadness that permeates the song. The singer of the song seeks to banish friendly sleep with hellish jarring sounds, perhaps suggesting that they are more comfortable with their sadness and pain than any kind of happiness or relief.
The last two lines of the song, "Thus, wedded to my woes, and bedded in my tomb, O let me dying live, till death doth come, till death doth come," suggest a willingness to embrace death as a form of release from the suffering and pain of life. The singer seems to be resigned to their fate and to the idea that death is the only true escape from the darkness and despair that surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
In darkness let me dwell
I want to reside in darkness
the ground shall sorrow be
The earth beneath me shall also be filled with sadness
The roof despair, to bar all cheerful light from me;
The ceilings will represent hopelessness and prevent any joyful light from entering my space
The walls of marble black, that moist'ned still shall weep;
The black marble walls are constantly damp with tears
My music, hellish jarring sounds, to banish friendly sleep.
My choice of music is harsh and unpleasant in order to keep any peaceful sleep at bay
Thus, wedded to my woes, and bedded in my tomb,
I am bound to my sorrows and trapped in my own grave
O let me dying live, till death doth come, till death doth come.
Allow me to continue suffering until death finally arrives.
Writer(s): Traditional, Gordon Sumner, Edin Karamazov
Contributed by Evelyn M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
caroline
nice
@acbd199
In darkness let me dwell, the ground shall sorrow be, The roof despair to bar all cheerful light from me, The walls of marble black that moisten'd still shall weep, My music hellish jarring sounds, to banish friendly sleep. Thus wedded to my woes, and bedded to my tomb, O, let me, living, living, die, till death do come.
@bethatlikeness5458
Heard it on the radio for the 1st time today 04/19/23 and immediately screenshot the car screen to look for it later~ very drawingβ¦
@ericdufresne6991
Man, i haven't heard this song in ages.... something like 45 years ago. Brings back some fond memories...
@headphonewarning8263
I'm doing this song for Shakespeare Competition and I have to sing it a capella..........Wish me luck...
@simonidastankovic2627
What were the results of competition ?
@headphonewarning8263
@@simonidastankovic2627 I got 14th of 22....and then I proceeded to almost break my ankle, but it's good, lol
@shehasawakenedneversleeps
@@headphonewarning8263 like at the competition or just later
either way congrats
@headphonewarning8263
@@shehasawakenedneversleeps At comp. Someone said the name of the Scottish Play and that's what we've jokingly been blaming. The guy who said it knows it's a joke, so n ok worries there
@StephMcAlea
Heart rending.