Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San
John K. Samson Lyrics
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How his grip on the sword made his enemies cut off his hand
If he'd fled here instead, and had tasted this terrible coffee
Or read these letters you sent he'd surrender, and lay the blade down
And it's Halloween
Skinny ghosts dress like cowboys and rest at the railing by my door
On their way from the children's ward
Bev Monroe and his panel of ally boys play at the party
And I practice my English on nurses, 'Oh, that's a nice name.'
And they may ask for mine, but the burns on my back from the x-rays
Say I shouldn't show anyone anything ever again
In another year
I'll be buried or shivering here. Coughing at the grey spittoon
Painted orange by the harvest moon
Pack up mother's clothes
Drive her down to the new Betle Home
Sell the boat to Arnison
And then go stand up straight
In the place you're longing for
And don't write to me anymore
The song "Letter in Icelandic from the Ninette San" by John K. Samson is a contemplation on mortality and the state of being alone. The first verse of the song draws a comparison between the hero Grettir, from one of the Icelandic sagas, and the singer's current situation. Grettir's defining moment was his last stand at Drangey, where he fought to the death whilst holding his sword with such strength that when his enemies cut off his hand, the sword remained stuck in it. The singer imagines that if Grettir had instead come to his present circumstances, where the coffee is terrible and the letters received from loved ones are insufficient, he would have surrendered and given up his weapon. The second half of the verse sets the stage for the remainder of the song, which takes place in a hospital on Halloween.
The second verse describes the Halloween scene in more detail, with skinny ghosts dressed as cowboys and patients from the children's ward haunting the singer's door. An entertainment group, called Bev Monroe and his panel of ally boys, provides the music at the party, but the singer mostly speaks and practices his English on the nurses. The third line of the verse is revealing, as it suggests that the singer has been through some kind of trauma that has left him hesitant to show anything to anyone ever again. In the final lines, he contemplates the inevitability of his own death and laments that he will either be buried in this hospital or will die alone in the coming year.
Line by Line Meaning
You'll recall from the sagas I hope Grettis last stand at Drangey
I hope you remember the story of Grettir's final battle at Drangey from the Icelandic sagas
How his grip on the sword made his enemies cut off his hand
Grettir was so strong in battle that even his enemies had to cut off his hand to defeat him
If he'd fled here instead, and had tasted this terrible coffee
If Grettir had come to this place and experienced the bad coffee that they have here
Or read these letters you sent he'd surrender, and lay the blade down
Or if he had read the letters that you sent me, he would have given up and stopped fighting
And it's Halloween
It is currently Halloween
Skinny ghosts dress like cowboys and rest at the railing by my door
Thin, ghostly figures dressed as cowboys are leaning against my door railing
On their way from the children's ward
They are coming from a hospital ward for children
Bev Monroe and his panel of ally boys play at the party
Bev Monroe and his group of friends are playing at the party I am attending
And I practice my English on nurses, 'Oh, that's a nice name.'
I am practicing speaking English with the nurses and complimenting them on their names
And they may ask for mine, but the burns on my back from the x-rays
Although the nurses may ask for my name, the scars on my back from previous x-rays
Say I shouldn't show anyone anything ever again
Make me feel like I should keep my scars hidden and not share anything personal with people
In another year
One year from now
I'll be buried or shivering here. Coughing at the grey spittoon
I will either be dead or still here in this place, coughing and spitting into a grey bowl
Painted orange by the harvest moon
The bowl is orange due to the light of the full moon during the harvest season
Pack up mother's clothes
Gather up my mother's clothing and belongings
Drive her down to the new Betle Home
Take her to the new care home called Betle
Sell the boat to Arnison
Sell the boat to someone named Arnison
And then go stand up straight
Stand up and hold my head high
In the place you're longing for
Go to the place you have been wanting to go
And don't write to me anymore
Stop writing to me
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fixed Frequency Productions
john, you make good music. period
Isaac Yepez
Good ol' stripped down folk
Adrian Arnason
I'd buy your boat
Tyler James
Markie S. claims this territory!
Daniel B
My great-amma was a nurse here
Jonathan Lodge
What were some of the stories she told about it?
Daniel B
Strangely, my great-amma was a nurse, and her husband my my great-ovi was a physician here as well. He actually contracted 'the white death' while working here, but survived. In the town of Belmont just down the road, is a monument to the unknown buried in the graveyard there. Many were the poor and First Nations people who died at the San. Parts of the San still remain, and some say there are spirits there, but I don't know I haven't been to Ninette in years. And my great-grandparents died in the 60s well before I was born. I'll have to ask my old-man he knows much more about the sanatorium than I do.
Hans Squirrel
@Daniel B Touching Story you got ... Best wishes to you dude
Daniel B
@Hans Squirrel I appreciate the Well Wishes Hans, and I reciprocate the Same Well Wishes to You. To tell You the Truth Hans, I first heard this song a couple years ago when I was enduring a very "Dark Chapter" in My Life. The Song actually added to My suffering back then, because it is a tragic song, and sadly the story of My Great-Amma and Great-Ovi, and by extension their daughter (My Amma) is actually a tragic story in the end. But, I believe in the mantra, "Strength Through Suffering". So it's all good. Anyways, Cheers Mr. Squirrel, stay Nutty Buddy.
sirchums
tab?