Sumarið sem aldrei kom
Jonsi Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Dauðalogn og dúnúlpu
Ég aðr og úð og kyndum bíla
Kuldahrollur beinum í
Það frýs í æðum blóð

Sólarglætu sé nú, boðar von og yl
Fögnum sumri sem aldrei kemur
Sólarglætu sé nú, boðar von og yl
Fögnum sumri sem aldrei kemur

Aaa
Aaa
Aaa
Aaa
Við dauð og djöful búum við
Á þessu litla skítaskeri
Skammdeginu þunglyndið
Herpir saman búka aumingjanna

Sólarglætu sé nú, boðar von og yl
Fögnum sumri sem aldrei kemur

Gluggaveðrið drepur mann
Utandyra birtir ekki
Sjáum varla til sólar
Svartnættið andann heltekur mig





Sólarglætu sé nú, boðar von og yl
Fögnum sumri sem aldrei kemur

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Sumarið sem aldrei kom" by Jónsi are written in Icelandic, which translates to "The summer that never came". The song deals with the theme of winter, of the coldness that it brings and the bleakness that accompanies it. The opening lines of the song, "Dauðalogn og dúnúlpu, ég aðr og úð og kyndum bíla, kuldahrollur beinum í, það frýs í æðum blóð," encapsulate the desolation and harshness of winter, as the singer expresses how cold he is and how it's freezing his blood.


As the song progresses, the singer longs for summer to come, for the warmth and light that it brings to dispel the darkness of winter. The lines "Sólarglætu sé nú, boðar von og yl, fögnum sumri sem aldrei kemur" speak to this longing for summer, the hope and joy that it brings, even if it's only a distant memory. The chorus repeats this sentiment, cementing the idea that summer is the ideal state of being, one that we can only hope for and long for when it's gone.


The third verse features lines that describe the despair and hopelessness that come with winter. The singer is trapped inside, unable to see outside due to the blackness of the night. The weather is so harsh that it's killing many people, making it even more unbearable than it already is. The last chorus repeats the message of longing for summer to come, to bring hope and light back into our lives.


Line by Line Meaning

Dauðalogn og dúnúlpu
Silence and dust


Ég aðr og úð og kyndum bíla
I eat, breathe, and start cars


Kuldahrollur beinum í
Chills running through my bones


Það frýs í æðum blóð
My blood freezes


Sólarglætu sé nú, boðar von og yl
Now see the sunshine, offering hope and longing


Fögnum sumri sem aldrei kemur
Welcome the summer that never comes


Aaa
Musical interlude


Við dauð og djöful búum við
We live with death and the devil


Á þessu litla skítaskeri
In this little wasteland


Skammdeginu þunglyndið
The winter depression


Herpir saman búka aumingjanna
Gathers the bellies of the poor


Gluggaveðrið drepur mann
Window weather kills a man


Utandyra birtir ekki
Outdoor light doesn't show


Sjáum varla til sólar
We hardly see the sun


Svartnættið andann heltekur mig
The darkness suffocates me




Writer(s): Alexander Guy Cook, Jon Thor Birgisson

Contributed by Levi M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@megswaks1277

This is one of the most powerful, emotional and visually stunning videos I've ever seen. A soundtrack to the soul. Bravo Jonsi.

@lofturhjalmarsson9896

stunning ...yea the redhaired guy..Shiver's greatest strength, though, is when both Jónsi and Cook opt for completely new palettes, moving past their distinctive aesthetics rather than attempting to combine them. "Sumarið sem aldrei kom" ("The Summer That Never Arrived," in English) is almost entirely a capella, with AG Cook's distinctive vocal processing techniques (see: Caroline Polachek's "Ocean of Tears") recontextualized to create a ghostly choir. "Sumarið sem aldrei kom" also makes brilliant use of empty space, manipulating pockets of silence to build and release tension. Jónsi's choir crescendos and crescendos, adding voices and layers and intensity, before finally exploding in a glorious splendor. Then, the mix cools back down, and Jónsi mutters "Við dauð og djöful búum við / á þessu litla skítaskeri." ("We live on nothing but death and devil / on this tiny shitty rock.")

@Lumos_veritas

Piango ogni volta che sento questa canzone perché penso al mio amore che non ce più, il mio amatissimo cane 🐕

@blackestdemise

It’s like seeing a side of Iceland I never would’ve known existed just by watching Sigur Rós music videos and live performance footage.

@tequiness061

Yes. Its people.

@Bagatellamusic

@tequiness061 Yeah, well, Hannibal actually has a point. One could think from SR esthetics and even from documentary ”Heima” that Iceland is som kind of fairytale island. When it's just a supermarket factory bus stop garbage place like any other. :)

@tereasia

Spent years working with folks like this who get lost in the cracks. This is so beautiful.

@paulallan1408

Love how human Jonsi is... and he’s not afraid to show it.

@KedsonEuler

He is not human. I'm just waiting his reveal that he came from another galaxy far away from this planet

@MarioStelar

That was so haunting and beautiful at the same time, phew, what a ride, thanks Jónsi and everyone involved in the making of this video.

More Comments