With the release of Mattson’s debut album "Whisper Bee” (2009), the attention of both Canadian and British music lovers was grabbed and went on to earn Kalle two Northern Ontario Music Award nominations and a Top 100 placement in the Billboard World Song Contest. The second full length album "Anchors" (2011) was mixed by Howie Beck (Feist, Jason Collett, Hayden, etc.),mastered at the legendary Bernie Grudman Studios (Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, The Band) and released by Winnipeg label Parliament Of Trees (The Details/Paperbacks). “Anchors” received rave reviews that culminated in numerous year end "Best Of" lists and a song placement on Degrassi, while the band hit the road in support of the album with stops along the way at CMW, NXNE, COCA, and Ottawa Bluesfest. The album also received a pair of Northern Ontario Music Award nominations for Album of the Year (Group) & SOCAN Songwriter of the Year.
In November 2011 Kalle Mattson’s music video for "Thick As Thieves" went viral. With almost 1,000,000 views to date, the video depicts the history of the world using stop-motion animation. Created for only $250 in materials, it was covered by such media outlets as Time Magazine, The Huffington Post, Much Music, Yahoo, and CBS News, amongst others.
Darkness
Kalle Mattson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into the feeling that I thought I'd know
Sing to you the feeling
It's a strange truth & so hard to show
The night it brings me bounty
Though we still seem so far from home
Replacements sleeping soundly
Whispered silence well, so it goes
Half-past nowhere days, I
Stumbled starry maze
I know it's no place for me to go
And oh my blood's so blue
I sing a song for you
Cuz it's a bleeding heart
& it's gnawing to grow
Down in my bones
Dream of love to marry
Oh these signs they come & go
In empty sleep it carried
Me to you with nothing to show
Stand me up so varied
Because our cover has finally been blown
Replacements sleeping soundly
Whispered silence well, so it goes
Life is days & days, I
Stumbled starry maze
I know it's no place for me to go
And oh my blood's so blue
I sing a song for you
Cuz it's a bleeding heart
& it's gnawing to grow
Down in my bones
The lyrics of Kalle Mattson's song "Darkness" depict a journey towards self-discovery and the nature of relationships. The first line, "I followed you darkness," can be interpreted as a metaphor for following someone into a state of depression or anxiety. The singer feels lost and uncertain about where they are headed. The concept of darkness in this song is not related to evil or malevolence; rather, it represents a force of nature that is ultimately unknowable and compelling. The singer is drawn towards the unknown, even if it causes discomfort and pain.
As the lyrics progress, it becomes clear that the singer is not completely alone in their journey. There are others who are affected by their choices, and the singer is acutely aware of this fact. The lines "sing to you the feeling," and "sing a song for you" show that the singer is reaching out to someone, perhaps a lover or a friend, to describe what they are going through. The singer is also aware of the limitations of language and expression; they know that it is difficult to convey the depth of their experience through words.
The refrain "And oh my blood's so blue, I sing a song for you," is intense and emotive, emphasizing the pain that the singer is feeling. However, the song depicts a message of hope towards the end. This is illustrated by the line "Dream of love to marry," suggesting that the singer intends to find love and companionship despite the struggles they face. Overall, the lyrics of "Darkness" are about finding meaning and connection amidst uncertainty and fear.
Line by Line Meaning
I followed you darkness
I gave myself to the feeling of darkness and let it guide me
Into the feeling that I thought I'd know
I thought I knew what it was like to feel dark, but it was different than I thought
Sing to you the feeling
I express the feeling of darkness to you through music
It's a strange truth & so hard to show
The truth of this feeling is strange and difficult to communicate
The night it brings me bounty
Darkness brings me abundance and nourishment
Though we still seem so far from home
Even though we are lost, we still feel distant from where we belong
Replacements sleeping soundly
People who have taken our place are sleeping peacefully
Whispered silence well, so it goes
Silence surrounds us, as if it is well-known to us
Half-past nowhere days, I
I'm wandering aimlessly through time
Stumbled starry maze
I feel lost and overwhelmed, like I'm wandering through a maze of stars
I know it's no place for me to go
I realize that this feeling is not a good place for me to be
And oh my blood's so blue
I feel sadness and melancholy inside
I sing a song for you
I use music to share my emotions with you
Cuz it's a bleeding heart
My heart aches and is in pain
& it's gnawing to grow
This pain is getting worse and harder to bear
Dream of love to marry
I imagine myself finding love and getting married
Oh these signs they come & go
I see signs of hope, but they fade away quickly
In empty sleep it carried
During my sleepless nights, I think of these signs
Me to you with nothing to show
I want to share these signs with you, but I don't have anything concrete to show
Stand me up so varied
I am different now because of this experience
Because our cover has finally been blown
Our facade of happiness and contentment has been revealed
Life is days & days, I
Life is a collection of days, each one the same
Stumbled starry maze
I feel lost and overwhelmed, like I'm wandering through a maze of stars
I know it's no place for me to go
I realize that this feeling is not a good place for me to be
And oh my blood's so blue
I feel sadness and melancholy inside
I sing a song for you
I use music to share my emotions with you
Cuz it's a bleeding heart
My heart aches and is in pain
& it's gnawing to grow
This pain is getting worse and harder to bear
Down in my bones
I feel this pain deep in my soul
Contributed by Sarah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Turd Schmruncher
Been looking for you since I heard this on Soundcloud. You're an incredible artist, Kalle.
Sarah Trzok
Beautiful song.. I can listen to this song over and over and it takes me to so many different times in my life.. Keep up the soul flow Kalle!
B M
sound incredible, amazing, my heart feels so lightfull.... thank you so much!!! best from switzerland, roland
Rupert Brooke
saw you guys last night at the paper kites show. amazing sound. definitely have a new fan
Burson Sprague
So rich! Love it! Keep up the amazing work. :)
allie green
Tonight KALLE, yippeee! Best songs beautifully delivered.
Noam Curtis
Fantastic song
Barış Taşkın
this song drives myself alone and i am addicted that feeling
soulpowerxx
You played with paper kites? How much more amazing could a show be? My stepdad is from the Sault, I had friends at the Dunn... your City video takes me home :)
Joshua Bodoni
Great job! Come back to bluesfest!