In 2019 KEiiNO won the 2019 Melodi Grand Prix with the song Spirit in the Sky and earned the right to represent Norway at the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. At the contest, KEiiNO placed 6th overall whilst winning the public televote and, in the process, achieved Norway's second best result of the decade. In 2022, it was certified triple platinum in Norway.
Spirit in the Sky
Keiino Lyrics
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Stay, I need you close
You can go back when the sun rise again
Just stay tonight, just stay
Have you seen my spirit, lost in the night?
The violent nightshade, they took away my light
They call us nothing, my name is nothing
'Cause I've been running with the demons now
They all see my fear
They say there's nothing, nothing here
I see your spirit in the sky
When northern lights are dancing
(He lå e loi la)
I hear you calling me at night
Whenever wind is blowing
(He-lo e loi-la)
I can see your spirit in the sky
When northern lights are dancing
(He-lo e loi-la)
(Čajet dan čuovgga)
I'll follow you until the daylight
Shy us away
I need a hero, I need my light
Her shining lightwaves will break away the night
I call it freedom, our name is freedom
Come find me, please find me
'Cause I am dancing with the fairies now
They all sing our name
I got my light here, shining here
I hear you calling me at night
Whenever wind is blowing
(He-lo e loi-la)
I can see your spirit in the sky
When northern lights are dancing
(He-lo e loi-la)
(Čajet dan čuovgga)
I hear you calling me at night
Whenever wind is blowing
(He-lo e loi-la)
I can see your spirit in the sky
When northern lights are dancing
(He-lo e loi-la)
(Čajet dan čuovgga)
I see your spirit in the sky
When northern lights are dancing (Lights are dancing)
(He-lo e loi-la)
(Čajet dan čuovgga)
The lyrics of Keiino's song "Spirit in the Sky" are an interesting and powerful mix of longing, fear, and strength. The opening two lines reveal the desperation of the singer to be with someone they care about. The repetition of "stay" and "close" highlights the intensity of that desire. The singer acknowledges that the person they are speaking to may need to leave in the morning, but begs them to stay tonight.
The next verse speaks of darkness and fear, with imagery of nightshade and lost spirits. The singer feels a sense of insignificance and nothingness, but desperately wants to be seen and recognized. There is also a sense of danger, with the demons the singer has been running with. However, the northern lights, representing the spirit in the sky that the singer sees, bring hope and a sense of connection. The chorus repeats the lines "I see your spirit in the sky, when northern lights are dancing... I hear you calling me at night, whenever wind is blowing," emphasizing the importance of this connection in the singer's life.
In the final verse, the singer asks for a hero or light to break away the darkness. They again emphasize the importance of freedom and being recognized ("our name is freedom, come find me, please find me"). However, the final lines reveal that the singer is willing to follow this spirit in the sky until daylight, showing the depth of their commitment.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't you stay, stay with me into the night?
The singer pleads for someone to stay with them through the night.
Stay, I need you close
The singer states that they need the person to stay close to them.
You can go back when the sun rise again
The person is only being asked to stay for the night.
Just stay tonight, just stay
The singer's only request is for the person to stay with them for one night.
Have you seen my spirit, lost in the night?
The singer asks if anyone has seen their lost spirit during the night.
The violent nightshade, they took away my light
The darkness of night took away the singer's inner light.
They call us nothing, my name is nothing
The singer feels unrecognized or devalued.
Come see me, please see me
The singer pleads for someone to see them and their worth.
'Cause I've been running with the demons now
The singer confesses to running with inner demons.
They all see my fear
The demons magnify the singer's fears.
They say there's nothing, nothing here
The demons make the singer feel like there is no hope or value in their life.
I see your spirit in the sky
The singer sees a familiar presence in the sky.
When northern lights are dancing
The presence is visible when the aurora borealis is active.
(He lå e loi la)
Untranslatable phrase sung in Sami, the indigenous language of Northern Europe.
I hear you calling me at night
The singer hears the familiar presence calling to them during the night.
Whenever wind is blowing
The presence is more noticeable during times of wind gusts.
(He-lo e loi-la)
Continuation of the untranslatable Sami phrase.
I can see your spirit in the sky
The singer can visualize the presence in the sky.
(Čajet dan čuovgga)
Another untranslatable phrase sung in Sami.
I'll follow you until the daylight
The singer promises to follow the presence until the morning.
Shy us away
The singer fears being separated from the presence as the morning approaches.
I need a hero, I need my light
The singer confesses that they currently need a savior or guiding light.
Her shining lightwaves will break away the night
A hypothetical shining light can dispel the singer's darkness.
I call it freedom, our name is freedom
The singer sees being freed from darkness as true freedom.
Come find me, please find me
The singer pleads for a guiding light to come and find them.
'Cause I am dancing with the fairies now
The singer feels as though they are in a magical or supernatural realm.
They all sing our name
The fairies celebrate the singer's presence among them.
I got my light here, shining here
The singer has found their light and it is now shining within them.
(Lights are dancing)
Reiteration of the northern lights dancing.
(Čajet dan čuovgga)
Continuation of the untranslatable Sami.
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alexandra Rotan, Henrik Tala, Tom Hugo, Fred Buljo, Alexander N. Olsson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind