Nightly
Kevin Krauter Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The sting, the offspring of death herself
I hear my babies cry all through the night
Stricken by haunting dreams
Nightly they return to haunt
Someday I fear they will not
Then I will know my end, know my rest
In Kevin Krauter's song Nightly, the opening lyrics describe how forces can enter one's life as easily as breath. The following line is a reference to the pain and sorrow that comes with the inevitability of death. This is followed by a line expressing the singer's anxiety over his children crying all night, possibly due to their own nightmares. The last line of the first verse recounts how the singer himself is also stricken with haunting dreams.
The second verse includes a repetition of the word "nightly" to emphasize the consistency of the haunting dreams. The next line expresses the fear that the dreams may never cease - this indicates a fear of being trapped or stuck in an unending cycle of fear and anxiety. The final two lines of the song express a deep longing for the rest that death could bring, as well as an acceptance of the darkness that comes with it.
Overall, the lyrics of Nightly speak to themes of anxiety, fear, and acceptance of death. The use of repetition in the song helps to create a sense of unrelenting dread, while the final lines offer a glimmer of hope for rest and peace.
Line by Line Meaning
Forces enter you like breath
You are constantly exposed to external pressures, just as breathing is a natural and constant process.
The sting, the offspring of death herself
The pain caused by life's struggles can feel like it's brought on by death incarnate.
I hear my babies cry all through the night
A parent can recognize the sound of their own child's cries, even at night when it's quiet.
Stricken by haunting dreams
The dreams that plague you in the night can leave you feeling helpless and distressed.
Nightly they return to haunt
These dreams persist and come back every night, not allowing you any respite.
Someday I fear they will not
There is a fear that the source of these dreams will not return one night, and that change will be unsettling.
Then I will know my end, know my rest
The fear of a change in these nightly hauntings foreshadows a permanent ending, and eventual peace.
Then I will know the true darkness
This long-awaited end will bring a final darkness, which may be unexpected and unwelcome.
Writer(s): Kevin Krauter
Contributed by Samuel L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.