1) an English folk-rock gr… Read Full Bio ↴There is more than one artist with this name:
1) an English folk-rock group from Newcastle-upon-Tyne;
2) a Black Metal band from Volgograd, Russia;
3) a Pagan/Folk Black Metal from Solingen, Germany;
1) Lindisfarne were an English folk-rock group from Newcastle-upon-Tyne, formed in 1968. The original line up was Alan Hull, Ray Jackson, Ray Laidlaw, Rod Clements, and Simon Cowe.
The group released their debut Nicely out of Tune in 1970. Their second album, Fog on the Tyne, was produced by Bob Johnson, who had also worked with Bob Dylan, to whom Alan Hull was being compared at the time. Following their third album, Dingly Dell, the group split and Lindisfarne (Mark II) continued with new members, and produced a few more albums before disbanding in 1975, seemingly for good.
1978 saw the original group re-form, with the album Back and Fourth, and the hit single "Run for Home". This line-up continued for many years. New member Marty Craggs came in for the 1986 album Dance Your Life Away. Ray 'Jacka' Jackson eventualy left to work in London, and then Si Cowe left to run a brewery in Canada. Jackson now (2008) has a career as an artist, specialising in colourful paintings of buses, a passion since he was a boy. He also played the mandolin on Rod Stewart's "Maggie May".
The group celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary of performing at Newcastle City Hall in the summer of 1995. Less than six months later Hull died of a heart attack. There was a period of consolidation for the group, which decided to continue - going back to their folk roots, and new members Billy Mitchell, Dave Denholm and Ian Thompson. This line up continued for several years until the departure of Marty Craggs. After this the three remaining members continued to tour as an acoustic trio before calling it a day with a final gig on 17th May 2004.
2) a Black Metal band from Russia, Volgograd.
3) a Pagan/Folk Black Metal from Germany, Solingen.
Candlelight
Lindisfarne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't ask me what I'm doing here, I don't know
don't ask me if I'm getting near, so far to go
I got a station on the medium wave just about to fade
I got a pistol in my sleeping bag, so I won't feel afraid
I saw a sign in the empty night, a place I've known
I'm hoping there'll be candlelight when I get home.
Instrumental:
I guess I've done some wicked things since I've been round
I caught an angel and I clipped her wings, left her on the ground
I never thought of going back again, but I'm feelin' so alone
I'm hoping there be candlelight when I get home.
Instrumental:
Every time I check my rear view mirror, what do I see
I see the face of the original sinner looking back at me
he's riding with me every night in the dark and the unknown
I'm hoping there'll be candlelight when I get home.
In "Candlelight" by Lindisfarne, the singer is lost and uncertain about their current situation. They don't know why they are where they are or if they are getting any closer to their destination. They have a radio on the medium wave that is about to fade and a pistol in their sleeping bag to feel safe. The singer has a glimpse of hope when they see a sign for a place they know and they hope that there will be candlelight when they get home.
Throughout the song, there are interludes without lyrics which give the listener time to ponder the meaning behind the lyrics. The singer states that they have done wicked things and caught an angel, leaving them on the ground without a way to fly. Even though they never thought of going back, they are feeling lonely and yearning to see candlelight when they eventually get home. The singer is haunted by the face of the original sinner every time they check their mirror, and they hope that candlelight will bring them some kind of peace.
The song overall has a melancholic tone and portrays a sense of longing for the comforts of home. It speaks to the universal feeling of being lost and unsure of one's path in life, while simultaneously acknowledging moments of wickedness and uncertainty. The use of candlelight as a symbol of warmth, safety, and familiarity reinforces the idea that the singer is searching for a sense of comfort in a confusing and uncertain world.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't ask me what I'm doing here, I don't know
I'm lost and unsure of my current path
Don't ask me if I'm getting near, so far to go
I'm uncertain of my progress and have a long journey ahead
I got a station on the medium wave just about to fade
I'm listening to a radio station that's about to lose reception
I got a pistol in my sleeping bag, so I won't feel afraid
I'm carrying a weapon to protect myself from potential danger
I saw a sign in the empty night, a place I've known
I came across a familiar location while traveling through the dark
I'm hoping there'll be candlelight when I get home.
I'm seeking warmth, comfort, and familiarity upon returning home
I guess I've done some wicked things since I've been round
I've committed immoral acts during my travels
I caught an angel and I clipped her wings, left her on the ground
I did something cruel to an innocent being
I never thought of going back again, but I'm feelin' so alone
I didn't plan on returning to a specific place, but my loneliness is urging me to do so
Every time I check my rear view mirror, what do I see
I often glance at my reflection in the mirror while driving
I see the face of the original sinner looking back at me
I'm reminded of the first person to sin and feel guilty for my own misdeeds
He's riding with me every night in the dark and the unknown
I feel haunted by my past actions and fear what the future may hold
I'm hoping there'll be candlelight when I get home.
I want the comfort and reassurance of home once again
Contributed by Julian N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.