Wagner has been writing songs since the age of 16. Her self-titled debut album was released in February 2011 by the Finnish indie label Kioski. It was later released in United Kingdom and Europe by Bone Voyage Recordings and in North America by Friendly Fire Recordings. In August 2012 Time Magazine listed Wagner as one of the ″11 Great Bands You Don’t Know (But Should)″. Although her debut album was not a big success, it caused a lot of attention and in February 2014 Wagner was signed by the American record label Sub Pop.
Wagner's second album When the Cellar Children See the Light of Day was released in August 2014. The album peaked number one at the Finnish Album Chart. It was a nominee for the 2014 Nordic Music Prize which is an annual award for the Best Nordic Album Of The Year. She won the prize.
On 21 April 2015, Wagner performed on the music television show Later... with Jools Holland.
She also did the trailer song for Gore Verbinski's 2017 film A Cure for Wellness, which was a cover of The Ramones song "I Wanna Be Sedated".
Oak Tree
Mirel Wagner Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She made me a bad of roots and leaves
With a tremblin' voice she sung me to sleep
Said dream, dream dream dream, sweet dreams
()
Dread, dream dream dream sweet dreams
Dark was the night, cold the ground
I heard voices all around
My little soul is free and unbound (?)
()
And I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
()
So if you walk in the woods and you see
A big old old tree
Thread carefully, please
Cause I'm dreaming underneath
()
And I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
And I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
In Mirel Wagner's song “Oak Tree,” the singer is under an old oak tree, as a lady has left her there with a bag of roots and leaves. With a trembling voice, the lady sings the singer to sleep, telling her to dream sweet dreams. It's as if the singer is seeking refuge under the oak tree, which they perceive as a safe space. However, the second verse reveals that the night is dark, and the ground is cold. There are voices all around, and a storm is coming, which instills a sense of danger or a looming disaster.
The overall theme of the song "Oak Tree" is preservation or holding onto something valuable, even if you have lost everything else. The oak tree stands strong and tall throughout seasons and circumstance. The singer is given roots and leaves, and while it may not be much, it is still something. The dream sequence might imply that the singer has hope, perhaps in the face of a bleak reality. By warning the listener to tread carefully when passing under the oak tree, the singer gives a sense of both ownership and an awareness of the risks of the unknown.
Line by Line Meaning
Lady left me here underneath this old oak tree
The singer was left alone under an old oak tree by a lady.
She made me a bad of roots and leaves
The lady made the singer a bed using roots and leaves.
With a tremblin' voice she sung me to sleep
The lady sang the singer to sleep with a trembling voice.
Said dream, dream dream dream, sweet dreams
The lady asked the artist to dream sweet dreams.
Dread, dream dream dream sweet dreams
The artist is dreaming sweet dreams while experiencing some dread.
Dark was the night, cold the ground
The night was dark and the ground was cold.
I heard voices all around
The singer heard voices around him.
Sign of storm, fallen in dawn
The signs of a storm were present during dawn.
My little soul is free and unbound (?)
The artist's soul feels free and unbound in his dreams.
And I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
The artist continues to dream sweet dreams.
So if you walk in the woods and you see
The singer warns the listeners to be careful if they walk in the woods.
A big old old tree
There might be a big, old tree that they should be wary of.
Thread carefully, please
They should walk carefully to avoid disturbing the singer's dream.
Cause I'm dreaming underneath
The singer is still dreaming under the old oak tree.
And I dream, dream dream dream sweet dreams
The singer concludes by repeating that he is still dreaming sweet dreams.
Writer(s): Mirel Wagner Copyright: Universal Music Publishing Mgb Scandinav, Playground Music Publishing AB
Contributed by Annabelle P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TulilaSalome
I've listened to this a few times and weirdly just now realised how deeply Finnish this is - the folklore is full of stories of children abandoned in the forest, or ghosts of those children, and of course, we do love to sing about death. Even lullabies are about death.
timkjazz
Makes a listener happy for performers like Mirel, Valerie June and Trixie Whitley. Great young vocalists bode well for the industry once you go past all the pop princesses foisted non-stop on the public.
Indieandmore
One of the most beautiful songs in our 'Northern Lights' program!
RognedaCraft creative blog
I found this song occasionally, but it touched me so deep. I am thinking of an old tradition to left newborns in the woods during long hunger, when people realize they don't have enough food to raise them. Such a horror for a mother...
Karenbana Walgesang
Best song I've heard in a long time.
Teona
Wonderful music ! Thank you.
Mr x
This actually made me somewhat emotional, and thats a rarity …. Good Job Mirel
UnclePutte
Grim stuff, yo. Perfect for a few more profound "chills" to help with hot weather. And, well, somehow appropriate-feeling for reading ghost stories.
Giannis Papazoglou
Looove it !!!!
Buenos días 5696lpmúsica
Rectify brought me here.i love her deep voice..very inspiring lyrics too.happy to discover another talented artist.Thank you for sharing.