At the age of 19, Nick moved to Havana, Cuba to study music and art. On returning to the UK, Nick enrolled at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies to study Ethnomusicology. In 2011, he left Portico Quartet to pursue his career as a solo singer-songwriter .
He released two EPs, The Trellis (Communion Records 2012) and Fever to the Form (Communion Records 2013), before his debut full-length First Mind landed on 12 May 2014. The album received a 2014 Mercury Music Prize nomination and was promoted with the singles Cucurucu and Meet me there.
When The Body Is Gone
Nick Mulvey Lyrics
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So long, so long
When the body is gone
Where will I go?
Where will you be?
Plunging as a tear into a river of a light divine
For sure
Rising from the sea with a rain cloud
To fall once more
Yeah
Yeah
When your life is a song
Sing on, sing on
Because death, death is perfectly safe
Only the truth is the case
Death is perfectly safe
Oh, my little seed are you afraid
With the coming of the shade?
You're made
Death for you, like slipping off a tight shoe
Is when you can be
Free
Yeah
Yeah
Death, death is perfectly safe
Only the truth is the case
And death is perfectly safe
Death, death is perfectly safe
Only the truth is the case
Death is perfectly safe
When the body is gone
So long, so long
The lyrics of "When the Body is Gone" by Nick Mulvey evoke reflections on death and the afterlife. The repetition of "So long, so long" and "Where will I go? Where will you be?" creates a sense of uncertainty and fear about what happens after death. However, the song also suggests a spiritual or mystical perspective on death, with lines like "Plunging as a tear into a river of a light divine" and "Rising from the sea with a rain cloud to fall once more." These lyrics can be interpreted as a metaphor for the soul returning to a higher power after death, only to be reborn again.
The second half of the song changes the tone, focusing on the idea that death is not something to fear. The line "Because death, death is perfectly safe, only the truth is the case" suggests that death is a natural part of life and should be accepted rather than feared. The lyrics encourage the listener to embrace death as a release from the physical body and a chance to be free.
Overall, "When the Body is Gone" is a complex meditation on death and the afterlife, encouraging the listener to approach death with both fear and wonder. It suggests that death is not an end, but a transition to a state of greater freedom and connection with a higher power.
Line by Line Meaning
When the body is gone
After physical death
So long, so long
A final farewell
When the body is gone
The state of being after death
Where will I go?
Questioning the afterlife
Where will you be?
Questioning the whereabouts of a loved one after death
Plunging as a tear into a river of a light divine
Comparing the soul's journey to a tear merging with divine light
For sure
Affirming the statement
Rising from the sea with a rain cloud
Soul reincarnation or rebirth
To fall once more
Another cycle of life and death
Yeah
Expression of agreement or approval
When your life is a song
Metaphor for the journey of life
Sing on, sing on
Encouraging to keep living and to keep moving forward
Because death, death is perfectly safe
Emphasizing the safety of death
Only the truth is the case
Truth is the only reality
Oh, my little seed are you afraid
Metaphor for the fear of death
With the coming of the shade?
Symbolism of darkness or the afterlife
You're made
Assurance that we are meant to die
Death for you, like slipping off a tight shoe
Metaphor for an easy death
Is when you can be
A chance to be yourself without physical limitations
Free
Liberation from the physical realm
Death, death is perfectly safe
Emphasizing the safety of death
Only the truth is the case
Truth is the only reality
And death is perfectly safe
Emphasizing the safety of death
Death, death is perfectly safe
Emphasizing the safety of death
Only the truth is the case
Truth is the only reality
Death is perfectly safe
Emphasizing the safety of death
When the body is gone
After physical death
So long, so long
A final farewell
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Nick Mulvey, Dean Brodrick, Federico Bruno
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind