With her opera singer for a mother, theater organist father and Björk’s Homogenic on constant rotation, Oh Land was enraptured by the combination of experimental and classical arts. “My goal is to sound like I’m from 2050, but still feel really classic, like the music is an old friend,” said Oh Land. She spent her days pirouetting as a ballet dancer at the Danish Royal Ballet Academy when an injury forced her to reinvent herself and discover her true talent and passion as a musician. Oh Land was discovered by Kasper Bjørke who soon released her first album, Fauna, which garnered critical acclaim in her homeland of Denmark. Her soundscapes are lavish, crunchy, symphonic, brute and captivated with rhythms that fly apart. She translates the sounds live via her contraption - a homemade one-woman-band music box topped with balloon video projections (seeing is believing). Her music is for movement and new songs such as the thumping Sun of a Gun and euphoric White Nights have proven to make even the most portentous get up and dance. Having been discovered by Epic Records at 2009’s SXSW, she is currently putting the finishing touches on her US debut album and an EP to be released this fall.
www.ohlandmusic.com
White Nights
Oh Land Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Has it been a day or a week?
As my eyes begin to close
I am walking in my sleep
Living in a state in between
Do the signs begin to show
See the eyes fare in the dark
As they Glow
These dreams under my pillow
In the twilight of these white nights
These dreams under my pillow
In the twilight of these white nights
Of these white nights(x3)
Ooh oh oh
Something is about to be born
There's a restlessness in me
Keeps me up until the dawn
There is no silence
I will keep following the sirens
There is no silence
I will keep following the sirens
These dreams under my pillow
In the twilight of these white nights
These dreams under my pillow
In the twilight of these white nights
Of these white nights(x3)
Ooh oh oh
These dreams under my pillow
In the twilight of these white nights
These dreams under my pillow
In the twilight of these white nights
Of these white nights(x4)
Ooh oh oh
Oh Land's song White Nights is a captivating piece that portrays a person's state of mind while they are experiencing insomnia. The song begins with the lyrics "Has it been a day or a week? As my eyes begin to close, I am walking in my sleep." It perfectly captures the confusion and uncertainty that come with insomnia. As the lyrics continue, the person describes existing in the realm “in between” sleeping and being awake, where the signs of their exhaustion become evident, and eyes seem to shine in the dark.
As the song progresses, the person acknowledges the restlessness they are feeling and identifies the sirens we hear as the ones they will "keep following." The sirens, in this sense, can be interpreted as a symbol for change and the need for a new beginning. The lyric "Something is about to be born" matches this interpretation as it suggests the person is about to start a new journey or chapter in their life.
In essence, "White Nights" reflects the frustration, fear, and hope of someone who cannot sleep through the night. It describes the experience of being caught between consciousness and unconsciousness, and the feeling that something important is about to happen.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh ooh oh
The song begins with harmonious vocals to set the tone for the dreamy atmosphere to come.
Has it been a day or a week?
The singer is tired and disoriented, unsure of the time passed since she last rested.
As my eyes begin to close
The singer is beginning to drift into sleep despite being in an unfamiliar state of mind.
I am walking in my sleep
The artist is experiencing a dreamlike state which causes her to feel awake but also asleep.
Living in a state in between
The artist's current state of mind is unclear and undefined, existing somewhere in between reality and her dreams.
Do the signs begin to show
The singer is questioning whether the signs of her dreams are beginning to reveal themselves.
See the eyes fare in the dark
The singer sees eyes in the darkness, possibly symbolic of danger or the unknown.
As they Glow
The eyes shine in the darkness, indicating a bright or dangerous presence.
Something is about to be born
The artist senses an upcoming change or new beginning in her life.
There's a restlessness in me
The artist feels uneasy and unsettled, likely due to the anticipation of this change.
Keeps me up until the dawn
The singer is unable to rest until the change she senses has occurred.
There is no silence
The artist feels overwhelmed by her thoughts, preventing her from experiencing peace and quiet.
I will keep following the sirens
The singer is compelled to follow the elusive sirens, which could be symbolic of the change she anticipates or possibly leading to danger.
These dreams under my pillow
The singer finds herself struggling to separate her dreams from reality.
In the twilight of these white nights
The singer experiences this uncertainty and restlessness during long periods of daylight, creating a surreal or dreamlike environment.
Of these white nights(x3)
The chorus repeats, emphasizing the artist's experience of these restless, dreamlike states.
Ooh oh oh
The song concludes with harmonious vocals, completing the dreamlike atmosphere of the song.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DAVE MCCRACKEN, NANNA FABRICIUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Casey Buckley
This was in teen wolf,gossip girl and vampire diaries,deserves more popularity tbh it's so good
MrsPaul
Beavis and Butthead too
Leah Stenberg
okay i know this was 4 years ago you commented this but where in tvd was this?
Brazillian Artificial
@Leah Stenberg I don’t think it was in TVD
Leah Stenberg
@Brazillian Artificial yeah me neither I tried to check but
Rune Thorsen
Deserves popularity for being good? What's the logic?
Hasi
Even after 9 years its still the best song❤️🙌🏻
DesignzRUs1
She's so underrated.. such great talent
Frank N. Tommy
I just felt like watchng this video in 2021. I agree with your comment!
icewings1984
Haven't heard this song for a couple of years, then today I started to hear the intro. Took me about three hours before I remembered the key chorus words and now here I AM!