The Finnish folk music band Ratatosk was founded in 2013 as a s… Read Full Bio ↴RATATOSK
The Finnish folk music band Ratatosk was founded in 2013 as a small ensemble, and all of the six
members joined 2014 when they started performing together on a more regular basis. All members
of Ratatosk have different musical backgrounds. Some have classical training, others are jazz
musicians, and others have played in blues, rock or punk bands.
Ratatosk’s genre could be
described as nordic folk music with influences from rock, classical music, medieval music, jazz and
many other styles. We perform old folk melodies and medieval church songs, and our own newly
written material. We perform mostly in Swedish (since the members are from Swedish speaking
areas of Finland), but we also have songs in Finnish and Latin on the repertoire.
The name Ratatosk comes from Nordic mythology. Ratatosk is the name of a squirrel who runs
along the branches of the life tree Yggdrasil. Ratatosk brings messages from the giant Eagle
Hräsvelg, sitting on the highest top of the tree, to the ancient dragon Nidhögg who is chewing on
the deepest root, and to everyone in between. The squirrel thereby has got access to all different
worlds. The band chose to call ourself Ratatosk, since we mix music from different musical worlds.
It is also a statement for a multicultural society.
MEMBERS
Ratatosk consists of:
Frank Berger - vocals, hurdy gurdy, harmonium and jaw harp
Jonathan Fagerström - drums
Jennie Högberg - recorder, crumhorn
Simon Karlsson - guitar, harmonium
Matilda Nordström - bass
Cecilia Åminne - vocals, harmonium and jaw harp
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Buy the latest release here: http://ratatosk.bandcamp.com
Ratatosk is originally a mischievous squirrel from Norse mythology, but in this context is some guy called Rhodri Viney.
He has previously performed and released music under the names Teflon Monkey and Broken Leaf, along with being a major player in bands such as Right Hand Left Hand and Vito. He has also played live and on record with Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Sophia, The Secret Show, Brave Captain, Cymbient, Little My and others far too numerous to mention.
The music of Ratatosk can be summed up in two words – miserablism and minimalism. If the initial motif is sufficiently sad and melancholy to bring a tear to the eye, then it’s explored and expanded upon with an almost zen-like repetition, using layered guitars, vocals, keyboards, melodica, musical saw, zither and pedal steel.
Read more: http://www.myspace.com/ratatoskisnow#ixzz0wbFAdune
www.myspace/ratatoskisnow
Whittemore
Ratatosk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With no real objective (apart from the effort, to hasten the die that I die)
Slowly dawning on us that despite all the travails passed, life has too great a cost
Nothing left to do but scream, "All is lost"
No one ever should hear these words I always hear
As I ask you what you're thinking of - you break my heart to pieces
As you always tell me, you're thinking of the one that you love
Always, always, always doomed to be on the outside
A life spent in the service of apathetic fate will just break your spirit in two
Our obituaries will read, "all was lost
You will never know how long it took to understand your life"
The lyrics of Ratatosk's song "Whittemore" convey a sense of despair and hopelessness, with the repeated phrase "All is lost" serving as a bleak refrain. The singer seems to be acknowledging that despite their efforts to soldier on and find meaning in their life, they are ultimately doomed to failure. There is a lack of clear objective, and the cost of living has become too great. The singer is also burdened by the unrequited love of someone they care about, adding to their feelings of isolation and despair. Despite their struggles to find a place in the world, they have ultimately failed, and their obituary will reflect this sense of loss and futility.
The song is a poignant reflection on the human condition and the difficulty of finding purpose in life. The repeated motif of "All is lost" underscores the sense of resignation and hopelessness that the singer feels. The reference to "Whittemore" in the title of the song is likely a reference to a place, though the meaning is not clear. Overall, the song paints a bleak picture of life as a struggle with no clear reward, and leaves the listener with a sense of melancholy and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
All is lost, as we still soldier on without knowing how or why
We are moving forward without any clarity or purpose, even though we have already lost everything.
With no real objective (apart from the effort, to hasten the die that I die)
Our actions have no real meaning or goal, and the only thing we strive for is to bring our inevitable end closer.
Slowly dawning on us that despite all the travails passed, life has too great a cost
We are coming to the realization that despite all the hardships we've gone through, the price of life is too high.
Nothing left to do but scream, "All is lost"
We are left with nothing but despair and anguish, and we can only express it through our screams.
No one ever should hear these words I always hear
The thoughts and emotions that I'm experiencing are so unbearable that I wouldn't wish them on anyone.
As I ask you what you're thinking of - you break my heart to pieces
When I ask you what's on your mind, your response crushes me emotionally.
As you always tell me, you're thinking of the one that you love
You are always thinking of someone else, causing me to feel neglected and lonely.
Always, always, always doomed to be on the outside
I am destined to be an outsider, always excluded from the experiences and emotions of others.
And failing to carve a piece of life. Nothing left to do but scream, "All is lost"
Despite my efforts, I am unable to make a meaningful impact on my life, and I am left with only my agonizing screams.
A life spent in the service of apathetic fate will just break your spirit in two
Living a life controlled by an uncaring and indifferent fate will only serve to emotionally destroy you.
Our obituaries will read, "all was lost"
When we die, our legacy will be one of failure and defeat, as everything we strived for was lost.
You will never know how long it took to understand your life
It will take you a lifetime to truly comprehend the meaning and significance of your own existence.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Rhodri Viney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind