Starálfur
Sigur Rós Lyrics

The Icelandic band Sigur Rós's song Starálfur is a hauntingly beautiful song, that takes the listener on an introspective journey. The lyrics, written by Jón Þór Birgisson, the band's lead singer, talks about the feeling of isolation and loneliness, even in the midst of seemingly comfortable surroundings. The song starts with the singer describing the blue night that has enveloped the sky and him, as he disappears from the window and hides under the covers, with his hands hidden under his cheek. He reflects on his day, and how he has gone about his routine, from going to bed, and pulling the covers over himself, and how in the middle of his routine, he feels a staring elf, looking at him, while not moving from his place, as if only his image is moving.

The elf represents the feeling of being watched, but also a feeling of disconnection, and displacement, as he describes himself under the covers, with his head hidden under the bed, and his body listlessly stretching out with no movement. As the song proceeds, he opens his eyes, takes out the crusts, and checks to see if everything is okay, but even when he is seemingly okay, he feels like something is missing, something that is reflected in the walls. The song is a poetically evocative description of the feeling of loneliness, and the overwhelming feeling of displacement that is present even when a person is not in a physically uncomfortable space.