Slowblow is an Icelandic musical duo consisting of Orri Jónsson and Dagur K… Read Full Bio ↴Slowblow is an Icelandic musical duo consisting of Orri Jónsson and Dagur Kári Pétursson. Their music is an aesthetic of home-made, lo-fi analog tinkerings, which often slips into both electronic and folksy terrain. They started recording in 1994 and have several albums to their credit. They created the soundtrack for the successful independent Icelandic movie Nói Albínói, which Dagur directed, and have worked with other Icelandic artists such as múm's Kristín Anna Valtysdóttir. They have released albums under the Reykjavík based record labels Smekkleysa, Kitchen Motors, and Mobile / Plug.

Night & Day
Slowblow Lyrics

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Hey you, why am I down? Hey you, dressed like a sun
Blue folk, city in a speed, black dark, someone you could be

There is nothing I can do, oh-oh-oh, except maybe
Be without you night and day
There is nothing I can do, oh-oh-oh, except maybe
Be without you night and day

Black dark, trying to free, blue folk, floating like a creep
Hey you, count to the three, hey you, shaking like a tree

There is nothing I can do, oh-oh-oh, except maybe
Be without you night and day

There is nothing I can do, oh-oh-oh, except maybe
Be without you night and day

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Slowblow's "Night & Day" are somewhat abstract, with many cryptic references that can be interpreted in different ways. The song opens with the lines "Hey you, why am I down? Hey you, dressed like a sun," which suggests a sense of sadness and despair in the singer's voice, and perhaps a desire to reach out or connect with someone who seems more optimistic or lively. The next two lines, "Blue folk, city in a speed, black dark, someone you could be," continue this theme of contrast and tension, with the "blue folk" representing a sense of melancholy or disconnection, while the "city in a speed" suggests a fast-paced, hectic environment that this person is struggling to keep up with. Meanwhile, the "black dark" may refer to the singer's own inner darkness, as well as their uncertainty about who they could become or what they want out of life.

The chorus of the song, which repeats the same lines twice, seems to be a statement of resignation or acceptance. The singer acknowledges that "there is nothing I can do" except, perhaps, endure their feelings of loneliness and longing. The phrase "be without you night and day" may refer to the idea of being alone with one's thoughts, whether it's during sleepless nights or during the day when others are busy with their lives. Ultimately, the song seems to capture a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability, as the singer tries to come to terms with their own identity and place in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey you, why am I down?
Asking someone why do I feel sad or low

Hey you, dressed like a sun
Referring to someone dressed brightly as the sun

Blue folk, city in a speed, black dark, someone you could be
People moving quickly and aimlessly in a city with the possibility of someone pretending to be someone else

There is nothing I can do, oh-oh-oh, except maybe Be without you night and day
There is a feeling of being incapable of doing anything except coping with the absence of someone both day and night

Black dark, trying to free, blue folk, floating like a creep
Feeling trapped and trying to escape while others move aimlessly

Hey you, count to the three, hey you, shaking like a tree
Commanding someone to count and shaking like a tree to release emotions

There is nothing I can do, oh-oh-oh, except maybe Be without you night and day
There is a feeling of being powerless and coping with the absence of someone both day and night

Contributed by Maya M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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