Kashmir
Songhoy Blues Lyrics
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And Stars To Fill My Dream
I Am A Traveler Of Both Time And Space
To Be Where I Have Been
T' Sit With Elders Of The Gentle Race
This World Has Seldom Seen
Th' Talk Of Days For Which They Sit And Wait
All Will Be Revealed
Whose Sounds Caress My Ear
But Not A Word I Heard Could I Relate
The Story Was Quite Clear
Whoahoh Whoawaoh
Oooh Oh Baby I Been Flyin'
Lord Yeah Mama There Ain't No Denyin'
Oh Oooh Yes I've Been Flying
Mama Mama Ain't No Denyin' No Denyin'
Oh All I See Turns To Brown
As The Sun Burns The Ground
And My Eyes Fill With Sand
As I Scan This Wasted Land
Tryin' To Find Tryin' To Find Where I Beeeeeuhoaoh
Oh Pilot Of The Storm Who Leaves No Trace
Like Thoughts Inside A Dream
Heed The Path That Led Me To That Place
Yellow Desert Stream
My Shangrila Beneath The Summer Moon
Will Return Again
Sure As The Dust That Floats B'hind You
When Movin' Through Kashmir
Oh Father Of The Four Winds Fill My Sails
Across The Sea Of Years
With No Provision But An Open Face
'Long The Straits Of Fear
Whaoh Whaoh
Whaohoh Oh
Ohhhh
Well When I Want When I'm On My Way Yeah
When I See When I See The Way You Stayyeah
Ooh Yeahyeah Ooh Yeahyeah Well I'm Down Yes
Ooh Yeahyeah Ooh Yeahyeah Well I'm Down So Down
Ooh My Baby Oooh My Baby Let Me Take You There
Oh Oh Come On Come On
Oh Let Me Take You There
Let Me Take You There
Whooooh Yeahyeah Whooooh Yeahyeah Let Me Take You
The lyrics to "Kashmir" by Songhoy Blues are rich in evocative imagery and poetic syntax. The song is a cover of Led Zeppelin's famous song of the same name, and it borrows heavily from the original lyrics. However, Songhoy Blues gives the song a new context and meaning, by infusing it with the sounds and traditions of their native Mali.
The first verse sets the stage for the themes and emotions that the song will explore. The singer is a traveler, both in time and space, who seeks to sit with the elders of a "gentle race" to hear their tales of waiting for a better future: "This world has seldom seen th' talk of days for which they sit and wait, all will be revealed." The language here is mystical and abstract, suggesting a desire for transcendence beyond the confines of the material world.
The second verse is more concrete in its imagery, describing a harsh landscape where "all I see turns to brown, as the sun burns the ground, and my eyes fill with sand, as I scan this wasted land." The singer is searching for a way to escape this desolate place, guided by a mysterious figure who leaves no trace: "pilot of the storm who leaves no trace like thoughts inside a dream." The final lines suggest a longing for a mythical paradise, "my Shangrila beneath the summer moon, will return again, sure as the dust that floats b'hind you when movin' through Kashmir."
Line by Line Meaning
Whoa Let The Sun Beat Down Upon My Face
I am ready to face whatever challenges come my way
And Stars To Fill My Dream
I have high ambitions and aspirations
I Am A Traveler Of Both Time And Space
I have experienced much in my life
To Be Where I Have Been
I have learned from my experiences
T' Sit With Elders Of The Gentle Race
I have had the opportunity to learn from wise individuals
This World Has Seldom Seen
Their knowledge is unique and rare
Th' Talk Of Days For Which They Sit And Wait
They speak of future events that are highly anticipated
All Will Be Revealed
The truth will come to light eventually
Talk And Song From Tongues Of Lilting Grace
Their words and music are both beautiful and inspiring
Whose Sounds Caress My Ear
Their words and music are pleasing to listen to
But Not A Word I Heard Could I Relate
Their message was not familiar to me
The Story Was Quite Clear
However, the meaning behind the words was still evident
Whoahoh Whoawaoh
Expressing emotion through non-verbal sounds
Oooh Oh Baby I Been Flyin'
I have been on a journey or have accomplished much
Lord Yeah Mama There Ain't No Denyin'
I am proud of what I have achieved
Oh Oooh Yes I've Been Flying
Reiterating past accomplishment
Mama Mama Ain't No Denyin' No Denyin'
I am confident in myself and my abilities
Oh All I See Turns To Brown
The world around me is desolate and bleak
As The Sun Burns The Ground
The heat has made the land dry and barren
And My Eyes Fill With Sand
The harsh environment is affecting me
As I Scan This Wasted Land
I am searching for something amidst the hardship
Tryin' To Find Tryin' To Find Where I Beeeeeuhoaoh
I am seeking direction in a difficult situation
Oh Pilot Of The Storm Who Leaves No Trace
I am looking for someone who can guide me through tough times
Like Thoughts Inside A Dream
This guide may not be tangible or present in reality
Heed The Path That Led Me To That Place
I should follow the same path that brought me to where I am now
Yellow Desert Stream
Describing the environment where I am
My Shangrila Beneath The Summer Moon
I have found a place of peace and contentment
Will Return Again
I hope to revisit this place in the future
Sure As The Dust That Floats B'hind You
I am confident in my prediction
When Movin' Through Kashmir
Describing the location where I have found happiness
Oh Father Of The Four Winds Fill My Sails
I am asking for guidance and help from a powerful force
Across The Sea Of Years
Across a long period of time
With No Provision But An Open Face
I am prepared to face challenges without any external aid
'Long The Straits Of Fear
Through a dangerous and difficult path
Whaoh Whaoh
Expressing emotion through non-verbal sounds
Whaohoh Oh
Expressing emotion through non-verbal sounds
Ohhhh
Expressing emotion through non-verbal sounds
Well When I Want When I'm On My Way Yeah
I am able to make my own choices and pursue my own path
When I See When I See The Way You Stayyeah
Observing the way others live their life and finding inspiration
Ooh Yeahyeah Ooh Yeahyeah Well I'm Down Yes
I am currently experiencing hardship
Ooh Yeahyeah Ooh Yeahyeah Well I'm Down So Down
Emphasizing that I am truly struggling
Ooh My Baby Oooh My Baby Let Me Take You There
I want to share my experiences with someone dear to me
Oh Oh Come On Come On
Encouraging someone to join me
Oh Let Me Take You There
Offering to guide someone to a better place
Let Me Take You There
Repeating the offer to guide someone to a better place
Whooooh Yeahyeah Whooooh Yeahyeah Let Me Take You
Continuing to express the desire to guide someone to a better place
Writer(s): Jimmy Page, John Bonham, Robert Plant
Contributed by Isabelle J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Elyssa Downs
Fantastic version of one of Zep's absolutely best songs. I love everything about this version, it's magical. And the whole album has been a must-listen for the past 6 months - highly recommended!
Paul burke
Love this covers album, this version is stunning
Martin Swain
It's really refreshing to hear an original cover of this song. Very enjoyable. A bit trippy, because the song is about traveling through the desert and meeting up with, well, these guys I guess. So it has kind of a through the looking glass sort of vibe, very psychedelic.
night rainbows
Love this version. Is he singing the Kashmir lyrics in his native tongue or making up something entirely different? Excellent mix too!
Carlos1999kao
Fantastica versao.
zoo xzxoxo
really happy that found them and love soooooo much!
happyhibee75
The stone roses brought me here,I am glad they helped me find them.Can't wait to see them in june
Hazel Motes
I've always thought Led Zeppelin was overrated, but this is pretty good.
Seb Williams
Led Zeppelin was THE BEST LIVE BAND EVER..........
Fantastic version of one of Zep's absolutely best songs. Hailing from Timbuktu, Songhoy Blues formed in 2012, in exile from their home country after having been forced out by the ultra-conservative jihadist group, MNLA which banned, among other things, music. Since then, Songhoy Blues have been perfecting their sound, riding the crest of a wave alongside other 'desert-blues' groups such as Tinariwen and Tamikrest.
Songhoy Blues' swirling, mesmeric guitars, muscular swinging drums and African poly-rhythms transform this Led Zeppelin classic into something truly special. Zep's blues-rock spirit shines through, but Songhoy Blues add a uniquely African twist, not least due to the vocals, which are sung in Songhai, the band's native language.