Emperors' Day
Stefan Andersson Lyrics

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We took a ferry from the shore
To see our island once again
So beautiful to the eye that it hurt
We were the emperors
'Til the morning light
On the run from our king's call

I chain your heart

With words of truth
A vow for love and for pleasure
We got to deal our cards well
Take our chances when they come
Never let them slip away
Or deny them

I wanna wake up in the night
And listen to your breath
I wanna wake up for your love
In the morning

With a heart on fire for life life life
And a burning desire for more

Overall Meaning

In Stefan Andersson's song "Emperors' Day," the lyrics describe the experience of two individuals who took a ferry to an island in order to revisit it. The island is described as being so beautiful that it hurts the eyes, and the individuals feel like emperors until the morning light, at which point they are on the run from their king's call. This suggests that perhaps they are rebels or outlaws, seeking to escape authority in order to experience freedom and beauty.

The second verse describes a relationship between the two individuals, where one person "chains" the other's heart with words of truth and makes a vow for love and pleasure. The lyrics suggest that this is a relationship where the individuals need to be strategic and take their chances when they come in order to avoid missing out on life's opportunities. The final verse expresses a desire to wake up and listen to the other person's breath, wanting to wake up for their love and feeling a burning desire for life and more experiences.

Overall, the lyrics of "Emperors' Day" suggest a desire for freedom, beauty, and love despite the possibility of danger or consequences. It highlights the importance of taking risks and seizing opportunities in order to fully live life.

Line by Line Meaning

We took a ferry from the shore
We traveled by boat from the shoreline to reach our destination

To see our island once again
We wanted to revisit the place that was special to us

So beautiful to the eye that it hurt
The view was so breathtakingly beautiful that it almost caused us physical pain

We were the emperors
We felt like royalty, reigning over our own little world

'Til the morning light
We held on to this feeling until dawn

On the run from our king's call
We were trying to escape from the responsibilities that we were burdened with

I chain your heart
I bind your heart together with mine

With words of truth
Through honest communication and trust

A vow for love and for pleasure
We promise to remain devoted to each other and to find joy in our relationship

We got to deal our cards well
We have to make smart choices and take calculated risks

Take our chances when they come
We have to seize opportunities as they arise