"Haiti is just a fulcrum for everything horrible and good. It has this intense magical belief which is pretty amazing. And it’s been the subject of exploitation and violence since the beginning. But it was also the site of the first successful slave revolt. That slave revolt resulted in Napoleon needing money very badly and consenting to the Louisiana Purchase which changed the course of modern history. It’s a terrible place that capitalist pigs have exploited into ruin. And Haitians, of course, have exploited each other like all humans."
In the same interview, he talked about his writing process for the song:
"Frankly, grew out of playing music and needing some fucking words. I started screaming “Toussaint!” and I came up with words that fit the phenomenon. It’s a very odd way to make music and not how I work usually, but it’s how we’re working more now. We’ll have these pieces or atmospheres and I’ll start screaming and it will eventually become a finished piece rather than writing something on acoustic."
Bring The Sun / Toussaint L'Ouverture
Swans Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Toussaint L'overture!
Toussaint L'overture!
Toussaint L'overture
Liberté!
Egalité!
Fraternité!
Hijo de Dios!
Amor de Dios!
Sangre es Vida!
Vida es Sangre!
Sangre es Amor!
Amor es Sangre!
Toussaint!
Toussaint!
The lyrics to Swans's song Bring The Sun / Toussaint L'Ouverture seem to be a call for revolution, freedom, and equality. The title itself refers to the Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint L'Ouverture, who led the struggle for independence against colonial powers. The repetition of his name in the chorus serves as a rallying cry for the oppressed to rise up against their oppressors.
The lyrics also reference the principles of the French Revolution - Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, which were ideals that Toussaint L'Ouverture fought for in Haiti. The use of Spanish, French and English words adds a multicultural aspect to the song, symbolizing the universality of the struggle for freedom.
The phrase "Sangre es Vida" or "Blood is Life" is a powerful allusion to the sacrifices that people have to make in order to achieve freedom. The mention of "Amor es Sangre" or "Love is Blood" points towards the idea that love and compassion are key components in the fight for freedom.
Overall, Swans's song Bring The Sun / Toussaint L'Ouverture is a call to action for those who are oppressed to rise up and fight for their freedom and rights, echoing Toussaint L'Ouverture's own words: "In overthrowing me, you have cut down in Haiti only the trunk of the tree of liberty. It will spring back from the roots, for they are numerous and deep."
Line by Line Meaning
Bring the sun, bring the sun
Let the light of hope and positivity shine in
Toussaint L'overture!
Invoke the name of the revolutionist Toussaint L'Ouverture, who fought for the liberation of Haitian slaves
Liberté!
Freedom from oppression and tyranny
Egalité!
Equality among all people, regardless of race or social standing
Fraternité!
Brotherhood and solidarity among people
Sangre de Dios!
Blood of God, a cry for divine intervention
Hijo de Dios!
Son of God, a plea for guidance and strength in the face of adversity
Amor de Dios!
Love of God, a reminder to act with compassion and kindness
Sangre es Vida!
Blood is life, a recognition of the importance of life force and vitality
Vida es Sangre!
Life is blood, a realization that all living beings are connected by the common thread of life
Sangre es Amor!
Blood is love, a recognition that love is the driving force behind life
Amor es Sangre!
Love is blood, a reminder that blood and love are intertwined and essential
Toussaint!
Invoke the name of Toussaint L'Ouverture once again, as a symbol of resistance and hope
Toussaint!
Call upon Toussaint L'Ouverture again, as a reminder that the struggle for freedom and justice is ongoing
Lyrics © TERRORBIRD PUBLISHING LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ComputerHeadGFX
Never heard of Swans, never heard of this type of music, never fully listened to a half an hour song.
but this is very interesting and i'm absolutely loving it
brad taste in music sent me here lol
the emphasization on the buildup is so long and dragged on which makes it literally unforgettable. it is also extremely layered with just a chaos of noise such as in 19:25 where it's just an organized mess, and i love it. other miscellanous sounds (otuside sounds like the neighs) really immersed me in the song. my only complaint is that i had to pull up the lyrics seven times to just understand what he was saying lmao.
all in all, i might listen to this album (if i have the time, this album is literally two hours lol)
@2flowers116
Dam this just turned eatin my lunchable into a spiritual experience
@naumchomsky8840
I eat lunchables too. I'm 33.
@eliasmsv3156
2 flowers It took you 34 minutes to eat a lunch able
@richywalsh488
@@eliasmsv3156 To be fair it took you two years to reply. so you are even.
@cowstrum5334
@@richywalsh488 may we press f to pay respects
@ihaveadiseasebrou
@@cowstrum5334 presses F
@joeyosoko2423
People who listen to "To Be Kind" be like
"this song made me anxious, gave me a panic attack, see demons in my ceiling fan, kill my neighbor, and start coughing up blood
10/10 exhilarating masterpiece
@doxskew2221
"This music makes me physically and mentally ill. In a good way"
@zackzallie8735
lol i imagine Anthony Fantano killing his own neighbour.
@bolancarpenterjr8753
To me is just like a bad part of the trip; nothing psychotic