Eric The Red
TYR Lyrics

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Why I take refuge here
My father was outlawed from the old land in east
A story of bloodshed and I too was outlawed
Now I take refuge here

What brings you here my friend
What brings you north to where Hell is of ice
South from the sand dunes where Hell is of fire

Why have you come so far
Anywhere, you don't care where you go

As long as there are faithless
You can make believe need help
And that you have the cure of your intentions, I'm sure
I can't bring it all to reason
You've convinced these people
That all their ancestors were wrong
Disoriented, they do not know where they belong
Like a virus you'll go on, and when I'm dead and gone
Both sides waging war will be for one true divinity

Like a virus you'll go on, and when I'm dead and gone
Both sides waging war will be raging
In the name of one true divinity

This I don't understand
Why this perverted superhuman ideal
So we are born to nothing
But torture and torment, that, I don't understand

Clearly I see the end, I pray that the embers
Will persist from my faith
Clearly I'm outnumbered, allegedly outdated
Since your arrival here
Anywhere, you don't care where you go

As long as there are faithless
You can make believe need help
And that you have the cure, of your intentions, I'm sure
I can't bring it all to reason
You've convinced these people that all
Their ancestors were wrong
Disoriented, they do not know where they belong

Like a virus you'll go on, and when I'm dead and gone
Both sides waging war will be for one true divinity
Just convert the whole wide world
Into the abyss we are hurled

Sentenced, come end of the world
Spare me your self-righteous word

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Týr's song "Eric the Red" talk about a refugee, who has taken refuge in a new land because he was outlawed from his homeland due to the violent actions of his father. The song speaks about a friend who has come to visit the refugee and questions why anyone would come so far to a place where hell is present, be it in the form of ice or fire. The lyrics highlight the theme of faith, with the refugee expressing confusion and disbelief at the idea of a perverted superhuman ideal that leads to torture and torment. The song touches on the dangerous power of religious fervor that can cause people to turn on each other, leading to violence and waging war in the name of one true divinity.

The lyricist has skillfully depicted the theme of exile - a feeling of displacement that is unfortunate and often forced upon people. The refugee also expresses his dismay at the troubling nature of religious warfare, where one's intentions are good, but the result is often catastrophic. The song also illuminates the importance of questioning and standing against detrimental religious beliefs that alienate individuals and lead to violence.

Line by Line Meaning

Why I take refuge here
I seek shelter here because my father and I were both exiled from our homeland due to a violent history.

What brings you here my friend?
Why have you travelled so far, from the scorching desert in the South to the icy tundra in the North, seeking to convert people to your faith, regardless of where you end up?

Anywhere, you don't care where you go
You're not particular about where you are as long there are people to influence with your faith, misguided as it may be.

As long as there are faithless
You target those who do not share your beliefs, and convince them that they need help and that you have the cure to all their problems.

I can't bring it all to reason
I cannot bring you to see the flaws in your reasoning and the damage you are causing by leading people away from their ancestral beliefs and causing disorientation.

Like a virus you'll go on, and when I'm dead and gone
You will continue to spread your faith like a contagious disease, and when I am no longer around, both sides will wage war over the one true divinity.

This I don't understand, why this perverted superhuman ideal
I cannot comprehend why there is such a twisted obsession with a divine superhuman figure that makes us born into a world of torment and suffering.

Clearly I see the end, I pray that the embers will persist from my faith
I foresee a bleak future, and yet I hope that the essence of my faith will remain long after I am gone.

Clearly I'm outnumbered, allegedly outdated
I accept that my beliefs may be considered outdated by some, and that I am vastly outnumbered in my fight against the spread of misguided faith.

Just convert the whole wide world, into the abyss we are hurled
Your goal seems to be to convert the entire world to your faith, even though that may lead us all down a path of destruction.

Sentenced, come end of the world, spare me your self-righteous word
At the end of days, we will all be judged for the choices we made. So please do not preach to me with a false sense of superiority.

Contributed by Penelope L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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