Excavation
TYR Lyrics
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Which extremes would you go to, to be given the mead
Give an eye or even sacrifice to you yourself
You should have seen, even your life
Must take an end sometime
Was there a way had your eyes had seen more
If you had the chance to read your runes and find your
Fate, excavate, then would you hesitate
To see what will be your predestined fate
"I see, finally, visions of what will be
My fate, hesitate, it will be too late
…when done"
What did you give, what did you offer to be given wisdom
Are you glad and does your soul rest in your wide learning
Just which horrors lie ahead you did not know of it then, knowledge
It can darken minds like clouds the shining sun from above the earth
Now you know all, was it worth an eyeball
You had the chance to read your runes and find your
Fate, excavate, did you not hesitate
To see what would be your predestined fate
"I see, finally, visions of what will be
My fate, hesitate, it will be too late
…when done"
Was there a way had your eyes had seen more
If you had the chance to read your runes and find your
Fate, excavate, I saw you hesitate
To see what will be your predestined fate
"I see, finally, visions of what will be
My fate, hesitate, it will be too late
…when done"
The song Excavation by Týr speaks of the pursuit of wisdom and knowledge, and the willingness to sacrifice for it. The lyrics ask the listener to consider what they would give up, how far they would go, and what they would sacrifice in order to gain true understanding. The mead referred to in the lyrics is likely a reference to the mythological Mead of Poetry, which in Norse mythology was made from the blood of the god Kvasir and granted wisdom to those who drank it.
The song continues on to ask the listener to consider whether the pursuit of knowledge is worth the cost. The darkness that knowledge can bring is likened to clouds obscuring the sun, and the lyrics suggest that sometimes ignorance may indeed be bliss. The chorus repeats the idea of excavating one's fate, knowing what will come, and how hesitating too long can lead to missed opportunities.
Overall, the song seems to be cautioning against blindly pursuing knowledge without considering the consequences, and reminding the listener that sometimes it is better to leave fate to chance rather than attempting to control it.
Line by Line Meaning
What would you give, what would you offer to be given wisdom
What sacrifices would you make to gain wisdom?
Which extremes would you go to, to be given the mead
How far would you go to obtain knowledge?
Give an eye or even sacrifice to you yourself
Would you give up something substantial, like an eye, to gain knowledge?
You should have seen, even your life
No one lives forever.
Must take an end sometime
Death is inevitable.
Was there a way had your eyes had seen more
Would you have acted differently if you knew more?
If you had the chance to read your runes and find your
If you could see your future, would you take that opportunity?
Fate, excavate, then would you hesitate
If you could uncover your destiny, would you be hesitant to do so?
To see what will be your predestined fate
To uncover what is already set to occur.
"I see, finally, visions of what will be
At last, I can perceive my future.
My fate, hesitate, it will be too late
I must act quickly to alter my destiny.
…when done"
Once I take action, I must see it through to the end.
What did you give, what did you offer to be given wisdom
What sacrifices did you make in pursuit of knowledge?
Are you glad and does your soul rest in your wide learning
Are you content with the knowledge you have gained?
Just which horrors lie ahead you did not know of it then, knowledge
Sometimes, obtaining knowledge can reveal unsettling truths.
It can darken minds like clouds the shining sun from above the earth
Knowledge can cast a shadow over one's perception of the world.
Now you know all, was it worth an eyeball
Now that you have gained knowledge, was it worth the sacrifice you made?
Fate, excavate, did you not hesitate
You revealed your destiny without hesitation.
To see what would be your predestined fate
To uncover what is already set to occur.
"I see, finally, visions of what will be
At last, I can perceive my future.
My fate, hesitate, it will be too late
I must act quickly to alter my destiny.
…when done"
Once I take action, I must see it through to the end.
Was there a way had your eyes had seen more
Would you have acted differently if you knew more?
If you had the chance to read your runes and find your
If you could see your future, would you take that opportunity?
Fate, excavate, I saw you hesitate
You were hesitant to reveal your destiny.
To see what will be your predestined fate
To uncover what is already set to occur.
"I see, finally, visions of what will be
At last, I can perceive my future.
My fate, hesitate, it will be too late
I must act quickly to alter my destiny.
…when done"
Once I take action, I must see it through to the end.
Contributed by Jacob M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.