They released three albums to considerable acclaim: Made In Cape Breton (2002), On Fire (2004), and Forerunner (2006). In 2006, they toured extensively with the well-known Irish band The Chieftains. However, the founding members of the band split up in 2006, either because of artistic differences, or health problems, according to different reports.
The band began to appear without the Mackenzie siblings, and after experimenting with various fill-ins, settled upon fiddler Claire Pettit and fellow Cape Bretoner Bruce Timmons on guitar. They are currently working on a new studio album for release in Summer 2008.
Official website: http://www.thecottars.ca
Waterlily
The Cottars Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You float like a lily flower.
And you look just like you fell to earth to sleep
And you're waiting for your waking hour.
Chorus
And I swear to God I saw an angel hand attend you
But that was just the dancing of the light.
All hands have forsaken you tonight.
Are you dreaming of a lover who will carry you away
And keep you from the crying of the crowd?
No cradle in the rushes, you are broken like the day,
With darkness all around you like a shroud.
Chorus
When they finally surrounded you, did any of them face
You?
Did you curse the silent stars above?
Those cruel arms abandoned you for water to embrace
You,
Won't you lay your head my waterlily love
Chorus
Caught between the air and the windless deep
You float like a lily flower
And you look just like you fell to earth to sleep
And you're waiting for your waking hour
And you're waiting for your waking hour
The Cottars’ song “Waterlily” is a haunting and beautiful meditation on love, loss, and the mysterious forces of life and death. The lyrics describe a solitary figure adrift on the surface of the water, like a flower caught between two elements, suspended in a state of dreamlike suspension. The singer addresses this figure, asking if they are waiting for a lover to rescue them from the world’s sadness, and wondering if the stars above heard their cries of despair as they were abandoned by those they trusted. The singer sees something divine in this figure, referring to an “angel hand” that seemed to attend them, but also acknowledges that ultimately no one can save them from their fate.
The imagery in the lyrics is both beautiful and poignant, evoking a sense of sadness and beauty intertwined. The waterlily, an symbol of purity and grace, is used as a metaphor for the figure’s fragile state, suspended between life and death. The singer’s questions about the figure’s fate suggest a sense of unsettledness and mystery, capturing the uncertainty that often surrounds death and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
Caught between the air and the windless deep
You are in a state of limbo, suspended in the middle of two opposing forces.
You float like a lily flower.
You are buoyant and graceful like a lily flower floating on the water's surface.
And you look just like you fell to earth to sleep
Your appearance is tranquil, as if you have drifted down from the heavens to rest.
And you're waiting for your waking hour.
You are in a state of suspended animation, waiting for the right time to awaken and take action.
And I swear to God I saw an angel hand attend you
I thought I saw divine intervention, but it was only a trick of the light.
But that was just the dancing of the light.
The angelic image was merely a visual illusion created by the way the light was moving.
No mortal or immortal did deliver or defend you.
No human or divine being came to your aid or protected you.
All hands have forsaken you tonight.
Everyone has abandoned you in your time of need.
Are you dreaming of a lover who will carry you away
Are you hoping for a romantic partner who will rescue you from your troubles?
And keep you from the crying of the crowd?
And shield you from the noise and chaos of the people around you?
No cradle in the rushes, you are broken like the day,
You have no safe haven, and you are as shattered as the morning light.
With darkness all around you like a shroud.
You are surrounded by deep, enveloping darkness that cloaks you like a funeral garment.
When they finally surrounded you, did any of them face you?
When those who betrayed you finally closed in on you, did any of them have the courage to confront you?
Did you curse the silent stars above?
Did you blame the indifferent universe for your predicament?
Those cruel arms abandoned you for water to embrace you,
Those who caused you harm left you to die in the water's embrace.
Won't you lay your head my waterlily love
Can I comfort you and cradle you like a waterlily, my beloved?
And you're waiting for your waking hour.
You are still waiting for the perfect moment to come back to life and thrive.
Contributed by Lucas D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
PJ556666
on Home By Bearna
they are going home by another route to avoid something bad happening