Tenebrae
The Maledict Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Drink deep and savour with me, this glass of Autumn, so familiar.
I'd pray with you if I ever believed a river of tears would make a difference.
And you'll drive into the night...
I hardly knew you.
A question that I thought to ask, I spoke aloud only in shadow.
And I'd see your lips heeding my cries, glimpsed from behind every window.
And you'll drive into the night, veins running with ichor, to cast aside this cloak of pain.
Watched you leave, silent as always.

We part not to meet again.
You will never hear these words.

You have left us all forever and your answer, a mystery to me...
would you forgive me?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Maledict's song Tenebrae speak of a deep sense of loss and longing for someone who has passed away. The song sets a quiet, melancholic mood that draws the listener in, starting with the lines "Drink deep and savour with me, this glass of Autumn, so familiar." These lyrics seem to suggest a moment of shared reflection on the passing of time and the transience of life. This sentiment is echoed in the second line, where the singer says they would pray with you if they believed that tears could make any difference. The image of the river of tears is a poignant and powerful one, conjuring up a sense of overwhelming grief and despair.

The singer then describes how the person they are addressing will "drive into the night," a metaphor for their ultimate departure from life. The lyrics speak of missed opportunities and regrets, with the line "A question that I thought to ask, I spoke aloud only in shadow." This suggests that there were things left unsaid, opportunities for connection left unexplored. The singer imagines the departed person's lips responding, but this remains a dream, "glimpsed from behind every window." The song ends with the singer watching the person they have lost depart and wondering if they would forgive them.

Line by Line Meaning

Drink deep and savour with me, this glass of Autumn, so familiar.
Join me in embracing the familiar feeling of autumn as we savor this moment together.

I'd pray with you if I ever believed a river of tears would make a difference.
If shedding tears could change things, I would pray with you for a better outcome.

And you'll drive into the night...
You will leave under cover of darkness...

I hardly knew you.
Our time together was brief and we barely knew each other.

A question that I thought to ask, I spoke aloud only in shadow.
I had a question to ask, but was too afraid to ask it in the light of day.

And I'd see your lips heeding my cries, glimpsed from behind every window.
I imagined seeing you responding to my pleas, as I spied on you from each window I passed.

And you'll drive into the night, veins running with ichor, to cast aside this cloak of pain.
You'll depart, feeling the surge of life and vitality through your veins, letting go of the pain we carry.

Watched you leave, silent as always.
I watched you leave, unable to find any words to say.

We part not to meet again.
We part ways, knowing we will never see each other again.

You will never hear these words.
I will never have the chance to express these thoughts to you.

You have left us all forever and your answer, a mystery to me... would you forgive me?
You've departed this world and I'll never know the answer to the question that lingers: would you have forgiven me?

Contributed by London J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS