The Wailin' Jennys is a Canadian folk music trio originating in Winnipeg, M… Read Full Bio ↴The Wailin' Jennys is a Canadian folk music trio originating in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Their name is a pun on country singer Waylon Jennings. Since forming in 2002 when a local music shop brought together three solo acts for a performance, the trio has released a series of albums, two of which have won Juno Awards, Canada's top music industry award. Their album "40 Days" won the "Roots and Traditional Album of the Year by a Group" in 2005, as did their album "Bright Morning Stars" in 2012. They were also nominated for the same award in 2007 for "Firecracker". Over the years, the group has featured regularly on Garrison Keillor's live radio variety show "A Prairie Home Companion".

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Apocalypse Lullaby
The Wailin' Jennys Lyrics

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Hurricanes will come
Earthquakes break the walls
Oceans rise
Empires fall

Enter world, light unshown
Follow heart, follow home
Here we are, light unshown

One round heart, one round home

Spin the speed of light
Tetrahedron blue
One last paradise
You can make for you

Enter world, light unshown
Follow heart, follow home
Here we are, light unshown
One round heart, one round home

Faster than a ship
Further than bomb
See the glowing grid
Send love throughout the throng

Enter world, light unshown
Follow heart, follow home

Here we are, light unshone
One round heart, one round home

Overall Meaning

The Wailin' Jennys's song Apocalypse Lullaby speaks about the end of the world and the chaos that will come with it. The lyrics describe how natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes and rising oceans will bring about the end of empires. However, amidst all the destruction, the song encourages listeners to find solace in the light unshown - something that has not yet been revealed. The song proposes that one needs to follow the heart and find their home in this world even in times of such turmoil. The song suggests that one needs to make their own paradise, to find that one round heart and one round home that can provide comfort amongst the chaos.

The second verse speaks about the light that shines brighter than any ship and travels further than a bomb. This is interpreted to mean that there is hope in the world even when everything seems lost. The lyrics suggest that people need to come together and send love throughout the throng, creating a glowing grid of compassion and kindness. The song advises listeners to enter the world with the light unshown, to follow the heart and find solace in the midst of all the chaos.

Line by Line Meaning

Hurricanes will come
Disasters are inevitable and will occur at some point in our lives

Earthquakes break the walls
Even the strongest structures we create can be destroyed by natural disasters

Oceans rise
Climate change is causing a rise in sea levels across the world

Empires fall
No nation, no matter how powerful, will last forever

Enter world, light unshown
When we begin our journey in this world, we are inexperienced and unaware of what awaits us

Follow heart, follow home
It is important to trust our instincts and follow what we believe to be our true purpose in life

Here we are, light unshown
We are still learning and growing, figuring out who we are and what we're meant to do

One round heart, one round home
We only have one life to live, and we should try to make the most of it by staying true to ourselves and creating a comfortable home for ourselves

Spin the speed of light
Life can seem to move very fast, and it's important to keep up with it

Tetrahedron blue
This may be a reference to the Johari Window concept, which involves the balancing of our public self and private self in order to be our true selves

One last paradise
We have the ability to create a paradise for ourselves, but we must act now before it's too late

You can make for you
We have the power to affect our own lives and create our own destiny

Faster than a ship
Things can move very quickly and it's important to keep up

Further than bomb
The power of love can reach further than any destructive force

See the glowing grid
This may be a reference to the interconnectedness of all things

Send love throughout the throng
We should spread love to those around us, as it can have a positive impact on the world

Contributed by Max O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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