Exile
Tristania Lyrics


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I’m light years away
You can’t change me
I’m passive and cold
Just waiting
I’ve seen the future’s threatening sky through dreams at night
I’ve seen the dogs of war let loose I’ve seen the blood-red sky

Night
A promise of rain
Divided we stand
A distance I can’t take anymore

In the cage in the corner
I’m safe from the beast
Once you wanted me, the image of me
I’ve played that game a million times and see the signs
I’ve played that game from A to Z I’ve lost a million times

Wounds are open again
Divided we fall
I’m bleeding from the dark of my soul





Burning in water
Drowning in fire

Overall Meaning

The song "Exile" by Tristania is a dark and melancholic track about feeling isolated and distant from others. The opening lines, "I'm light years away, you can't change me" immediately set the tone for the song, conveying a sense of distance and insurmountable separation between the singer and the others around them. The following lines, "I'm passive and cold, just waiting" suggest a certain resignation and emotional numbness, as if the singer has given up trying to connect with others and is just existing in a state of emotional stasis.


The next verse offers a glimpse into the singer's inner thoughts, as they describe having seen "the future's threatening sky through dreams at night" and witnessing "the dogs of war let loose" and "the blood-red sky". These are undoubtedly ominous and disturbing images that suggest a deep sense of foreboding and apprehension about the future. The imagery is vivid and evocative, painting a stark and unsettling picture of a world on the brink of chaos and destruction.


The chorus is equally haunting, with the singer describing themselves as being "in the cage in the corner" and feeling safe from the beast, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the dangers and uncertainties of the outside world. The line "once you wanted me, the image of me" suggests that the singer has undergone a transformation or change that has caused them to lose the affection or interest of someone they once cared about. The repeated refrain of "divided we stand, divided we fall" adds a sense of fatalism and hopelessness to the song, as if the singer believes that no matter what they do, they will always be alone and disconnected from others. The final lines, "burning in water, drowning in fire" are a powerful and evocative image that speaks to the intense and contradictory emotions that the singer is experiencing.


Line by Line Meaning

I’m light years away
I am far from you, unreachable


You can’t change me
You cannot alter me or my ways


I’m passive and cold
I am indifferent and detached


Just waiting
I am biding my time for something to happen


I’ve seen the future’s threatening sky through dreams at night
I have envisioned a foreboding future through my dreams


I’ve seen the dogs of war let loose I’ve seen the blood-red sky
I have witnessed the unleashing of inevitable conflict, and the horror it brings


Night
Darkness


A promise of rain
An impending change or uncertainty


Divided we stand
We are separate, yet together in this situation


A distance I can’t take anymore
The separation has become unbearable


In the cage in the corner
I have secluded myself to avoid danger


I’m safe from the beast
I am protected from the harm that may come to me


Once you wanted me, the image of me
In the past, you desired me for who I appeared to be


I’ve played that game a million times and see the signs
I have experienced this situation repeatedly and recognize the patterns


I’ve played that game from A to Z I’ve lost a million times
I have tried everything and failed countless times


Wounds are open again
Old injuries have resurfaced


Divided we fall
If we remain separate, we will fail


I’m bleeding from the dark of my soul
My inner turmoil is causing me intense pain


Burning in water
Facing an impossible situation


Drowning in fire
Being consumed by overwhelming and inescapable circumstances




Contributed by Dominic E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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