Holopainen is mostly famous for being the keyboardist, band leader, founder and main songwriter of symphonic metal band Nightwish. He has also played in the bands Nattvindens GrĂ¥t and Darkwoods My Betrothed. His current side projects are the gothic-doom metal band For My Pain... and the band of Timo Rautiainen.
Holopainen has written several songs that have been included into movie soundtracks; Nightwish songs like Nemo and Wish I Had an Angel, as well as his own song While Your Lips Are Still Red, that was written for the Finnish film "Lieksa!" in 2007.
Tuomas' official website: www.tuomas-holopainen.com
Into The West
Tuomas Holopainen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Far, far into the night
Your calling guided you
Far, far across the dark
Horizon filled with red
And yearning of a childless ma
The song "Into The West" by Tuomas Holopainen features the haunting vocals of Anneke van Giersbergen and tells a mystical tale of a traveler's journey into the unknown. The verse "Far, far into the night, your calling guided you, far, far across the dark, horizon filled with red" describes an endless, lonely road that the singer follows blindly without knowing where it will end. The chorus "Into the west, where the night grows pale, among the shadows and the stars, there is a world awaiting me" alludes to a mystical world beyond the horizon, filled with both light and dark.
However, the most poignant moment in the song is when the lyrics shift to "And yearning of a childless ma." This line captures the emotional heart of the song, as we realize that the singer is not just a traveler, but a parent who has left his family behind. The "yearning of a childless ma" is a reference to the pain and longing of a mother who has lost her child, or perhaps a woman who cannot conceive. Through this line, the song becomes a meditation on the bittersweet journey of life, and the sacrifices we make for the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
Far, far into the night
Amidst the endless darkness of night, I embark on a journey beyond the known boundaries.
Your calling guided you
My instincts and inner voice are leading me towards an unknown destination.
Far, far across the dark
Heading towards the unexplored territories, where reality merges into the unknown and undefined.
Horizon filled with red
A new beginning awaits me, where the skies are painted with the hues of hope and opportunity.
And yearning of a childless ma
The longing for new experiences and discoveries is akin to the yearning of a parent who is yet to hold their child for the first time.
Contributed by Hailey B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.