Why we love songs with lyrics we can’t understand.
Let the music begin!
No, we aren’t talking about Despacito.
This week, we’re talking about Omnos, by the Folk-metal band called Eluveitie. Yes, you heard it right. There’s something called Folk-metal too.
First things first, this song is in Gaulish.
Gaulish is an ancient Celtic language that was spoken in parts of Europe as late as the Roman Empire. In the narrow sense, Gaulish was the language spoken by the Celtic inhabitants of Gaul(modern France, Belgium and Northern Italy).
6th century BC to 6th century AD.
I don’t speak Gaulish. Or understand it. Or even try to. And I love this song.
The song starts with a “Yeaaaah Yeaaaaah Yeaaaaah” in chorus. And then the main lyrics start.
Instantly as soon as the singer starts singing, it becomes clear she’s sort of conversing with someone. And that’s just me guessing someone singing in a language I can barely even read.
When I read the translation of the lyrics later, I saw that my guess was absolutely right. And I was kinda astonished.
You see, like words make up languages, sound notes make up a language too. It’s the language of music!
It’s the same reason why lullaby in any language is a lullaby.
Truth be told, there is no actual meaning to anything in life. We, humans, give everything it’s meaning.
So when we’re listening to a song with lyrics we don’t get, we take the song exploration onto ourselves and give the song it’s meaning.
Yes, we do.
And honestly, from this point on, this becomes a very personal journey. Your mind wanders off into making a story-line for this song, regardless of it’s lyric. You have made this song “your won”. The song is now all yours.
So maybe, next time, when you’re listening to a song you don’t necessarily understand, get a slight smile on your lips, because you are just about to be the creator of a magnanimous universe of imagination, only visible to yourself!
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