Birds Of Tokyo bass player Ian Berney was interviewed by Coffs Coast Focus Magazine. He describes the meaning of their song “Lanterns” as leaving your comfort zone and growing as an individual; and although it may feel lonely there are plenty of others going on a similar journey who are all ultimately unified souls on a quest for a new chapter in their life.
In the context of funerals and memorials, it could mean the journey that a deceased loved one goes when they leave the physical world and embark on their journey to the afterlife.
Lyrics
Lately I’ve found
When I start to think aloud
There’s a longing in the sound
There is more I could be
In darkness I leave
For a place I’ve never seen
It’s been calling out to me
That is where I should be
When I start to think aloud
There’s a longing in the sound
There is more I could be
In darkness I leave
For a place I’ve never seen
It’s been calling out to me
That is where I should be
We never carried days on our own
But now it’s up to us to know
The weight of being so much more
We will find ourselves on the road
But now it’s up to us to know
The weight of being so much more
We will find ourselves on the road
On we march
With a midnight song
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
On we march
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
With a midnight song
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
On we march
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
As we walk out
Without question without doubt
In the light that we have found
It is finally clear
Our day has come
And we’ll stand for who we are
We are ready we are young
We have nothing to fear
Without question without doubt
In the light that we have found
It is finally clear
Our day has come
And we’ll stand for who we are
We are ready we are young
We have nothing to fear
We never carried days on our own
But now it’s up to us to know
The weight of being so much more
We will find ourselves on the road
But now it’s up to us to know
The weight of being so much more
We will find ourselves on the road
On we march
With a midnight song
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
On we march
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
With a midnight song
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
On we march
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
We held the light
To our faces
And realised
We were chasing
Shadows behind
Not worth saving
So burn it bright
Forever illuminating
To our faces
And realised
We were chasing
Shadows behind
Not worth saving
So burn it bright
Forever illuminating
On we march
With a midnight song
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
On we march
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
In darkness I leave
For a place I’ve never seen
It’s been calling out to me
That is where I should be
With a midnight song
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
On we march
Till we meet the dawn
We will light our way
With our lanterns on
In darkness I leave
For a place I’ve never seen
It’s been calling out to me
That is where I should be
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Songwriters: Adam John Spark / Adam Peter Weston / Glenn Michael Sarangapany / Ian Lewis Kenny / Ian Patrick Berney
Lanterns lyrics © Words & Music A Div Of Big Deal Music LLC