Poets of the Fall, Ghostlight – seitsemän, Firedancer
Firedancer is the brilliant opening to Ghostlight, Poets of the Fall 9th studio album which was released on April 29th. The song is musically and lyrically stunning, from the intro’s spoken words to the very last notes easing the listener smoothly into the next track -Requiem for my Harlequin.
As always, the lyrics can and should be understood in our own way. No right or wrong, just Marko’s red thread showing a glimmer of what could be his meaning. Like he said in his interview on Radio Rock (Finland, 02/04/2022):
“My lyrics are meta-level lyrics so the listeners can understand them in their own way. There’s an idea in the lyrics that I could open up, but I don’t, so that everyone can understand the lyrics in their own way.” -Marko Saaresto.
Firedancer opening
I love a good opening because it sets the tone to what is coming. Marko has an incredible voice, we don’t need to debate this, we all know it 😎… and we have also discovered recently how beautifully he delivers poetry -no singing- with his participation with Flamelight -audio poetry you should listen to if you haven’t yet. Firedancer begins with four powerful verses containing universal themes such as life, death and freedom, to name the obvious ones coming to mind. If we don’t know what’s coming, we’re kind of “thick” -no offense here.
The opening closes when the music starts, keeping me on my toes for 6 minutes 20 seconds, multiplied by the usual endless repeat.
“In the space between thought and wonder
Memory cannot pull you under
In the moment between breath and dying
You’re free, fearless, you’re flying”
– Firedancer, from Ghostlight, Poets of the Fall (2022).
Immediately conjuring the first three verses from book one of the All Souls Trilogy by Deborah Harkness -A Discovery of Witches. One of my absolute favourite books!
“It begins with absence and desire,
It begins with blood and fear,
It begins with a discovery of witches.”
– A Discovery of Witches, The All Souls book trilogy by Deborah Harkness (2011-2014) – TV Series (2018-2022).
Two intros that are very similar to me, although one is rather life anchored while the other comes from a work of fiction. The outcome of both openings holds in how they make me feel, which in this instance could be described as longing, a foot out the door and the other still inside, free yet something’s still holding me back… fear maybe, reality surely, or whatnot. Do you know what I mean? 🤭
How could a work of fiction make me feel the same as Marko’s verses? I guess you’d have to be in my head to get it… Anyhow, it is but a subjective comparison that engages no one else than me and my imagination.
Now the tone is set, the music grabs you with a jerk and doesn’t let go for the entire song… or album, but let’s not go ahead of ourselves here.
👉 You may be interested in reading Ghostlight – Poets of the Fall Masterpiece.
Fire dancing
Do you know where fire dancing comes from? 😏
“The ancient art of fire dancing began hundreds of years ago by the people of Polynesia. In an area spanning over 4,000 square miles with hundreds of islands, it’s hard to pin-point exactly where in Polynesia fire dancing began.” (Source: The History of Fire Dancing – 2011)
“Samoa regarded dance as a type of poetry and common language, with routines telling stories about shared values or celebrations.” (Source: The Ancient Art of Fire Dancing in Polynesian Culture – 2021)
I also read somewhere that fire dancing was used to ward of witches and evil spirits, not unlike the bone fires of Halloween.
We can find so many connotations within the title itself, that give hints to what the lyrics could get their influences from. All in all, all historical, cultural and ritual meaning behind fire dancing could without a doubt be the source of the title. Nothing’s set in stone, interpretations are to us all to make it fit into our lives. “Ain’t that a beaut’?”
Poets of the Fall are masters in symbolism, whether voluntary or not. The right word, combined the right way with others, to which they add the music and finally Marko’s faultless rendering them in rollercoasters of emotions… Isn’t this why we love them so much? Evidently, it usually gets our heads spinning if we think about it for too long.
An after-thought, how cool would it be to see firedancers do a choreography on this song?
Firedancer a nod to the past
We have all discussed it on social media, there is a little bit of Daze in Firedancer -whether it’d be in the music or in the choice of word.
“Set the world on fire”
– Daze, from Jealous Gods, Poets of the Fall (2014)
“Firedancer, flame of life”
– Firedancer, from Ghostlight, Poets of the Fall (2022).
Fire as a symbol of destruction and chaos to start the second trilogy, whereas I see it as a symbol of life -or even life renewed- in Firedancer. Have you noticed then that Daze is the first track of the last album in the second trilogy? Firedancer has the same status in the third trilogy. Both powerful openings for the conclusion of their respective trilogies. Koinkidink? I wouldn’t pass it Poets of the Fall at that point. So I checked and oh horror, I was wrong 😂. The opening to Temple of Thought is Running out of Time (with no mention of fire in the song), but the opening to Carnival of Rust is… Fire 😜. So, in all my logic, Carnival of Rust should be the closing act of the first trilogy. If it is so, how could I miss THAT!
By the way, it could be so… we have a clue in Chasing Echoes, or I like to think it is a clue. Of course, I might be the only one who got it wrong from the start which would make you think me completely bonkers -don’t worry, you’d be right 😉.
“Cos the carnival closed down.”
– Chasing Echoes, from Ghostlight, Poets of the Fall (2022).
Or do I give you guys, Poets of the Fall, too much credit?
Anyhow, I always thought that the trilogies went like this:
- Signs of Life, Carnival of Rust, Temple of Thought
- Revolution Roulette, Twilight Theatre, Jealous Gods
- Clearview, Ultraviolet, Ghostlight
I even wrote about the trilogies a long while back, and if I was in the wrong, why didn’t anybody say something? 🙃 Let’s go with koinkidink then… for my present sanity’s sake.
Time is a flying, yet another nod
“For time it never waits”
– Firedancer, from Ghostlight, Poets of the Fall (2022).
“Time isn’t made for waiting”
– Clevermind, from Revolution Roulette, Poets of the Fall (2008).
Alright, if we are talking time, then Temple of Thought makes sense, but now Daze does not… or does it?
“No rest, I’ve stayed here too long, it’s time to move on”
– Daze, from Jealous Gods, Poets of the Fall (2014).“Crazy running like we’re running out of time”
– Running out of Time, from Temple of Thought, Poets of the Fall (2012).
It is a bit of a stretch that the commonality should be time especially when fire is the obvious choice. Messing with my head again! I guess it could go either way we choose. I love puzzles, but not so much when the solution eludes me for too long… story of my life!
Fire and time: life. Would you look at that 😅!
Le mot de la fin (last words)
Are you ready for your life to be laid bare
Firedancer is so entwined with the meaning behind Requiem for my Harlequin, it is uncanny. Stop trying to be someone you are not because life so short. Don’t be who they want you to be! Be who you are. It is all about letting go of the armour, the mask. It is about being brave enough to face the world as you are, even if you don’t fit the mould. Easier said than done, yes… maybe it seems unattainable today, but tomorrow it might as well be possible. It is the hope of becoming the best you can be for yourself because, after all, life is so precious.
Sometimes it feels like the same messages from one album to the other, but they aren’t. The differences are subtle, smart and to me, awe inspiring. When Marko talks about the themes from the last trilogy and how Ghostlight fits in, he answers:
“Ghostlight is about the outcome of situations we go through in our lives.”
– Full excerpt for this particular question down below 👇
Poets of the Fall trilogy of trilogies brings us on the journey of a lifetime. We discover ourselves along the way, through all the stages that life pushes us on. Outcome or consequences should bring serenity -That’d be the pot calling the kettle black, in my case… It all comes down to our choices then and now; how we decide to move forward or keep still. Gastronomic food for thought!
Yet again, you may find something else in the lyrics that lifts you up another way.
“We should always question the answer”
– Firedancer, from Ghostlight, Poets of the Fall (2022).
My favourite quote in this song.
All I can finally say about Firedancer is that it is still stunning me and believe me, I have been listening to it on repeat since Sunday morning to write this article. The words, the music, the different tempo, Olli that solo, good gracious me!!! All this masterfully wrapped in this “electro rhythm” and otherworldly sound played by our very own Captain.
I am dazed!
Until next time,
/Claire
Marko Saaresto to Poets of the Fall Nation, one of Poets very active fan community 🥰 Used with permission from the interviewer, thank you 💖
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE THEME OF THE ALBUM AND HOW DOES IT FIT INTO THE TRILOGY WITH CLEARVIEW AND ULTRAVIOLET?
– Ghostlight is about the outcome of situations we go through in our lives. The solutions, realizations, coming to understand what is and the acceptance of it. While Clearview is about taking on a new direction, a new path, even a surprising one, and Ultraviolet looks at the pitfalls on that new path and how to be aware of them in order to avoid them or get through them, Ghostlight is about seeing through the illusions the mind creates, the emotions, the turmoil, and finally becoming one with peace and reality.
