Song: The Penalty
Artist: Beirut
Album: The Flying Club Cup
Lyrics
Like an ancient day and I'm on trial
Let them seize the way, this once was an island
And I could not stay for I believed them
Left for the lights always in season
Impassable night in a crowd of homesick
Fully grown children, you'll leave the lights
Your family may not wait, Sir, keep on believing
Our parents rue the day, they find us kneeling
Let them think what they may, for they've good reason
Left for the lights always in season
My own interpretation:
There are many possible ways of understanding this song. I believe it is about returning home as a matured person ("Fully grown children, you'll leave the lights"), and feeling regret for the foolish dreams of the past, that drove one away, in search for "the lights away in season". It is the story of a man who finds a place long lost, "an island" that he has left in his teenage years for the sake of finding his own place in the world. And now finally he returns, without having found what he went looking for. The "lights" were just illusory bubbles and he was confronted with loneliness and "a crowd of homesick", hence suggesting that this might be everybody's story. Once returned home however, he notices that the family has moved on and even if he would like to belong to them once more, it is no longer possible. Everybody has changed in the meantime ("Your family may not wait, Sir") as things of the past belong to the past and should not be dwelled upon any longer, as it is impossible to change them. However the bitterness of the song is not conveyed by the story itself, but rather by the lucidity of the man's thoughts, who realizes that, even though he feels that he no longer belongs there, and even though the family suffers now, seeing him "kneeling", wanting to return, he knows that it was a story which was meant to happen. The last two lines seem to change the tone of the melody from bitter to sweet entirely, as if he was saying: I am sad that I left one place to find a distant one in search of a place where to belong to. Now I don't belong anywhere, but I am thankful that I do not have to regret, not having at least tried. "Let them think what they may, for they've good reason" suggests that he understands the point of view of the family but he does in fact not regret having "Left for the lights always in season", because it was an important process in him becoming the man he is today. For dreams may be silly and they may be shared by all, but, boy! did they feel exclusive and real in the past!
Beirut is an American Band, which began as the solo musical project of 23-year old Zach Condon and has evolved into a band led by Condon. Their music combines balkan sounds with elements of folk and french chansons, as well as western pop music. The results are one of a kind, truly brilliant melodies, which touch the heart. Please check out "Nantes" and "Elephant Gun" (great video!), as well as "No Dice" (which is more electronic, from the album "March of the Zapotec & Realpeople - Holland").
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