[Translation] Kent - Glasäpplen (En plats i solen)

[marshtide]

A song from the new Kent album! Good god, this is all a bit much before my morning tea, I must say. (On which note, our kettle is at death's door. This is an unimaginably serious situation. I just wanted you to know that.)

I think I mentioned this previously, but the album title "En plats i solen" means "A place in the sun".

1. Glasäpplen (Glass apples)

Song

Swedish:

Tänk på allt du lärt mig
jag var ekot i ditt lod
Du spelade ”Taillights Fade”
för gamla tiders skull

Jag övar varje mening
framför spegeln, varje ord
Vi gick från damm till damm
Vi reste jord till jord

Jag tänkte aldrig längre än ett ögonblick i sänder
och just nu
vill jag se min framtid, jag vill se allt som ska komma
genom dimmorna här

Kan jag inte ens se min nervösa tunna hand som söker din

Du ger mig inga löften
och du ställer inga krav
för att du vet exakt
vad jag klarar av

Du ser mig som en jämlik
jag beter mig som ett barn
En ängels tålamod
En djävulsk envishet

Du tänkte alltid längre än det ögonblick när det händer
och just nu
kan vi se vår framtiden ett högteknologiskt konstverk
genom dimmorna här

Din varma slitna hand den sluts försiktigt omkring min
och tar mig med

Du ska lämna mig här ensam
Du ska lämna mig igen
Du måste lita på mig nu

Det är inte bara rädslan
som har bundit mig vid dig
Du måste lita på mig

Tänk på att du lärt mig allt
var stolt över ditt verk
och spela en sång för oss
för gamla tiders skull


English:

Think about everything you've taught me
I was the echo in your lead
You played "Taillights Fade"
for old time's sake

I practice every sentence
in front of the mirror, every word
We went from dust to dust
We travelled earth to earth

I never thought beyond each passing moment
and right now
I want to see my future, I want to see everything that will come
through the fog here

I can't even see my nervous thin hand that seeks yours

You give me no promises
and you make no demands
because you know exactly
what I can cope with

You see me as an equal
I act like a child
The patience of a saint
A devilish stubbornness

You always thought beyond the present moment
and right now
we can see our future a high-tec work of art
through the fog here

Your warm worn hand is closed carefully around mine
and takes me along

You will leave me here alone
You will leave me again
You have to trust me now

It isn't only fear
that has bound me to you
You have to trust me

Think of how you taught me everything
be proud of your work
and play a song for us
for old time's sake


Notes:

1. "the echo in your lead" - this seems to have to do with sounding for depths. A combination of echo sounding or sounding with a lead. I'm not sure I've nailed this one, actually, but that's what it's in reference to.

2. Obviously the "dust to dust" and "earth to earth" lines are religious; but "jord till jord" in Swedish can also mean other things, such as "soil to soil" or "world to world". Given "travelled" preceding it, the latter might be pertinent information.

3. "I never thought beyond each passing moment" is a reference to a hymn written by Lina Sandell. English text (least offensively 1996-ish page I could find; is there some kind of requirement for sites hosting hymn texts to be as blinding as possible?) - Swedish original (mercifully white-backgrounded). It's not such a famous reference in English as Swedish, obviously, but I've run with the phrasing of the English hymn anyway.

I think those were the main bits.