Apple Tree by Aurora Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Orchard of Identity and Purpose
Lyrics
I’ve been a girl, I’ve been a boy
Digging my feet into the ground, like an apple tree
Wanting to live with a purpose
Skin is a word, love is not a sin
People are bad, people are good
Just like the moon is a stone
But it’s a star when it’s dark and now she’s hiding
If you’ve seen where the heart is, you’ve seen it’s color
If I ever knew how we could guide it
I would take care of its children, become their mother
If I ever knew how we could hide it, hide it
(Ah ah)
Let her save the world, she is just a girl
Let him save the world, he is just a boy
Let her save the world, she is just a girl
Let him save the world, he is just a boy
Hunger is quiet if you do it right
Hunter is loud and predictable, scaring away every prey
So they’re gone before the hunter arrives
Would you be kind to put away the sword
You cannot cut away what we’ve got
You cannot kill what we are
We are not here in physical form
You’ve seen where the knife is, its dark location
If I ever knew how we could guide it
I will cut into our anger, make your emotion
If I ever knew how we could hide it, hide it
(Ah ah)
Let her save the world, she is just a girl
Let him save the world, he is just a boy
Let her save the world, she is just a girl
Let him save the world, he is just a boy
Ah, ah
Oh, oh
Ah, ah
Can we carry the weight of mortality? (Oh, oh)
The explosions around you is your symphony
(Ah, ah) Let her save the world, she is just a girl
(Oh, oh) Let him save the world, he is just a boy
(Ah, ah) Let her save the world, she is just a girl
(Oh, oh) Let him save the world, he is just a boy
Aurora’s ‘Apple Tree’ presents itself as a labyrinthine orchard, where every lyrical path unfolds a new dimension of human identity, social constructs, and the inherent conflicts between the natural world and the roles we play within it. As we wade through this teeming garden of meaning, the Norwegian singer-songwriter’s delicate yet piercing voice serves as a guide, questioning the world’s paradoxes and the essence of our existence.
With a deft pen, Aurora sketches a narrative that blends existential poetry with societal critique – a canvas where the binaries of gender dissolve and the metrics by which we measure purpose are recalibrated. Each stanza, ripe with metaphor and allegory, invites a careful, contemplative taste of its layered connotations.
Gender Fluidity Rooted in Nature’s Wisdom
The song opens with a bold proclamation of fluid identity: ‘I’ve been a girl, I’ve been a boy.’ In this line, Aurora challenges the rigid notions of gender, positioning them as roles adopted just as easily as one can take different stances in life. The reference to an ‘apple tree,’ standing firm yet fruitful, becomes a metaphor for a steadfast sense of self that branches out beyond societal gender expectations.
The imagery of sinking one’s feet into the ground mirrors the natural process of growth and belonging. Just as a tree does not change its essence regardless of its outward guise, Aurora suggests that our core identity remains unaltered, even as we explore various facets of our gender expression.
The Sinner’s Conundrum: Decoding Morality
In a world quick to judge and categorize, ‘Skin is a word, love is not a sin’ emerges as a calming mantra that calls for the acceptance of love in all its forms. Aurora’s words strike at the heart of societal taboos, confronting the audience with the arbitrary nature of sin and stretching the boundaries of what is deemed acceptable.
She further explores this dichotomy between good and bad by paralleling people with the moon – a celestial body that is merely a stone by day, but by night, in the absence of light, it becomes a guiding star. This duality serves as a reminder of the hidden depths within each person and the transformative power of perspective.
A Prophetic Vision: Embracing the Role of Protector
The chorus ‘Let her save the world, she is just a girl. Let him save the world, he is just a boy’ carries a weight that contradicts its simple structure. Here, Aurora dismantles the notion that nobility and heroism are reserved for the mighty or the extraordinary, positing that within every ‘girl’ or ‘boy’ lies the potential for world-altering change.
This affirmation serves as both a dismantling of ageist prejudices and an empowering prophecy. In a society that often overlooks the young, Aurora presents an alternative vision where the innocence and purity of youth become a source of salvation rather than inexperience or naivety.
Confronting the Illusions of Power and Violence
The outstanding lines, ‘Hunger is quiet if you do it right, Hunter is loud and predictable,’ juxtapose two opposing approaches to existence: the first speaks to a nuanced, considerate way of navigating life’s challenges, while the second condemns the brash, forceful tactics often used by those in pursuit of domination.
Drawing a parallel between the literal act of hunting and the figurative sense of pursuit, Aurora implies that true strength lies not in overt displays of power but in the quiet determination that comes from a deeper understanding and harmony with the world around us.
Mortality’s Symphony: The Grand Crescendo
As the song nears its end, Aurora leaves us pondering with the haunting question, ‘Can we carry the weight of mortality?’ The ‘explosions around you’ suggests life’s chaotic crescendos, and within this tumultuous symphony, we find a call to action – to preserve our humanity through the cacophony of existence.
This line is not just about acknowledging the burdens we face but about the potential beauty in that struggle. It’s a striking reminder that the very essence of our lives is punctuated by turmoil and triumph, and in finding harmony among discord, we echo the symphonic grandeur of the human experience.
