This Empty Northern Hemisphere

Gregory Alan Isakov's song 'This Empty Northern Hemisphere' is a poignant exploration of loneliness, change, and the passage of time. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a transient life, filled with moments of introspection and melancholy. The opening lines, 'Smoke it flies from whiskey mouths / Vagabonds walk this suitcase town,' set the tone for a journey through a desolate landscape, both physically and emotionally. The imagery of 'whiskey mouths' and 'vagabonds' suggests a sense of aimlessness and searching, while the 'suitcase town' evokes a temporary, impermanent existence.

As the song progresses, Isakov delves deeper into themes of loss and the passage of time. The line 'Summer left us beckoning / The cottonwoods were all worn out' captures the end of a season, symbolizing the end of a chapter in life. The recurring motif of night and day, 'Night comes fixing on the day / And the universe reigned again,' reflects the cyclical nature of time and the inevitability of change. The 'flickering light' that the wheels roll towards represents a glimmer of hope or a destination that remains just out of reach.

The chorus, 'While you were sleeping I was the turning the dials / And I walled up your kingdom with radio wires,' introduces a sense of separation and isolation. The act of 'turning the dials' suggests a search for connection or meaning, while 'walled up your kingdom' implies a barrier between the narrator and the person they are addressing. The imagery of 'bells of the choir' coming in 'low and rumbling' adds a haunting, almost spiritual quality to the song, emphasizing the depth of the narrator's emotions. Ultimately, 'This Empty Northern Hemisphere' is a reflection on the loneliness and impermanence of life, as well as the search for meaning and connection in a vast, ever-changing world.