Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: indie-pop
Song Meaning of “The Glacier House” by The Crane Wives
The Glacier House is a song about coming to terms with one’s sense of displacement. The protagonist finds themselves feeling isolated from their community and, ultimately, from their entire existence. They feel the weight of this alienation from the surrounding environment and long for a sense of connection with not only their surroundings but with those around them.
The chorus, “If mountains move and glaciers seem / to be a steady home to me”, speaks to the protagonist’s need for a sense of permanence and belonging. The idea of the glacier house is a metaphor for the protagonist’s longing for a place of stability in an ever-changing world. The metaphor resonates with feelings of both belonging and displacement, as it speaks to the desire for a safe haven in an otherwise unstable world.
The protagonist finds the courage to accept the inevitable change as they declare, “I will not carry the burden of my own isolation.” This speaks to their newfound strength to adapt and embrace their situation and their newfound assurance that no matter what, they will find the courage to accept and embrace the change that is to come.
In the end, The Glacier House is a powerful reminder that the weight of displacement does not have to define us, but instead, can be the source of strength and courage to accept the changes that life throws at us.