Cleopatra
So, I’m dedicating a night of my revision to this post because I’ve never seen a bunch of music videos so intricately woven together. I knew i couldn’t wait to write this post because nothing has described this feeling I’ve been having for such a long time.
The Lumineers- Ballad of Cleopatra
I’m not gonna give a blow by blow explanation of the storyline, but the main gist of the videos are summarised here and here. I mean, these two links give you a very general idea of the videos but i’m not convinced that they’re completely accurate. I think a big portion of the videos are still up to personal interpretation. What i’m saying is, these videos tell such a big story and everyone might relate to them differently. Well, here’s mine.
As i watched Cleopatra go through each stage of her life, it felt very much like she was trapped. And then come the “what-if” scenes, where her body separates from reality and she imagines going on an adventure and basically does whatever the hell she wants. Like in Sleeping on the Floor, she goes on this epic, agenda-less road trip, stopping randomly to get out of the car and dance, something i obviously and totally would do.
Just, sitting in silence, taking in the beauty of the world.
Similarly in Angela, she leaves in the middle of the night, never mind the fact that she is very pregnant, and dances outside a motel.
For me, these “what-if” scenes really struck a chord. Sometimes life just traps you, and for a few moments you want an escape. Go on adventure, do something that makes me feel most like myself, something that feels right at that moment, see the world for it’s beauty because you know it exists. And i picture myself in this spirit-freeing snapshot and i can’t help but realise how happy it makes me feel. In a mentality where i can truly enjoy being me, in my own skin.
I have been feeling this way for a while, and i admit that some of it is nostalgia. I mean, there was a time when i could just up and go under the moon. Run, dance, watch the stars. But i think this is feeling mainly comes from a part of my soul that wishes to be freed. And for the Ballad of Cleopatra to so perfectly capture this emotion was honestly very thrilling.
There are also other tinier examples of how the Ballad of Cleopatra is so relatable for me. I’ll just share one.
I’ve always wanted a tattoo of a wave on my right ankle. To me, it represented adventure, a free-spirit, and somewhat hardiness that i know i have deep down inside me. For me, waves aren’t only calming, but their constant fight to stay on the shore is a representation of resilience. Funnily enough, watching Sleep on the Floor maybe a year after I first watched, I noticed this scene.
The. Exact. Tattoo. I’ve. Been. Wanting
I probably first saw it in this video, and because of the large wave of emotions (pun not intended) it always gave me, that was probably what solidified the meaning behind the wave. Anyways, not gonna get a tattoo anytime soon cause who knows how long this feeling is going to last? Honestly, probably quite long, long enough to get a tattoo dedicated to it. But at least if i want to follow through with it, i know it looks great with black heels. Cause I, erm, got a jaguar tattoo of it last year that has SADLY faded off.
