Yggdrasil (Version 2) (4:55)

Intro

(Yggdrasil! Yggdrasil!)

I held every world while the worlds ran their course...

(Hu-ha!) Nine realms in my branches — no force —

Every voice you have heard grew from my source —

(Yggdrasil!) The world-ash was always the horse...

Verse 1

Before the Norns sat weaving at my deepest root-water,

Before the eagle settled in my crown like a squatter,

Before Ratatoskr ran my length with his slander-fodder,

I was the border — the axis — the order.

Odin hung from my branch — nine nights — self-authored —

I felt the weight across those dark rotations gathered.

He took what he needed — I gave nothing, took nothing —

The worlds hang from my branches — no begrudging, no trucking.

Three roots in three directions — three wells underneath me —

Urðarbrunnr east, Mímisbrunnr beyond the tree —

Hvergelmir north where Níðhöggr works beneath me —

Three sources of all water — that's the axis treaty.

Pre-Chorus

Three roots drinking three wells in three directions deep (directions deep)

Wisdom, prophecy, and venom — that's the oath I keep.

Every world above suspended in the branches of my sleep —

The tree that holds the living is the tree that holds the deep. (uh!)

Chorus

Nine worlds in my branches since before the first breath (first breath!)

I shook at Ragnarök — I didn't bend to death (bend to death!)

Every voice in this series grew beneath my breadth (my breadth!)

Yggdrasil holds the living and Yggdrasil holds the death! (Hu-ha!)

Verse 2

I felt the berserker's rage — the blood-feud — the hunting —

I felt Odin's ravens leave at dawn — the fronting —

I felt Tyr's hand fall — the wolf-chain — Fenrir bunting —

I felt Heimdallr at the Bifröst — horn-ward — confronting.

I felt the skald compose — the draugr crack the mound-door —

I felt Freyr give the sword — Loki find the loophole —

I felt Surtr's fire building from the south's deep soul —

Thirty songs inside my rings — I felt them all — all told.

Pre-Chorus

Three roots drinking three wells in three directions deep (directions deep)

Wisdom, prophecy, and venom — that's the oath I keep.

Every world above suspended in the branches of my sleep —

The tree that holds the living is the tree that holds the deep. (uh!)

Chorus

Nine worlds in my branches since before the first breath (first breath!)

I shook at Ragnarök — I didn't bend to death (bend to death!)

Every voice in this series grew beneath my breadth (my breadth!)

Yggdrasil holds the living and Yggdrasil holds the death! (Hu-ha!)

Bridge

You want to know what it feels like holding everything?

(everything...)

Not the weight — the weight is just the offering.

(not the weight...)

I shook when Ragnarök tore the worlds apart —

(shook...)

Every root vibrating in the dark-well of my heart.

But the trunk held — I held — that's the whole tale —

(it held...)

The axis doesn't break when the worlds fail.

Then the green came back through the timber —

(green came...)

New sun climbing — Baldr out of the winter.

Thirty songs inside my rings —

(in the rings...)

Count them like the years the woodcutter brings.

(Skál to the ash! Skál — the axis of everything!)

(Yggdrasil held the worlds — hear the world-tree sing!)

Drop — Instrumental

Chorus

Nine worlds in my branches since before the first breath (first breath!)

I shook at Ragnarök — I didn't bend to death (bend to death!)

Every voice in this series grew beneath my breadth (my breadth!)

Yggdrasil holds the living and Yggdrasil holds the death! (Hu-ha!)

Outro

(Yggdrasil! Yggdrasil!)

The new world hangs from the same branches...

(Hu-ha!)

Thirty songs.

Thirty rings.

The tree was here before the first word.

The tree is here after the last.

(I was always holding all of it.)