How I fell in love with Sigur Rós
I'll start of by thanking a Dublin man I met on a flight home from Croatia 12 years ago. He was on his way back from a festival at which Sigur Rós played - and he spent the entire journey raving about this band. So a few days later, I remembered to check them out, and boy am I happy I did. I soon bought an album, then two, and it wasn't long before I owned their whole back catalogue. I have managed to see them live 3 times and their live performances are so special.

They used this striking image on the front of their Von album, which my wife found quite disturbing :o)

The three songs which I am going to share in this post are some of their finest work, but especially the way the songs and the videos work together. I'll link each video, and then talk a little about each one afterwards.

Sit back and enjoy this sensory overload.

Hoppípolla

This song switches the roles of children with the elderly. The gorgeous elderly folks go around jumping in puddles, knocking on doors and running away and many other bits of mischief that kids often get up to as you saw.

I loved how this was portrayed, and I suppose in later life, we all probably do look back on life and wonder why we did some things, and didn't do others.. This song tells us that it is never too late to be a big kid at heart... So, go on, next time you see a big puddle on the street, jump in it, get wet, I promise it will make you smile!

Svefn-g-englar

This song is simply beautiful. Just look at those smiles. Their happiness and joy derived from the simplest of things, is something which we could all learn from. I think the video shows us that everyone on earth is beautiful and should be cherished and adored. Life is so simple, yet we complicate it with our daily grind, and we get caught up in the little things.

Take some time the next time you go outside, look around at the beauty that surrounds you, the living breathing world and all it holds. Really look, and appreciate things, as simple as the air going in and out of your lungs that is keeping you alive.

Glósóli

This is almost like an Icelandic version of Peter Pan. It reminds me of my own youth, playing around back in the fields behind my house for hours making up games and enjoying those far away innocent days of youth...

I just love the way this song starts off slow, and builds and builds and builds with the drum to an amazing crescendo. It's really something, it makes the skin stand up on the back of my neck every time I watch it. The perfection and joy of youth and innocence epitomised perfectly in sound and video.

Everything was possible back then through childhood eyes, you could literally fly, and you still can, just believe in yourself!

Thank you Sigur Rós!!

And finally, I found this quote on the comments section of the Svefn-g-englar song.

"People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyways.What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway. If you find serenity,happiness, and joy in the simple things, some may think you're simple minded. Be happy anyways.The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway. In the end, it was between you and God. It was never between you and them anyways."

It turns out that this was a quote from Mother Theresa, now whether you are religious or not, I think there is beautiful sentiment in the quote and we could all learn from it

I hope you enjoyed that little musical journey with me.

Until next time.

Peace out.