A Nice Song

Years ago when I received my hospital records from Summerside, PEI I came across and interesting factoid. On the day that I was injured in a bicycle accident and had to be admitted to hospital it was noted that I was admitted by a neighbour as my father was in Iceland with the Air Force and would be returning later that evening.
My mother had left earlier in the year.
My grandmother had returned to Edmonton.

I was kinda curious about what type of aircraft could make it back from Iceland between my admission time and “the evening”.

It turns out that it would have been the Lockheed Aurora CP-140.

Although there were Grumman Trackers on CFB Summerside they didn’t have the airspeed or the range that the Auroras had. The Tracker had a maximum speed of 450 km/h, the Aurora was just shy of 800 km/h. The Aurora had a maximum range of 9,300 km. The Trackers only had about 2,100 km.

According to Google Maps. Iceland to PEI is 3,341 km.

So, Aurora it was.

And besides, before the big domestic dispute in our CFB Downsview PMQ in 1985, Richard had a scale model of an Aurora on top of the entertainment unit so I knew that he had some connection with the air plane.

Around 2016 I was searching for a picture of an Aurora aircraft and I just typed in “Aurora” expecting the results to be either the Aurora Borealis or the CP-140 Aurora.

Instead, I ended up being introduced to this Aurora:

Aurora is a singer / songwriter from Norway. She’s a very interesting singer / songwriter to say the least.

One of her songs that really hit home for me was a song called “Lucky” from her album “All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend”.

When, when I am down
I lay my hands upon this ground
For the thousandth time
I call him in, his earth is mine

Before I make the offering
Remember all the faces that I’ve seen
Now all the marks have settled on my skin
From all the different places that I’ve been
That I’ve been

And I feel the light for the very first time
Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive
And I feel the light for the very first time
Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive

War inside my mind
Behind my eyes it’s coming down
For the thousandth time
I feel too numb to even mind

Before I make the offering
Remember all the faces that I’ve seen
Now all the marks have settled on my skin
From all the different places that I’ve been
That I’ve been

And I feel the light for the very first time
Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive
And I feel the light for the very first time
Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive

I, I don’t know where I am, or where I’ll go
Where to even begin when I know
What lies behind makes no sense in my mind
But I know that it’s time to let go

And I feel the light for the very first time
Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive
And I feel the light for the very first time
Not anybody knows that I am lucky to be alive
I’m lucky to be alive
I’m lucky to be alive

Songwriters: Aurora Aksnes / Odd Martin Skalnes
Lucky lyrics © Rolf Budde Musikverlag Gmbh, Insieme Songs, Kmr Music Royalties Ii Scsp

This is one of those songs that can have different meanings depending on how it is interpreted.

I don’t really know how this song was meant to be interpreted.

All I know is that this song speaks to me in a way that I think would surprise most people.

Is this song sung from the perspective of a person who had all but given up on life but who has recently begun viewing life in a positive light.

Or is this song about someone who has realized that they’ve reached the end of their battles, and it’s time to let go.

Letting go of their demons?

Or are they letting go of something else?

I invite you to take a listen and see which way you interpret this song.