☝️ Key Points
- The song is about two friends who fought together in a war
- The lyrics convey feelings of fear and uncertainty associated with the war
- Despite the circumstances of the war, the text conveys a glimmer of hope and belief in freedom
- The willingness to do the same thing again shows a deep conviction and commitment to their cause
- In the later part of the song, the protagonists reflect on their current situation, older and removed from the war, and their shared experiences as a defining element of their friendship and identity
Interpretation
The song 'Fernando' by
ABBA is an emotional flashback to a time of struggle and hope. The lyrics tell the story of two friends who fought together in a war. The lines 'Can you hear the drums Fernando? I remember long ago another starry night like this, In the firelight Fernando' evoke a night long ago when they were sitting together around the fire, playing the guitar and hearing the distant drums of war.
The text conveys feelings of fear and uncertainty associated with war, for example, 'Every hour every minute seemed to last eternally, I was so afraid Fernando'. They were young, full of life, but unprepared for the death that war could bring.
In the chorus line 'There was something in the air that night, The stars were bright, Fernando' a glimmer of hope is addressed. Despite the circumstances, they believed in freedom and fought for it, 'They were shining there for you and me, For liberty, Fernando'. The willingness to do it all over again shows a deep conviction and commitment to their cause.
In the later part of the song, 'Now we're old and grey Fernando, And since many years I haven't seen a rifle in your hand', the protagonists reflect on their current situation, older and removed from the war. However, their shared experience remains a defining element of their friendship and identity.