Song Meaning
The "lyrics" for "History as it Should Have Been" are starkly absent, marked simply as "[Instrumental]". This immediate silence sets a unique stage, inviting listeners to fill the void. It's a striking opening.
The lack of a vocal narrative creates a profound tension. Without a singer's voice, the "history" in the title remains unwritten, unspoken, a silent longing. It's a deliberate refusal to articulate a past that never was, leaving the listener to ponder what ideal past is being withheld. This absence speaks to a profound, perhaps unutterable, desire for an alternate reality.
This "craft element" of lyrical emptiness is profoundly impactful. It acts as an inverse metaphor, where the missing words speak volumes about the weight of the titular concept. The absence itself becomes the message, suggesting a history too grand, too painful, or too deeply personal for mere verbal articulation. It's a bold artistic choice that demands active engagement.
The effectiveness of these non-lyrics lies in their radical minimalism. By offering no explicit lyrical content, the piece compels a deeply personal, internal reflection from the listener. It forces one to confront their own imagined "history as it should have been," making the experience uniquely resonant and introspective. This allows the instrumental music to carry the full emotional weight, unburdened by specific narrative.