[INTRO] North of the trade routes past black water and broken ice we followed lantern fires to the kingdom no map survives [VERSE 1] Three weeks starving on the Baltic tide tar on our hands and salt in our eyes the lookout swore by a hanging moon he saw blue banners through the fog No church bells no fortress walls just endless roofs beside the shore and long black docks of frozen pine The harbor master wore no sword only a key of crooked steel hanging low against his chest like something feared instead of worn [PRE-CHORUS] One by one the crews went quiet even the drunks refused to sing [CHORUS] Down the halls of Älmhult where the lantern shadows sway Follow arrows through the timber and forget the light of day Oak and iron pine and embers cold winds from the northern sea No man leaves the kingdom the kingdom keeps the key [VERSE 2] Tables stacked to cathedral height chairs wrapped tight in paper skin names carved deep in yellow boards words no sailor understood We found old men with hollow eyes wandering under hanging lights counting bolts into their palms like monks reciting prayers Somewhere far beyond the rugs a woman laughed and vanished and Björn from our portside guns walked after her and never came back [PRE-CHORUS] No wind outside no gulls above us only footsteps on wooden floors [CHORUS] Down the halls of Älmhult where the lantern shadows sway Follow arrows through the timber and forget the light of day Oak and iron pine and embers cold winds from the northern sea No man leaves the kingdom the kingdom keeps the key [BRIDGE] Captain drove his dagger down through the painted floorboards hard shouting: “Break these walls or burn the place!” But the flames crawled low and blue and died beneath the heavy smoke while distant horns began to rise from deeper in the halls [CHORUS] Down the halls of Älmhult past the candles and the stone Every sailor heard the singing every sailor died alone Blue and yellow over dark water northern kingdom without end The sea still tells the story of the men who never left [OUTRO] North of the trade routes past black water and broken ice...
