The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Stairway to the Skies" by the artist "Within Temptation"

This song explores themes of loss, grief, and the yearning for reunion with a departed loved one.

The lyrics depict a narrator in the throes of profound shock ("Seven seconds to ascension, I can't believe I'm still alive"). They feel their survival is a matter of divine intervention ("Heaven was already waiting for me"), even though they believed the end was near. The reason for holding onto life seems to be the lost loved one, their memory "keeping [the narrator] here."

The narrator's dreams are filled with images of a stairway to heaven, a symbol of passage to the afterlife. The angel descending the stairs likely represents the deceased beloved, beckoning the narrator to join them. Despite the longing for reunion, the narrator remains earthbound ("I reach out, but you fade away"), promising to follow in due time ("Know that I'm only a heartbeat away").

Despite acknowledging change ("My senses tell me I'm changed"), the pain of loss persists, tearing the narrator apart. Gradually, they realize that immediate reunion is not possible ("We can't be one again") and that they must continue living, carrying their grief.

The closing lines convey the narrator's doubts and fear of the unknown. They question whether their existence is a "curse" or "grace," whether they are doomed to eternal suffering. The final question about finding the "stairway to the skies" at the "end of the line" reflects the hope for eventual reunion with their loved one after death.