From what I gather, Sanvean is in a language that did not exist until Dead Can Dance songs in it.
Whether this is true or not, I must know what this song is about. I have always heard it as if it is a sister saying goodbye to her brother as he is going to war. But if somebody - Lisa or Brendan - had a definite intention in re: what this beautiful song is about - or if it’s in a “real” language - I gotta know.
Not in a real language. Lisa Gerrard just sings that way. Brendan Perry did it too, on Rakim from the same album, but he usually sings in English.
As for the meaning of Sanvean, here’s a quote from Andrew Claxton, who co-wrote the song:
“I co-wrote with Lisa Gerrard a song called ‘Sanvean: I am Your Shadow’ while rehearsing for the 1993 Dead Can Dance international tour. It’s since become almost her signature song. I composed the music and Lisa composed the vocal line and lyric. We never ever discussed the song, its meaning or why she chose the title. It’s almost as if it wrote itself.”
-fh