Wednesday 20 February 2013

Though you may disappear, you're not forgotten here!

Just the other day at work, I was listening to New Blood by Peter Gabriel, and the song Wallflower came on - and I couldn't believe how blown away and moved I was.  Even though I bought the album a couple of years ago, after I had seen Peter perform on The Late Show with David Letterman, I guess I never got as far as this track or just wasn't listening at the time - even though I love the album.
 
It's really odd how something you have undoubtedly heard many times before and never paid too much attention to, can suddenly hit the mark, and become a significantly meaningful event.
 
Wallflower was originally recorded for Peter's fourth solo album, released in 1982.  The New Blood version is recorded using a full orchestra, and is a beautiful rendition, soul-achingly painful and totally cathartic. It reaches into your heart and exposes all of those moments, days, years, lifetimes of loneliness, doubt and solitude - those times when the only person who knew what you were going through was you - and no one else gave a shit!

Enjoy the video from Youtube below - I've given the lyrics underneath so you can follow along and get lost in the beauty!
 
 
 
6x6 - from wall to wall
Shutters on the windows, no light at all
Damp on the floor, you got damp in the bed
They're trying to get you crazy - get you out of your head
They feed you scraps and they feed you lies
To lower your defences, no compromise
There's nothing you can do, the day can be long
You mind is working overtime, you body's not too strong

Hold on, hold on!
Hold on, hold on!
Hold on, hold on!
They put you in a box so you can't get hurt
Let your spirit stay unbroken, may you not be deterred

Hold on!
You have gambled with your own life
And you face the night alone
While the builders of the cages
Sleep with bullets, bars and stone
They do not see the road to freedom
That you build with flesh and bone

They take you out - the light burns your eyes
To the talking room - it's no surprise
Loaded questions from clean white coats
Their eyes are all as hidden as their Hippocratic Oath
They tell you how to behave, behave as their guest
You want to resist them, you do your best
They take you to your limits, they take you beyond
For all that they are doing there's no way to respond

Hold on, hold on!
They put you in a box so you can't get hurt
Let your spirit stay unbroken, may you not be deterred

Hold on!
You have gambled with your own life
And you face the night alone
While the builders of the cages
Sleep with bullets, bars and stone
They do not see the road to freedom
That you build with flesh and bone

Though you may disappear, you're not forgotten here
And I will say to you, I will do what I can do

You may disappear, you're not forgotten here
And I will say to you, I will do what I can do
And I will do what I can do
And I will do what I can do

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