September 12, 2004

The Night I Heard Caruso Sing

The highlands and the lowlands
Are the routes my father knows
The holidays at Oban
And the towns around Montrose
But even as he sleeps
They're loading bombs into the hills
And the waters in the lochs
Can run deep but never still

I've thought of having children
But I've gone and changed my mind
It's hard enough to watch the news
Let alone explain it to a child
To cast your eye 'cross nature
Over fields of rape and corn
And tell him without flinching
Not to fear where he's been born

Then someone sat me down last night
And I heard Caruso sing
He's almost as good as Presley
And if I only do one thing
I'll sing songs to my father
I'll sing songs to my child
It's time to hold your loved ones
While the chains are loosed and the world
Runs wild

But even as we speak
They're loading bombs onto a white train
How can we afford to ever sleep
So sound again

~ by Everything But The Girl

Posted by Monoceros at September 12, 2004 10:27 AM
Comments

lovely, sad, and true...

Posted by: tiggie at September 12, 2004 12:57 PM

I happened to dig up an old cd today and listening to the song shocked me. The lyrics are so true, as you say. Spot-on in these days.

Posted by: monoceros at September 12, 2004 8:30 PM

ebtg has sustained me through the highlands, lowland and flatlands of my life; this song is painfully true yet much loved, not least because it's one of the few times where ben watt's voice takes centrestage. thanks for reminding us of this gem!

Posted by: shin at September 12, 2004 9:06 PM

this was probably the first EBTG song that a uni classmate introduced to me. thanks for the reminder...

Posted by: a l at September 12, 2004 9:21 PM

Wow, didn't know we had so many ebtg fans here! I believe Miss VT is also an admirer of their music.

Posted by: monoceros at September 13, 2004 12:37 AM

Oh yes I am. I have many albums. Not all. Not yet! Somehow I lost my 'Home Movies' CD - it's been 'Missing' since Uni days!

The Night I Heard Caruso sing is one of their gems. Even with their new music, their lyrics are moving. A lot of thought was put into them.

Posted by: Van Tan at September 13, 2004 9:04 PM

how funny. Van, you have many albums of ebtg, i have only one, and it's the one you don't have!

Posted by: dsd at September 14, 2004 4:20 AM

Argh!!! I know at least three of you now, who have the Home Movies album. Sob. Maybe it's time for me to get a new copy. (And this is one big reason why I don't lend out my CDs anymore)

Posted by: Van Tan at September 19, 2004 8:56 AM