Hourglass

[Phantas]

I hadn't seen the video yet...thanks! I kinda like the video better than the song - it makes more sense to me, in combination with the lyrics, than the song on its own, strangely enough. Still, it's not a favourite.

Love,
Phantas

[Grania]

'Hourglass' is such a wonderful video, it amazes me that very few seem to like it (whether on Moya, or elsewhere), 'Hourglass' to me, represents the truth of the matter, that racism should never happen (I think that's the meaning anyway). I love the video for its sincerity.

Really? I suppose people like the video less than the song sometimes. You're right about the song though.

[Killiney]

Notice the little girl at the begining? She grows up quickly, a line about how she's grown, I forget the exact words, but she has become older, and for want of a better word, harder, in that she's tougher, she has grown used to the discrimination and not being able to leave those 'Four grey walls', but now she has, and she's feeling the cold grass beneath her feet, but she still seems sad, perhaps there is something missing?

[hermeyjdi]

I'm not sure what the 'Closer to your heart' video is about either, but I love it

Hmm- yeah, but I got the feeling that there was a more specific story behind the Hourglass vid than CTYH. Perhaps not, but that was the feeling I got. Does anyone know anything about where the song was originally released?

I believe this song was originally released on a compolation that Clannad was on once. Don't ask me for sure because that is what I seem to remember. I do know that it was released as a bonus track on the early edition of PastPresent.
I love this song and the video even though I don't totally understand it myself. I have really been listening to it lately. I love it.

[Killiney]

I still stand by my previous judgement.

Notice the little girl at the begining? She grows up quickly, a line about how she's grown, I forget the exact words, but she has become older, and for want of a better word, harder, in that she's tougher, she has grown used to the discrimination and not being able to leave those 'Four grey walls', but now she has, and she's feeling the cold grass beneath her feet, but she still seems sad, perhaps there is something missing?

[RunrigCorvusCoraxFan]

Strangly I never heard this song before; :)

I think the man either a gunman, who opens the door to wait for a solider to die. In her heart, she loves this person and believe she was waiting for that person either a soldier or a friend, to come back home and she didn't know that he went out to go for action but didn't say anything to upset her.

Or he was racist, but couldn't say anything and she saw it somewhere on news or newspaper, which made her realise that he betrayed her and went of to fight for a battle which isnt any use, and either he was white and he was racist since the start.



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He comes out of silence and opens the door
Waiting for someone to die
Deep in her heart she is hoping for
The long-lost one
How could she know when the promise was made?
So how can it end in this way?

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I think the man either a gunman, who opens the door to wait for a solider to die. In her heart, she loves this person and believe she was waiting for that person either a soldier or a friend, to come back home and she didn't know that he went out to go for action but didn't say anything to upset her.

Or he was racist, but couldn't say anything and she saw it somewhere on news or newspaper, which made her realise that he betrayed her and went of to fight for a battle which isnt any use, and either he was white and he was racist since the start.

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Then four gray walls come tumbling down
And just because her skin was brown
No wonder she has grown so fast
Those four gray walls were meant to last

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The walls her heart came tumbling down, because she was black and she grown up fast, or maybe was too young to understand racism, and the walls of her heart who was going to be with that man has gone, and she falls apart cos their relationship was meant to last.

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The friends there that she can count upon
Take orders, but always the spirit holds
Scenes of the never-ending trend
She waits for the hours and hours to pass
She looks to the hourglass

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The friends who she assume are her friends, control her life, how she should live it, but the spirit, that mans soul has taken a hold of her. Scenes of this racism has never-ended which is like a trend and she looks to the hourglass, or looking at her life, yearning to be free and live life again. It's like the meaning, of hourglas as sands of time to wish her life was over, shes waiting before it's too late.


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Then four gray walls come tumbling down
And just because her skin was brown
No wonder she has grown so fast
Those four gray walls were meant to last
Those four gray walls were meant to last

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As aboove


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As the shadows come down
She sees him leaving
She can recall
Seems that this fire has lost its form
The form of the hourglass

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I think the shadows of the past is coming back to her, and she sees the man leaving, either to fight as I said above. The fire line I think talks about her spark with this man, or with life has diminished. The form of the houseglass, ermmmm I think it the hourglass was changing shape as someone was racist to her, and the man, it paints an image and it changes to a sandtimer to pictures to life now.

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The four gray walls came tumbling down
And just because her skin was brown
No wonder she has grown so fast
Those four gray walls were meant to last
Those four gray walls were meant to last

Those four gray walls

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Hope that clears the video up, if not just ask me a question :)

[Grania]

Found my copy of the Hourglass single (vinyl)...quote:

Hourglass inspired by the life and poetry of Debbie Barben

Any body know any more?

[RunrigCorvusCoraxFan]

I only heard the song but having seen the video I hope my transcripton makes sense