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blissed out:
Be in "a state of perfect happiness, especially so as to be oblivious of
everything else".
- Source: The New Oxford Dictionary of English -
Juggernaut:
Large, powerful and destructive force or institution.
- Source: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary of Current English -
4/4:
Time signature in music that is most common in western popular music.
Wake me in a thousand years:
Is it just me, or does the "Sleeping Beauty" motif of many fairy tales generally
come to mind? A very well known version, for instance, (at least in Germany)
is that of the 'Little Briar-Rose', a beautiful princess who has been cursed
to fall asleep for 100 years when she pricks herself with a spindle. This happens,
many princes die at the attempt of rescuing her, and when the 100 years are
over one handsome prince finally wakes her up with a kiss and marries her (which
is a bit unfair, I think, as the 100 years were over and she would have woken
up by herself anyway).
- Source: Brothers Grimm, 'Little Briar-Rose' - Read more: Folklore
and Mythology Electronic Texts -
A modern variation of this motif - don't you think? - is the type of films where people get deepfrozen and wake up after a long while, e.g. 'Forever Young' with Mel Gibson as sleeping beauty (hysteric giggle).
4 billion:
I believe, the number of people living in "third world countries".
Prozac:
Trademark. One of the most recently developed antidepressants. Unlike other
antidepressants it does not calm you down (which would be more appropriate in
this song, I think), but causes nervousness.
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R.I.P.
The song:
This was a very personal song. We didn't handle our brief early encounter with
'fame' and 'pressure' any better than anyone else, probably worse than most.
It left a very bitter taste. In November 1985 we found ourselves marooned in
a London cellar trying to come to terms with what we'd messed up. At the end
of the song Robert throws his sticks down in a gesture of utter frustration.
- Source: B-Sides and Abandoned Tracks booklet -
R.I.P.:
Latin: Requiescat In Pace; Rest In Peace; frequently written on tombstones.
Bite the hand that feeds you:
English proverb meaning to "deliberately hurt or offend a benefactor".
- Source: The New Oxford Dictionary of English -
Spoonfeed:
Figuratively to "provide someone with so much help or information that they do
not need to think for themselves".
- Source: The New Oxford Dictionary of English -
[ Back to R.I.P. ]
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Rasputin
Rasputin:
1872 (?) - 1916; real name: Grigory Yefimovich Novykh.
Siberian peasant and mystic. His reputation for licentiousness earned him the
surname Rasputin, Russian for "debauched one." His ability to heal their son made
him an influential favourite at the court of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress
Alexandra, even though he openly carried on his promiscuous life style. He finally
became the victim of conspirators who wanted to save the monarchy from further
scandal; he was poisoned, shot twice and then drowned.
- Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica - Read more:
Wikipedia -
Wunderbar:
German for: wonderful.
Wheeler-dealer:
"A person who engages in commercial or political scheeming".
- Source: The New Oxford Dictionary of English -
[ Back to Rasputin ]
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Red Earth
The song:
"Typically for [New Model Army], at the very moment where everybody gets
sentimental because of the G8 conference and Live 8, to write the most politically
incorrect song about Africa. Last year we played a few concerts in South Africa,
and the whole situation we found there was - to put it in a friendly way -
difficult".
- Source: Justin Sullivan interview with
Westzeit in October 2005; my translation -
G8:
The Group of Eight (G8) is an international forum for
the governments of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United
Kingdom and the United States. The group's activities include year-round
conferences and policy research, culminating with an annual meeting attended by
the heads of government of the member states. The conference Justin mentions
took place in Scotland from 6-8 July 2005.
- Read more: Wikipedia -
Live 8:
A series of concurrent benefit concerts that took place on
2 July 2005, in the G8 states and in South Africa.
- Read more: Wikipedia -
Armies that grow out of the earth:
Perhaps a reference to Greek mythology, according to which a dragon's teeth sown
into earth would grow into fully armed warriors.
- Read more:
Wikipedia -
AKs:
Short for Automatic Kalashnikov, a famous Russian rifle.
- Read more: Wikipedia -
Deliverance from evil:
Spoonfeed:
Quotation from the Lord's Prayer, the most important Christian prayer:"
And lead us not into temptation; But deliver us from evil."
- Read more: Wikipedia -
Figuratively to "provide someone with so much help or information that they do
not need to think for themselves".
- Source: The New Oxford Dictionary of English -
Refugee The song: [
Back to Refugee ]
Other songs dealing with refugees or immigration are
Another Imperial Day and
Higher Wall.
Rockin' in the Free World
Red, white and blue: Satan: Hit: Ozone layer: [ Back to Rockin'
in the Free World ]
Colours of the US American national flag.
Another name for the devil in Christian mythology.
Here: "a dose of a narcotic drug".
- Source: The New Oxford Dictionary of English -
Region in the upper Earth atmosphere. It absorbs solar energy and this way prevents
the earth from getting too hot. It also blocks solar radiation, which would
injure or kill most living things, from reaching the Earth's surface. The amount
of ozone in the atmosphere is significantly reduced by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs),
widely employed as propellants in aerosol spray cans and also used in the production
of styrofoam. (Protecting the ozon layer also was one of the aims of the Kyoto
treaties of 2001, which the USA in their never-ceasing care about the state of the
world refused to sign).
- Read more: Wikipedia -
Rumour and Rapture The song: General Ireton:
Putney:
Assembly of Saints: [
Back to Rumour & Rapture | Back to Still Here ]
16/06/2007
This song was written for the live performance of Rev Hammer's concept album
"Freeborn John" at the Beautiful Days Festival from 19-21 August 2005.
The album tells the story of John Lilburne, called Freeborn John, a
famous agitator during the English Civil War 1642-1650 between Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians
and supporters of King Charles I (the period that New
Model Army and the Levellers got their names from). On the album (as well as at
the festival) Rev is joint by a host of musicians who take over different roles.
Justin Sullivan appears as Nehemiah Wharton, a parliament soldier. "Rumour and
Rapture" is played after John Lilburne has been put on trial by Oliver Cromwell.
According to the "Freeborn John" booklet "the country is a hotbed of
misinformation and hearsay as John Lilburne mounts his greatest defence yet. He
is found 'Not Guilty' of any crime worthy of death. The crowds are ecstatic and
London celebrates. It was his last great stand".
- Read more: Wikipedia
entries on John Lilburne and
English Civil War -
Henry Ireton (1611-1651) was a General of the Parliament Army during the English
Civil War.
- Read more: Wikipedia -
A district of south-west London, site of the Putney Debates in 1647 about the
constitutional future of England.
- Read more: Wikipedia
-
Perhaps Barebone's Parliament that came into being in 1653 and was the last
attempt of establishing a parliament before Oliver Cromwell became England's
Lord Protector (i.e. dictator).
- Read more:
Wikipedia -