Wonderful Remark
Silent Echoes: Van Morrison's Poetic Reflections on Life's Contradictions
Lyrics
How can you stand the silence
Questioning how someone can endure the quietness.
That pervades when we all cry?
Describing the silence that prevails when people collectively cry.
How can you watch the violence
Asking how one can witness violent events unfolding before their eyes.
That erupts before your eyes?
Expressing the impact of witnessing violence firsthand.
How can you tell us something
Questioning the sincerity of information shared, especially if it keeps people waiting.
Just to keep us hangin' on?
Challenging the value of something said that turns out to be meaningless.
Something that just don't mean nothing
Highlighting the disappearance of significance when the truth is revealed.
When we see it, you are gone
Observing the detachment when the speaker is exposed.
Clinging to some other rainbow
Describing someone holding onto an illusory hope or promise.
While we're standing, waiting in the cold
Contrasting the anticipation with the cold reality of waiting.
Telling us the same old story
Noting the repetition of a familiar, possibly untruthful, narrative.
Knowing time is growing old
Acknowledging the passing of time and the aging of the story.
That was a wonderful remark
Reflecting on a positive comment made in the past.
I had my eyes closed in the dark
Recalling a moment of appreciation or recognition.
I sighed a million sighs
Expressing deep emotional reactions such as sighing.
I told a million lies, to myself, to myself
Admitting to telling numerous lies, possibly to oneself.
How can we listen to you
Questioning the credibility of the speaker's words.
When we know your talk is cheap?
Challenging why the speaker takes while giving little in return.
How can we ever question
Asking about the hollowness of laughter in shared spaces.
Why we give more and you keep?
Exploring the unequal distribution of resources or benefits.
How can your empty laughter
Questioning the ability of superficial joy to fill a room.
Fill a room like ours with joy?
Commenting on the playful and insincere nature of the speaker.
When you're only playing with us
Comparing the speaker's interaction to a child playing with a toy.
Like a child does with a toy?
Highlighting the insincerity of the speaker's actions.
How can we ever feel the freedom
Questioning the possibility of experiencing true freedom.
Or the flame lit by the spark
Metaphorically describing the spark that ignites passion or inspiration.
How can we ever come out even
Expressing doubt about achieving fairness or balance.
When reality is stark?
Highlighting the harshness of reality.
That was a wonderful remark
Reiterating the impact of a positive comment made earlier.
I had my eyes closed in the dark, yeah
Recalling a moment of appreciation in the dark.
I sighed a million sighs
Re-experiencing deep emotional reactions.
I told a million lies, to myself
Reiterating the admission of telling numerous lies, possibly to oneself.
To myself
Baby, to myself
Adding emphasis to the self-reflective nature of the lies.
Baby, to myself, to myself
Repeating the self-reflective aspect of the lies.
To myself, to myself
Concluding with a final acknowledgment of self-deception.
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