This my favourite Marillion song, a beautiful song with a gorgeous melody about such a sad subject. Fantastic lyrics compliment the song throughout. I thought Steve Hogarth did a great taking over from Fish, who was of course a brilliant vocalist too. Many considered them 'Genesis Lite' which I did also when I was younger, as my brother was massively into them, but this is so unfair as they are a brilliant band in their own right, obviously they were massively influenced by Genesis, Steve Hackett and Steve Rothery are the best of friends. The final part of this song is just so tragic, with the fantastic lyrics 'Don't ask me why I'm doing this you wouldn't understand' 'A bridge is not a high place the 52nd floor, Icarus would now a mountain isn't far to fall, when you've fallen from the moon' Steve here showing how when you are so low that death seems the only way out. Super guitar at the end by Steve Rothery, I saw them do this live in Royal Albert Hall in London it was amazing! The standing ovation went on for ages. A truly wonderful song full of emotion on such a sad subject
Love your comment about the song and as a huge Genesis fan since 1982, I consider Marillion "Genesis Equal" personally. I wasn`t aware that Hackett and Rothery are the best of friends but that`s great to hear. I would love it so much if they, along with Steve Howe would make a 1 hr special of them exchanging, chatting and playing guitar together. I absolutely love the way the "Three Steves" play individually and their solos are always mindblowingly beautiful. I saw Howe with Asia in 1983, Marillion in 1985 and Hackett & Howe in GTR in 1986. The 1980s were fun lol.
This is a track from a proper concept album; it's part of a suite in that it has to be heard in context or it will sound "off the wall" to the uninitiated. Marillion are not "pop musicians"; they are genuine artists. They do not compromise and, as with all artists, viewers and listeners are entitled to love them or hate them.
This was one of their concept albums. It's about a girl the police picked up on a bridge she didn't answer any questions to what had happened to her. Apparently her father abused her. The album picks aspects of her story not in any order. A very dark album! After they played the whole thing the lights in the audience went on and Steve wanted to see how many ppl had left😂 after that they played their hits.
The lyrics sound like a suicide to me. Heading for the great escape, heading for the permament holiday, heading for the dignified walk away, waiting for the bright light, waiting to be recognized, quiet applause will do, they shower you with flowers when they bury you.
