He reuses the verse melody from the previous album's "Dirty Little Religion", the topics of the verses are all over the place, and he packs too many words into one line (goes to show...) and too few in another (it's pretty hard to find), and rhymes "Henley Regatta" with "Persona non grata", but gets away with it all as only he could.
The Island (Paul Brady)
They say the skies of Lebanon are burning.
Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat.
They're showing pictures on the television.
Women and children dying in the street
And we're still at it in our own place.
Still trying to reach the future through the past.
Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone...
Chorus
But Hey! Don't listen to me!.
This wasn't meant to be no sad song.
We've heard too much of that before.
Right now I only want to be here with you.
Till the morning dew comes falling.
I want to take you to the island.
And trace your footprints in the sand.
And in the evening when the sun goes down
We'll make love to the sound of the ocean
They're raising banners over by the markets
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown
No way our holy flag is gonna fall
Up here we sacrifice our children
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday
And teach them dying will lead us into glory...
Repeat chorus
Now I know us plain folks don't see all the story.
And I know this peace and love's just copping out.
And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches.
Is just what being free is all about.
And how this twisted wreckage down on main street.
Will bring us all together in the end.
And we'll go marching down the road to freedom....
Freedom
They say the skies of Lebanon are burning.
Those mighty cedars bleeding in the heat.
They're showing pictures on the television.
Women and children dying in the street
And we're still at it in our own place.
Still trying to reach the future through the past.
Still trying to carve tomorrow from a tombstone...
Chorus
But Hey! Don't listen to me!.
This wasn't meant to be no sad song.
We've heard too much of that before.
Right now I only want to be here with you.
Till the morning dew comes falling.
I want to take you to the island.
And trace your footprints in the sand.
And in the evening when the sun goes down
We'll make love to the sound of the ocean
They're raising banners over by the markets
Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard walls
Witchdoctors praying for a mighty showdown
No way our holy flag is gonna fall
Up here we sacrifice our children
To feed the worn-out dreams of yesterday
And teach them dying will lead us into glory...
Repeat chorus
Now I know us plain folks don't see all the story.
And I know this peace and love's just copping out.
And I guess these young boys dying in the ditches.
Is just what being free is all about.
And how this twisted wreckage down on main street.
Will bring us all together in the end.
And we'll go marching down the road to freedom....
Freedom
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Can't believe no one's commented on this, one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It's about Ireland, specifically Northern Ireland (Up here we sarifice our children To feed the worn out dreams of yesterday).
In the last verse, is he being sarcastic, or is it a rebel song?
He's being very, very sarcastic.
The song was written around the time of the Remembrance Day bombing in Enniskillen, and certainly has some influence on the lyrics. Enniskillen is also known as the 'Island Town', because of its location between two Loughs, and may have some relevance to the song's title.
In the lyrics he speaks of "rising banners over by the markets", and "Whitewashing slogans on the shipyard wall". The markets is a well known Republican area surrounding St George's Market in Belfast, and the Shipyard is in East Belfast, near a Loyalist area. So, the song could also represent Belfast.
"Witch-doctors praying for a mighty showdown" Just look up some of Ian Paisley's rhetoric on youtube and you'll see what this means!
Paul Bradys song "The Island",was recorded two years before the Remembrance Day bombing in Enniskillen,so the lyrics could not have been influenced by this event.
According to Paul Brady, this song is half about the goings on in north ireland, and half a love song. Sort of like, a man is talking to the women he loves about what's going on, and then catches him self going on and on about something so depressing "But hey, don't listen to me 'Cause this wasn't meant to be no sad song We've heard too much of that before Right now I only want to be with you", and starts telling her how much he loves her.
Maybe bearhunter has already forgotten about his posting, but I would like to say that I am glad, somebody else also feels that this is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. The music and the lyrics go perfectly together. The topic of the song - be it Northern Ireland or not - is the search for the happy place in troubled times, the eternal Sehnsucht of the human being for love. I hope Paul Brady could take his girl to The Island...
What a beautiful song! I've liked its music for years and years, but recently listened to words properly and believe it to be a real pacifist's song and I wish I could sit down would-be terrorists to listen to it and realise what a waste of their lives it would be if they died in terrorist activities and to wish them to want to be around to shape their future - Mahatma Gandhi's methods are an alternative.
@Kermitthelittlegreenthing Your comments and Eamhain are there (apart from mentioning those that create the conditions for terrorists to operate in). A few of the other comments are seemingly from illiterates, certainly illiterates in current affairs and history generally. <br /> Down the ages we have been blessed to have poets, song writers, artists etc. who are 'ahead of the curve' and understand the human psyche. They can see/hear and smell things us lesser mortals are oblivious to. In my view, alongside the writers of this song, was Ron Hutchinson who wrote 'Rat in the Skull' 1984. Both these pieces of art predicted the forthcoming peace before it happened. Hutchinson's play is stark, cold and in your face whilst The Island is beautifully interwoven with love. Both are masterpieces.<br />
This song to me is the most descriptive song about living in N Ireland during those years. I don't think its really a love song. Its about the weariness of living in the constant low level hostility and violence and the island is the release from that pressure and repressive atmospher. It describes peoples yearning for peace for normality and the reality that, at that time, normality and peace was a totally unattainable dream.
I discovered this by accident whilst revising for a promotion and it stopped me in my tracks. I love the dynamic going on between heartfelt sensitivity to a partner yet getting distracted and drawn back into the troubles of the world.
@eastofeaststlouis7 Beautiful