The correct naming of this album is The Thin Red Line as per the Musicbrainz entry and Wikipedia.
The album is most famous for the single "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)". The song, which featured backup vocals by Bryan Adams, reached #1 on the Canadian charts and #2 in the United States. A follow-up single, "Someday", was also successful, reaching #7 in the U.S. and #14 in Canada.
The album won the 1986 Juno Award for Album of the Year. "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" also won for Single of the Year, and the band won Most Promising Group. "Someday" won Single of the Year at the Juno Awards of 1987, the first time in the award's history that the same artist won the award in two consecutive years for singles from the same album. The Album also earned Glass Tiger a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 1987.
Track listing"Thin Red Line" (Al Connelly, Alan Frew, Sam Reid) – 4:57"Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" (Frew, Reid, Jim Vallance) – 4:08"Closer to You" (Frew, Michael Hanson, Wayne Parker, Reid) – 3:37"Vanishing Tribe" (Connelly, Frew, Hanson, Parker, Reid) – 4:06"Looking at a Picture" (Connelly, Frew, Hanson, Gerald O'Brien, Parker, Reid) – 4:02"The Secret" (Frew, Reid) – 0:47"Ancient Evenings" (Connelly, Frew, Hanson, Parker, Reid) – 4:55"Ecstasy" (Connelly, Frew, Reid) – 4:25"Someday" (Connelly, Frew, Vallance) – 3:37 "I Will Be There" (Connelly, Frew, Hanson) – 3:28"You're What I Look For" (Connelly, Frew, Hanson) – 3:50
Thin Red Line
Glass Tiger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cold steel glistens in the dawning sun
Destiny and claymore that embraces me
All here to sacrifice for victory
Oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh, oh
Hidden in the shadows where the cold wind comes
A mist queen dances for her fallen sons
Over and over
Her shadow falls over me
Remember no retreat, for here you die where you stand
It's chance that brings the Rory's to this foreign land
The crimson and the claymore make you strangers to fear
A thin red streak tipped with a line of steel
Shadows fall over me
All for the thin red line
All for the thin red line
Now the battles over, Kedikoi can cry
For all the gallant hill men she's seen fought and die
Red is for the heroes, green is for the brave
Soldiers would you leave me with no souls to save
Shadows fall over me
All for the thin red line
All for the thin red line
All for the thin red line
Oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh, oh
The song "Thin Red Line" by Glass Tiger is a tribute to the Scottish soldiers who fought during the Battle of Balaclava in the Crimean War. The first verse speaks of the soldiers' determination to fight and win, and the steel and claymore that they embrace. The chorus repeats the phrase "All for the thin red line" which refers to the army's Highlander infantry, known for wearing red jackets, and their courage in holding the thin line against enemy assault.
The second verse describes a mist queen dancing for her fallen sons, which alludes to the soldiers who have died in battle. The soldiers are urged to remember that there is no retreat, and that they must fight to the death where they stand. The crimson and the claymore, representing blood and their weapon of choice, have made them strangers to fear.
The final verse speaks of Kedikoi, a place where many soldiers have fought and died. The soldiers' heroism is honored with the color red, and their bravery with green. The soldiers are asked to leave some souls to save, indicating that while they may be willing to die for their cause, they should also strive to protect the lives of their comrades.
Overall, "Thin Red Line" is a song that honors the sacrifices of soldiers who fought and died for their country.
Line by Line Meaning
The hands of time have spoken for the chosen ones
Fate has determined who will be the heroes in this battle
Cold steel glistens in the dawning sun
The weapons of war catch the light of sunrise
Destiny and claymore that embraces me
I accept my destiny and the sword that comes with it
All here to sacrifice for victory
Everyone is willing to make sacrifices to win the battle
Hidden in the shadows where the cold wind comes
Concealed in the darkness where the wind is harsh
A mist queen dances for her fallen sons
An apparition of a queen dances for the dead soldiers
Over and over
Repetition of this grim scene
Her shadow falls over me
Her figure looms over me, taking me to the brink of death
Remember no retreat, for here you die where you stand
There is no backing down from this battle, you have to fight until the end
It's chance that brings the Rory's to this foreign land
Luck determines who will end up in a foreign war
The crimson and the claymore make you strangers to fear
The color red and the sword make fear obsolete
A thin red streak tipped with a line of steel
A narrow red line edged in steel represents the courage of the soldiers
Shadows fall over me
I am in the shadow of death
All for the thin red line
All the sacrifices made are for the courage and perseverance of the soldiers
Now the battles over, Kedikoi can cry
The battle is finished, and people can now mourn
For all the gallant hill men she's seen fought and die
Kedikoi laments the brave soldiers who died on the hills
Red is for the heroes, green is for the brave
Red represents those who have gone above and beyond, and green represents the courageous
Soldiers would you leave me with no souls to save
Soldiers, would you really want to die and leave me with nobody left to protect?
Oh-oh, oh
Musical interlude
Oh-oh, oh
Musical interlude
Oh-oh, oh
Musical interlude
Oh-oh, oh
Musical interlude
Oh-oh, oh
Musical interlude
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Al Connelly, Alan Graham Frew, Sam Reid
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind