Spinning Away
Brian Eno Lyrics
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With my pencil turning moments into line
High above in the violet sky
A silent silver plane - it draws a golden chain
One by one, all the stars appear
As the great winds of the planet spiral in
Spinning away, like the night sky at Arles
In the million insect storm, the constellations form
On a hill, under a raven sky
I have no idea exactly what I've drawn
Some kind of change, some kind of spinning away
With every single line moving further out in time
And now as the pale moon rides (in the stars)
Her form in my pale blue lines (in the stars)
And there, as the world rolls round (in the stars)
I draw, but the lines move round (in the stars)
There, as the great wheels blaze (in the stars)
I draw, but my drawing fades (in the stars)
And now, as the old sun dies (in the stars)
I draw, and the four winds sigh (in the stars)
The lyrics of "Spinning Away" describe the act of drawing as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of change. The singer is perched on a hill, looking up at the sky, and as the day fades and the stars and planets appear, he draws them with his pencil, creating lines that represent moments in time. The silver plane that flies overhead represents the passage of time, as it draws a golden chain that connects all the moments together. The constellations that form in the night sky are a reminder of how small we are in the grand scheme of things, and how everything is constantly moving and changing.
The second verse takes on a more introspective tone, as the singer reflects on what he has drawn and what it signifies. He doesn't quite know what he has created, but he senses that it represents change and the inexorable march of time. The moon, stars, and planets are all part of his drawing, and he watches as they move and shift in the sky. He draws and draws, but his lines fade and his creation disappears, just as everything in life eventually fades and disappears.
Overall, the lyrics of "Spinning Away" are a meditation on the beauty and transience of life. The act of drawing becomes a metaphor for the fragile and fleeting nature of existence, and the singer marvels at the majesty of the universe even as he acknowledges his own smallness and impermanence.
Line by Line Meaning
Up on a hill, as the day dissolves
As the day comes to an end, the singer is situated on top of a hill
With my pencil turning moments into line
The singer is using their pencil to capture the moments upon paper
High above in the violet sky
The singer is overlooking the sky, which is now purple
A silent silver plane - it draws a golden chain
An aircraft silently moves across the sky, giving the illusion that it is weaving a golden chain
One by one, all the stars appear
One by one, the artist can see each star begin to shine in the sky
As the great winds of the planet spiral in
The planet's strong winds start to spiral in
Spinning away, like the night sky at Arles
The sky appears to be rotating, similar to what the singer has seen in the town of Arles
In the million insect storm, the constellations form
While in a vast and noisy environment, the artist sees the stars create various patterns
On a hill, under a raven sky
The artist is still on the hill, and now the sky above them is black like a raven
I have no idea exactly what I've drawn
The artist is uncertain of what they have created
Some kind of change, some kind of spinning away
The singer recognizes that the work has gone through a transformation and appears to be spinning away
With every single line moving further out in time
Each line seems to take the artist further into the future
And now as the pale moon rides (in the stars)
The moon is now present as it moves through the constellations
Her form in my pale blue lines (in the stars)
The features of the moon are recorded in the singer's drawings
And there, as the world rolls round (in the stars)
The world is moving around, mirroring the movement seen in the stars
I draw, but the lines move round (in the stars)
Even though the artist is drawing, they recognize the movement of the lines as the world spins
There, as the great wheels blaze (in the stars)
The wheels or gears seem to be moving rapidly in the sky
I draw, but my drawing fades (in the stars)
Despite continuing to draw, the singer realizes that their work is starting to disappear
And now, as the old sun dies (in the stars)
The sun is fading as it sets in the sky
I draw, and the four winds sigh (in the stars)
As the sun disappears, the artist draws, and the wind begins to blow
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: BRIAN PETER GEORGE ENO, JOHN DAVIES CALE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@baldubear
Up on a hill, as the day dissolves
With my pencil turning moments into line
High above in the violet sky
A silent silver plane - it draws a golden chain
One by one, all the stars appear
As the great winds of the planet spiral in
Spinning away, like the night sky at Arles
In the million insect storm, the constellations form
On a hill, under a raven sky
I have no idea exactly what I've drawn
Some kind of change, some kind of spinning away
With every single line moving further out in time
And now as the pale moon rides (in the stars)
Her form in my pale blue lines (in the stars)
And there, as the world rolls round (in the stars)
I draw, but the lines move round (in the stars)
There, as the great wheels blaze (in the stars)
I draw, but my drawing fades (in the stars)
And now, as the old sun dies (in the stars)
I draw, and the four winds sigh (in the stars)
@paulobrien7022
I play Brian Eno's songs to my 81yr old Mum to calm her down when her Dementia is bad, personally Brian, thank you from us.
@aarondiver4693
beautiful
@noahrichards2502
I can see that totally. Good vibes I'm sending.
@tazswagg
Nice (:
@octofish
I put my kids to sleep with his music over 30 years back. I've tried introducing his music to them, but they ignore me.
@GregMuniz7
I’m sure she loves it
@JimmiBiscuit
This song has a special place in good people's hearts.
@zincminus3793
👍👍👍
@tonykatsoufris8624
Wonderful,tear-inducing comment that rings so,so true for all that have loved this song!!!
@franciscojulianastiazaran3943
The Smith