Alpha, their second album, also had a couple of hits ("Don't Cry" and "The Smile Has Left Your Eyes") but its follow-up, Astra, was a flop. The group disbanded in 1985, only to reunite in 1990 without John Wetton; John Payne took his place. After churning out a couple of new songs for a greatest-hits collection, the band hit the road, including two sold-out dates in front of 20,000 fans in Moscow. Thereafter, they toured sporadically and released Aqua (1992), Aria (1994), Arena (1996), Aura (2001), and Silent Nation (2004). The band's lineup reverted to its original form featuring Wetton, Palmer, Howe, and Downes for Phoenix (2008) and Omega (2010). In 2012, the original Asia lineup returned with the studio album XXX, featuring the single "Face on the Bridge." The following year, Howe announced his amicable departure from the group to pursue other projects, and in 2014 Asia released the album Gravitas, featuring new guitarist Sam Coulson. In January 2017, a month and a half before the scheduled beginning of an extensive U.S. tour by the band, John Wetton died from colon cancer at the age of 67.
Biography by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
There is another band with the same name:
2) Asia was an excellent hard rock band with a drive for epic, pomp-filled rock tunes. The band was from Rapid City, South Dakota and should not be confused with the famous U.K. one, which sadly outshone them and ended up rendering the U.S. group highly obscure despite the U.S. one's critical support. Going for a loose instrumental energy similar to Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin, their eventual line-up was made up of Michael English (vocals, bass, percussion), Larry Galbraith (vocals, guitars, mandolin), Mike Coates (guitars, mandolin, mellotron, piano, harpsichord, vocals), and Doug Johnson (percussion). They released two albums: 'Asia' (1979) and 'Armed to the Teeth' (1980).
Go
Asia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where I used to walk
Now I can barely crawl
All this darkness rising tall
Lord, shine a light for me
I'm waiting to be called
I'm ready to go home
I'm ready to receive
I'm ready to begin
Take this river to the sea
Where the delta flows
The tide is washing over me
Guide this soul to Heaven's door
Show me where tomorrow lies
I'm waiting to be home
I'm ready to lay down
I'm ready now to sleep
A promise I must keep
I'm ready to go home
Sometimes I lay down with these memories
Breathe shallow, deep inside of me
And time has run its course with me
And I'm ready to go home
When the evening shadows fall
When the time has come
I let defenses fall
To surrender's to survive
I will give up everything
To those I leave behind
I'm ready to go home
I'm ready to receive
Forgiveness for my sins
I'm ready to begin
I'm waiting to lay down
I'm ready now to sleep
A promise I must keep
I'm ready to go home
Again
The lyrics to Asia's song "Go" depict a person who is tired of the struggles of life and is ready to go home. The singer talks about the darkness that has overtaken their life and how they can barely crawl. However, they are waiting for a shining light to guide them and call them to their true home. The river to the sea is symbolic of the journey the singer wants to take, leaving their struggles behind and finding peace in the afterlife. The singer is ready to give up everything and receive forgiveness for their sins. They are also ready to lay down and sleep, indicating that they are at peace with the idea of leaving this world. The last line of the song suggests that the singer is willing to face death once again and is ready to go home.
Line by Line Meaning
On the street below these walls
Referring to the street outside the confinements of where the singer is currently, highlighting confinement.
Where I used to walk
Acknowledging the singer's familiarity with the area.
Now I can barely crawl
Expressing the sense of difficulty faced by the singer in his current state.
All this darkness rising tall
The feeling of negativity and bad omens all around, gaining more power.
Lord, shine a light for me
A plea made to God for guidance and direction.
I'm waiting to be called
The singer is waiting for a sign or a call from God to show him the way.
I'm ready to go home
The singer is prepared to leave the current state of being and move on.
I'm ready to receive
The artist is ready to accept the consequences of their actions.
Forgiveness for my sins
The artist seeks forgiveness for past misdeeds and wrongdoings.
I'm ready to begin
The artist is eager to start a new phase of life with a clean slate.
Take this river to the sea
An analogy made to progress towards a better place.
Where the delta flows
A reference to the area where the river meets the sea, symbolizing an end to the journey.
The tide is washing over me
The singer feels immersed in the experience of the journey.
Guide this soul to Heaven's door
A plea made to be led towards a state of peace and tranquility.
Show me where tomorrow lies
An appeal to God to reveal the path of the future.
Sometimes I lay down with these memories
The artist is plagued by thoughts and memories of their past.
Breathe shallow, deep inside of me
The artist is unable to escape the negative aspects of their past.
And time has run its course with me
The singer acknowledges the passage of time and its effect on them.
And I'm ready to go home
The singer is prepared for the next phase of their journey.
When the evening shadows fall
A reference to the settling darkness of the night.
When the time has come
The moment when a decision must be taken.
I let defenses fall
The artist becomes vulnerable and open to change.
To surrender's to survive
The act of surrendering allows one to survive and move on.
I will give up everything
The artist is willing to make sacrifices to achieve their goals.
To those I leave behind
A reference to the people who are left behind after the journey is complete.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: ANDREW M. GOLD, GRAHAM KEITH GOULDMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@martindebrois1472
@RBK2 He didn't. He drank - To extreme, on some off-days (He wasn't wasted, at concerts) ... But it was really Steve Howe didn't like him, and Steve Howe RULED - behind the scenes. Brian Lane was the manager of Asia, who he managed Yes, the previous four years (before '81) ... And Brian, out of just familiarity, with Howe, perceived [mistakenly] Steve Howe was the main talent in the band - Not Wetton. Also it was decided, foolishly, Wetton and Downes would write all the songs for Alpha - With no Steve Howe ideas, mixed in. This was a bad idea soundwise, and for the human aspect. - Everybody knew this was happening, including John Kalodner himself - Who could have stopped it, but didn't.
Asia with Greg Lake failed, spectacularly (after airing a clip on MTV, from the concert in Japan of Greg Lake literally unable to sing "only time will tell") ➡️ And as the record label saw the band sinking, they realized the commercial value of John Wetton's voice, and called him to come back. So he came back. .. But about right after he was back, he told them 'You know what "F__k You" ~ You know my voice rules, now, you need to get Steve Howe the F out of here .. If I'm going to do this third album.' They did. ... But they hated him for it. And Brian Lane, and other record label people STILL liked Steve Howe better than they liked John Wetton - And torpedoed the album. We're talking several things are in place for the first album, and even Alpha - that they didn't put in place for Astra. (For one they they didn't send them on the road, playing concerts - Which would have, obviously, made more excitement for the album ... People could have heard Mandy Meyer, Steve Howe's replacement play guitar, live ... Etc.)
Now Carl Palmer said, in an interview, 4 years ago Wetton was too messed up drinking, still to do it. .. But I doubt it. - When tour dates came he would have gotten his act together - Enough at least to be sober and great , on stage. They couldn't have played arenas, in late 1985, anymore ~ But could have played large theaters, 2000-4000 seats .... and certainly outdoor places in the spring ... And built their brand back.
The record company hated John Wetton too much to let that happen.
See John Wetton's very EXISTENCE proved Brian Lane wrong - That he could move the chess pieces around, kick out John Wetton, because Steve Howe was jealous of him - bring in an altogether different guy at lead vocals (the only similarity to anything is that Greg also played with Carl Palmer), and it would work great! Because it was hiiiissss band. ➡️ Well that whole idea got egg on its face (really Brian Lane's face) , real bad.
And Wetton had to pay.
Did anybody ever notice in the end of the video they kill the main character (album cover lady), at the end of the song? ? I did. Wetton should have noticed, too.
@rockrabbitt
Dig for victory, go for gold
I don't want to die before I get old
And I wonder where I'm going to
There's some way out, there's some way through
But I'm lost, I'm lost, I'm down again
My direction is changing, which way,
Which way can I go...
Get up and go
You start me up, you slow me down
No one can deny you get around
When you're hot, you're cold, you're in between
Asking myself what does it mean?
And I walk that tightrope, you should know
I'm losing my balance, maybe,
Maybe I should go...
Get up and go
Face to face in sympathy
But now you turn your back on me
Turn a card and win, but you may lose
Fate only has that right to choose
If you're right, leave me here, I'll die alone
You've got the time, you've just got time
You got the time just go...
Get up and go
Go
Just go...
@Expatriate1977
Never understood why this band is rarely mentioned in classic rock circles. Still one of my favorite bands if all time
@dannywaystedofficialhardnh2235
So True, !
@fenderstratocastertelecast8479
This band is intended only for good taste in music.. A class of itself
Regards from México
@celiosiqueira8734
certainly better than many that are mentioned
@alanl1577
Each bandmember great talent in their own right.
@fenderstratocastertelecast8479
@Alan L as once palmer said: "we have our pedigree" and even different former members such elliot randall, Michael sturgis... I mean, musicianship!!!!
@dan091565
A truly underrated band...One of my favorites...a true supergroup!
@jbazinga2385
If you had been alive in the very early 80s you'd know these guys were huge. They were played all the time on the radio -- you know, back before you could instantly select a song on Spotify or Pandora. ;-)
@Solaar_Punk
@J Bazinga they really weren't
@AitorDiazFernandez
One of the most underrated albums ever.