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).
The Voice of Reason
Asia Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Tired and washed out by the pain
Do we share this problem, will it slip away ?
Or do we fight another day ?
Was I looking for a friend ?
One I count on ´till the end
Is there something that I didn´t do ?
Does it all begin with you ?
[CHORUS]
So how did I, Oh I
Give you reason ?
But how did I, Oh I
Give you reason ?
After all the fallen tears
When we wake the taken dream
Who let the water slowly draw away ?
All the colours that we made
[CHORUS]
To give you reason, to change the river´s flow
To give you reason, to point the bone
To give you reason, go set your spirit free
I don´t know, I don´t know why
Is there nothing I can say ?
Is there nothing I can do, girl ?
Didn´t mean to break your life
Didn´t mean to burn your world, no
[CHORUS]
You can keep the silver band
You can have the memories, girl
Now as 'Pilate' cleans the hands
It´s no more to do with me, no
[CHORUS]
So how did I, Oh I
Give you reason ?
Let the voice of reason say:
The lyrics of Asia's song "The Voice of Reason" are about the aftermath of a relationship that has gone sour. The singer reflects on the pain and loss that they experienced and wonders if they played a part in the breakdown of the relationship. They question whether they were looking for a friend they could depend on until the end, and whether there was something they could have done differently. The chorus repeats the question of how they gave their partner a reason to leave, and the singer seems to be grappling with this question, unsure of the answer.
The second verse speaks to the aftermath of the breakup. The singer describes waking from a dream and realizing that the colors and vibrancy of their relationship have faded away. They wonder if they can do anything to change the course of the river, to give their partner a reason to come back to them. But in the end, they seem to accept that there is nothing they can do or say to fix what has been broken. They acknowledge that they didn't mean to hurt their partner, but they also recognize that the relationship is over and they need to let go.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the complexities of relationships, the pain of losing someone you love, and the difficult questions that arise when trying to make sense of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Nothing ventured nothing gained
Taking no risks results in no rewards
Tired and washed out by the pain
Exhausted and drained from the emotional hurt
Do we share this problem, will it slip away?
Are we in this together and can it resolve itself naturally?
Or do we fight another day?
Or will we have to put in more effort to overcome this problem?
Was I looking for a friend?
Was I seeking someone to rely on and confide in?
One I count on ´till the end
Someone I trust and depend on forever
Is there something that I didn´t do?
Is there an action or effort I missed or overlooked?
Does it all begin with you?
Is this problem solely caused by you?
After all the fallen tears
After all the weeping and suffering
When we wake the taken dream
When we come to realize our dream is unattainable
Who let the water slowly draw away?
Who allowed our situation to gradually deteriorate?
All the colours that we made
All the vibrant aspects of our relationship that we created
To give you reason, to change the river´s flow
To provide you with justification for altering the course of our relationship
To give you reason, to point the bone
To give you a rationale for blaming and condemning me
To give you reason, go set your spirit free
To help you discover a motive to break free and move on
I don´t know, I don´t know why
I'm uncertain and have no explanation
Is there nothing I can say?
Is there no way for me to communicate effectively?
Is there nothing I can do, girl?
Is there no action I can take to make things better?
Didn´t mean to break your life
I didn't intend to ruin your life
Didn´t mean to burn your world, no
I didn't intend to hurt you as deeply as I did
You can keep the silver band
You can keep the symbol of our love
You can have the memories, girl
You can hold onto the memories we shared
Now as 'Pilate' cleans the hands
Now that I am distancing myself from the situation
It´s no more to do with me, no
It no longer involves me or my responsibility
Let the voice of reason say
Let common sense and logic prevail
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEOFF DOWNES, JOHN TIMOTHY PAYNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nick Green
3:15 Recognising the same drum beat sampled again in their Archiva track 'The Smoke That Thunders'.
Long Live Rock 'n' Roll
Very good spot there. It's definitely the same beat used again for The Smoke That Thunders.