When they appeared in the early '80s, Asia seemed to be a holdover from the… Read Full Bio ↴When they appeared in the early '80s, Asia seemed to be a holdover from the '70s, when supergroups and self-important progressive rockers reigned supreme. Featuring members of such seminal art rock bands as King Crimson (John Wetton), Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Carl Palmer), and Yes (Steve Howe), as well as Geoff Downes from the Buggles, Asia did feature stretches of indulgent instrumentals on their records. However, they also could be surprisingly poppy, and that is what brought them to the top of the charts with their debut album, Asia, and its hit single, "Heat of the Moment."

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).

Turn It Around
Asia Lyrics

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Took the ground,
From underneath my feet.
Silent town,
Ghosts this empty street.

I see the home that once was mine,
Now just bones of former life.
Touch this page of sacred time, again,

I see you call

You don't have to be strong for me.
I won't shoot your defenses down.
Whatever happens, I want you to see
We can face it together.
And turn it around.

A new life
Grows within his hands.
Coming back
To this promised land.

And with these bones we will rebuild,
To the flesh of future life.
Giving back that sacred time, again

You don't have to be strong for me.
I won't shoot your defenses down.
Whatever happens, I want you to see,

We can face it together.
And turn it around.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Asia's song Turn It Around seem to refer to a situation where the singer's life has been shaken and all they have left is an empty, deserted town. It's unclear what caused this situation, but the lyrics suggest that the singer is longing for a time when they felt more alive and connected, represented by the "home that once was mine" and the "sacred time" they remember. However, despite the desolation around them, the singer tries to find hope in the possibility of rebuilding ("with these bones we will rebuild"), as if they're trying to resurrect something that was lost.

The chorus of the song, "You don't have to be strong for me / I won't shoot your defenses down / Whatever happens, I want you to see / We can face it together", seems to speak to a particular person - perhaps someone close to the singer who is going through a similarly difficult time. The singer is trying to reassure this person that they can rely on each other and that they won't judge them for showing vulnerability ("I won't shoot your defenses down"), which may be a reflection of the loneliness and isolation that the singer feels.

Overall, Turn It Around is a melancholic yet uplifting song that speaks to themes of loss, hope, and the power of human connection.

Line by Line Meaning

Took the ground, From underneath my feet.
I feel unstable and lost, like the ground has been ripped from beneath me.

Silent town, Ghosts this empty street.
The town that once was alive now feels eerie and abandoned, like it's haunted by ghosts.

I see the home that once was mine, Now just bones of former life. Touch this page of sacred time, again, I see you call
I'm revisiting a place that used to be special to me, but now it's just a reminder of what's been lost. I'm searching for a connection to the past, hoping to find comfort and guidance.

You don't have to be strong for me. I won't shoot your defenses down. Whatever happens, I want you to see We can face it together. And turn it around.
I'm here to support you no matter what, and I promise not to break down your walls. We can work together to overcome any obstacle and make things better.

A new life Grows within his hands. Coming back To this promised land.
There's the potential for growth and renewal, and we're returning to a place of hope and promise.

And with these bones we will rebuild, To the flesh of future life. Giving back that sacred time, again
We can use what we've learned from the past to build a better future, and restore the sense of meaning and importance that's been missing.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GEOFF DOWNES, JOHN TIMOTHY PAYNE, MICHAEL BRIAN STURGIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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