Hewerdine (born Mark Hewerdine) moved to Cambridge as a child, but returned to London in his late teens, and worked in a record shop. Suffering from agoraphobia, it was not a happy time of his life, and he was fired from his job after being wrongly accused of theft. Returning to Cambridge, he teamed up with a friend with similar experiences and started to write songs. They formed the short-lived Placebo Thing, later renamed The Great Divide. They were heard by Mike Scott of The Waterboys, who recommended them to Ensign Records, where they cut two commercially unsuccessful singles. In 1985 Hewerdine, working once again in a record shop in Cambridge, formed The Bible, recruiting jazz drummer Tony Shepherd. They released an album of songs through the independent Norwich label Backs Records called Walking The Ghost Back Home.
The Bible became a fairly successful independent band, with a cult following spread mostly through word of mouth and live performances. Two tracks from the first album, Graceland and Mahalia were released as singles, but did not achieve very significant sales. The album however was very well received by music pundits, and this brought the band to the attention of Chrysalis Records. Signing to Chrysalis, Graceland and another track, Honey Be Good were (re)released as singles, and reached the lower end of the UK singles chart. A new album, Eureka followed, but failed commercially. In 1988, Hewerdine decided to leave the group and pursue solo projects. Calum MacColl and Neill MacColl from the group went on to form Liberty Horses.
At around this time Hewerdine met US "new country" singer Darden Smith, and this set him off in a new direction. Working together, he and Smith released a collaborative album, Evidence. Hewerdine also worked simultaneously on new solo songs, largely based on his earlier traumatic experiences in London. Eventually these were distilled down to produce the Ignorance album, released in 1992. Invited by Tori Amos to play support promoting these songs, Hewerdine managed to find a new audience and Ignorance and a single from the album, History, did relatively well commercially.
As Hewerdine's star rose, he started to write for other artists, among them Eddi Reader, Clive Gregson and Christine Collister. The Bible reformed for a tour in 1994. Further solo album releases followed, such as 1996's Baptist Hospital and 1999's Thanksgiving. Meanwhile Hewerdine was asked by long-time friend Nick Hornby to contribute music to the soundtrack for the movie version of his book High Fidelity, whose subject (working in a record shop) was also very close to Hewerdine's experiences.
Hewerdine continues to write and perform his own songs. Harmonograph, released on MVine/Red Grape Records in February 2006, is a collection of his songs written for other artists such as Eddi Reader and Hepburn, recorded by Hewerdine for the first time. 2008 saw two mini CD releases - Toy Box 1 and Toy Box 2 with art work by Hewerdine's grandmother. Hewerdine continues to tour regularly, playing a set featuring songs from through out his career from The Bible to Toy Box.
Anon
Boo Hewerdine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A lifetime ago
A friend of a friend
Who wanted to know
If a tree in the forest
Comes crashing down
And there's no one to hear this
Does it make a sound?
Now he started changing
The year that we left school
He came back a stranger
What else was I to do?
And I saw his brother
Yesterday
And before his eyes met mine
I turned away
And if I was a millionaire
Everything would be fine
And if I was a millionaire
Everything would be fine
When the house is sleeping
When the love is strong
Sometimes there's a moment
When tomorrow's gone
And a tree in the forest
Comes crashing down
And there's no one to hear this
Doesn't make a sound
Hey yeah
The lyrics of Boo Hewerdine's song "Anon" tell the story of the passage of time and how relationships can evolve and sometimes disintegrate with it. The upbeat melody and catchy chorus contrast with the melancholic message of the lyrics. The song starts by describing a distant memory, "A faraway summer, a lifetime ago", and a philosophical question "If a tree in the forest comes crashing down, and there's no one to hear this, does it make a sound?" This sets the tone for the song and highlights how time passes and people change, and relationships become distant.
As the song progresses, the singer talks about a friend who changed after leaving school and how he is now a stranger. The line "And before his eyes met mine, I turned away" shows that the relationship is now broken and how awkwardness prevails. The lyrics reflect the sense of regret and loss that arises from relationships that have faded and how we wish things could be different. The chorus "If I was a millionaire, everything would be fine" suggests that relationships can be complicated, and sometimes, money is seen as the solution to make things better.
Towards the end of the song, the lyrics show a glimmer of hope, "When the house is sleeping, when the love is strong, sometimes there's a moment when tomorrow's gone, and a tree in the forest comes crashing down, and there's no one to hear this, doesn't make a sound". This suggests that even in a difficult situation, there is always hope that things can be better, and relationships can be mended.
Line by Line Meaning
A faraway summer
Referring to a past event that happened a long time ago, most likely a happy memory from a past summer.
A lifetime ago
Further emphasizing the idea of a distant past event that happened a long time ago, perhaps during childhood or youth.
A friend of a friend
Describing a person who is not necessarily known personally, but connected to someone who is known, perhaps creating an air of mystery or unfamiliarity.
Who wanted to know
Implies that there is a question being asked and that there may be a deeper meaning to the question rather than just a surface-level inquiry.
If a tree in the forest
Creating a thought-provoking question that brings up the philosophical debate about existence and perception of reality.
Comes crashing down
Striking a tone of chaos or destruction, which contrasts with the peaceful nature of a forest being mentioned.
And there's no one to hear this
Posing another concept to ponder, that of the idea of existence, and how important it is for things to be witnessed or acknowledged.
Does it make a sound?
A final question that leaves the listeners to figure out their own answers, and also suggests that there are multiple interpretations of reality.
Now he started changing
Shifting from the previous topic and now focusing on the change that occurred in a person's behavior or personality.
The year that we left school
Providing time context, referring to a specific time in the past when the change was noticed.
He came back a stranger
Describing the transformation and how different the person seems now as compared to before, highlighting how much has possibly changed over time.
What else was I to do?
Expressing a sense of helplessness or powerlessness as well as a sense of not knowing what to do or say in such a situation.
And I saw his brother
Introducing another character into the story, possibly someone who also knows the first person and therefore is connected to the situation in some way.
Yesterday
Providing more time context for when the subsequent event took place.
And before his eyes met mine
Adding a sense of guilt, shame, or avoidance to the description of the situation with the brother, showing how the person may have been feeling at that moment.
I turned away
The choice to avoid the situation altogether and not face it head-on.
And if I was a millionaire
Introducing a hypothetical scenario that shifts the focus from the past to the present moment, showing a desire to have more wealth and resources than currently held.
Everything would be fine
Indicating that the singer believes that money is the solution to their problems, and that the hypothetical idea of financial security brings emotional comfort and happiness.
When the house is sleeping
Describing a moment of peace, calm, or stillness and therefore possibly implying that it is a rare moment of quiet in the household.
When the love is strong
Relating to the theme of love and affection, which could mean that the current moment is a time of intense feelings of connection and warmth.
Sometimes there's a moment
Introducing a moment of realization or epiphany, or that the current situation is fleeting or temporary.
When tomorrow's gone
Highlighting the uncertainty of the future and how it can sometimes escape or slip away from us without notice, emphasizing the importance of staying present in the moment.
And a tree in the forest
Reintroducing the philosophical question that was asked earlier, tying it to the theme of living in the moment.
Comes crashing down
Signifying something coming to an end or breaking apart, and using visual language to emphasize the idea of chaos or destruction.
And there's no one to hear this
Reiterating the previous philosophical question that asks about existence and perception, but implying that if no one is there to see or witness something, then it truly ceases to exist.
Doesn't make a sound
Ending the song with the same philosophical question that was asked at the beginning, posing the idea of multiple realities and interpretations.
Hey yeah
A short concluding lyric that adds a casual and laid-back tone to the song, indicating that this philosophical and emotional journey may have come to an end.
Writer(s): Mark Nicholas Hewerdine
Contributed by Micah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.