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.
Footsteps Fall
Boo Hewerdine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They don't know me next door
Though I can hear their footsteps fall
Every night around this time
Does he take her in his arms?
There′ll be Django playing
As they waltz across the floor
And the loneliest sound of all
Is the sound of love through a stranger's wall
And when their laughter fades
When there are no more words
The silence breaks me most of all
And the loneliest sound of all
Is the sound of love through a stranger's wall
I′m in a new place now
They don′t know me next door
I wonder where your footsteps fall
The lyrics to Boo Hewerdine's song "Footsteps Fall" depict a sense of displacement and longing for connection. The singer finds themselves in a new place where they are not yet known by their neighbors, but they can hear the footsteps of others living nearby. These footsteps serve as a reminder of the presence of others, yet they also emphasize the singer's own isolation.
The repetition of the line "Every night around this time" suggests a routine or ritual that takes place in the neighboring apartment. The singer wonders whether the couple next door shares intimate moments, imagining the possibility of the man taking his partner in his arms. The mention of Django, possibly referring to the legendary jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, adds a touch of romance and elegance to the scene. The waltz playing as the couple dances across the floor is a symbolic representation of the harmony and connection the singer yearns for in their own life.
However, as the laughter and words between the couple fade, the singer is left with a deep sense of loneliness. The silence becomes the loudest sound, emphasizing the absence of love and intimacy in their own life. The final verse repeats the opening lines, emphasizing the cycle of displacement and the longing for connection. The singer wonders where the footsteps of the person they miss, perhaps a past lover, fall in this new place.
Overall, "Footsteps Fall" delves into the themes of isolation, longing, and the desire for connection. Through simple yet evocative lyrics, it captures the complex emotions experienced when one feels disconnected from others and yearns for intimacy.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm in a new place now
I have moved to a different location
They don't know me next door
The people living nearby are not familiar with me
Though I can hear their footsteps fall
I can hear the sound of their footsteps
Every night around this time
Consistently at this specific time every evening
Does he take her in his arms?
Does he hold her close to him?
There'll be Django playing
The music of Django Reinhardt will be playing
As they waltz across the floor
They dance gracefully together
And the loneliest sound of all
The most isolating sound
Is the sound of love through a stranger's wall
Hearing intimacy between strangers is profoundly lonely
And when their laughter fades
When their laughter diminishes
When there are no more words
When they stop speaking to each other
The silence breaks me most of all
The absence of sound affects me deeply
I'm in a new place now
I have moved to a different location
They don't know me next door
The people living nearby are not familiar with me
I wonder where your footsteps fall
I ponder where you go and where you walk
Writer(s): Mark Nicholas Hewerdine
Contributed by Liliana D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@grahambryant4301
This is a song I can never listen to without tears in my eyes. I've seen Boo a number of times and he is a very underrated musician and song-writer; Eddi I have never seen, but she has a beautiful, clear voice, and she has sung Boo's songs on other occasions. I'm a performer myself, and I've done this song a few times, and I still get a catch in my throat. It really is pure magic, no other description for it. Another comment said that it's 'achingly beautiful', and I can't add to that.
@sunshine53andsong
Sublime. If only I had a voice like that.
@leonardpiorek929
Love it love it love it Footsteps Fall and Dragonflies are two of the greatest songs she has ever sung....and there are many more!!!! Beautiful voice ♥♥♥
@matonguitar
Great song! My other favourite of hers is "Back to Earth".
@stevemacbeath
Eddi is probably my favourite female singer and this is probably my favourite song by her. On her own she is brilliant but I think her best work is with Boo.
@njoolong
Lyrics are beautiful. Love Boo's Thanksgiving album. Really thought provoking and music is absolutely lovely
@jwdsnapper
This woman makes me cry..........with the beauty of her voice.
@wyeme50
If you've lived then it would be impossible not to relate to this song. However much we might love somebody we never own them, we should never try too, and of course whatever promises might be made we must accept few things last for ever. What I like about this song is there's no bitterness, it's just the heartfelt tale of somebody who finds themselves alone, and how those little things we see and hear remind us of what we had and what we miss. And Eddi's voice adds to the magic.
@LANCSKID
Haunting and memorable. Found it first on Transatlantic Sessions 2 (which took ages to appear on DVD!) See also her duo with Radney Foster from same DVD.
Jerry Dobro Douglas? Incomparable! Boo too!
@MJ-dq8ik
LOVE Boo Hewerdine AND Eddi Reader - such great music!