Footsteps
Brian Eno John Cale Lyrics

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I'm a man of many colours:
Only yesterday I was blue.
Ten days from now, I'll be different
And so will you.
Written there in capital letters
So as not to be misunderstood
Making sure I'm clear,
Telling bad from good.

Two weeks ago in Tokyo,
A man from Islamabad:
Selling shells back to the rebels,
Shells they never had.
All is clear: I can see for miles and miles.
I can hear your footsteps in my heart.
Somebody make me an offer
I've got to get away from here, ooh, ooh, ooh.
Driving hard through the snow-drift
Like a moth to a naked light
To keep an appointment in Zurich
With a man who hears footsteps in the night.
Tired of what he's been doing,
What it's done to his life...
Getting most if what he needed
Has left him with less than he had.

All is clear: I can see for miles and miles.
All I hear are your footsteps in my heart.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Brian Eno & John Cale's song Footsteps talks about change, uncertainty and perception. The singer implies that everybody changes, nothing stays the same and that everything we feel or experience is transient. He says that he is "a man of many colours" meaning that he has different facets to his personality and that he's always evolving. He adds that he was "blue" the day before and he will be different ten days from now and that the same applies to his audience. The lyrics directly communicates to the listener that change is universal, making the point that people should try to appreciate the present moment before they lose it to time.

The lyrics also have references to doubt and uncertainty. The singer writes that he wrote his words in capital letters so that he wouldn't be misunderstood.He communicates that his opinions or feelings are relative, and that he always verifies his thoughts so as not to be misled. The singer brings another character- a man from Islamabad- and describes how he tried to sell shells to the rebels in Tokyo that "they never had," further portraying the idea that everything isn't always what they seem.

Finally, the song talks about the search for meaning and an escape from reality. The singer states that somebody should make him an offer and that he needs to get away from the present. He recounts driving in the snow towards an appointment in Zurich with a man that hears "footsteps in the night." This is probably another reference to uncertainty or fear of what is to come. The singer implies that the man has lost everything he had by getting what he needed, probably meaning that the man spent his life accumulating material possessions but differently from what he thought it would achieve.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm a man of many colours:
I have many different aspects to my personality.

Only yesterday I was blue.
Recently, I felt sad or depressed.

Ten days from now, I'll be different And so will you.
Change is an inevitable part of life, and both individuals will be different in the near future.

Written there in capital letters So as not to be misunderstood Making sure I'm clear, Telling bad from good.
I emphasize the importance of clarity and distinguishing right from wrong.

Two weeks ago in Tokyo, A man from Islamabad: Selling shells back to the rebels, Shells they never had.
In a recent transaction, a man from one place was selling something to people in another place who didn't even have what he was selling.

All is clear: I can see for miles and miles. I can hear your footsteps in my heart.
I have a deep understanding of things and can feel the presence of a loved one despite physical distance.

Somebody make me an offer I've got to get away from here, ooh, ooh, ooh.
I am willing to leave my current situation and will take any opportunity that comes my way.

Driving hard through the snow-drift Like a moth to a naked light To keep an appointment in Zurich With a man who hears footsteps in the night.
I am determined to reach a crucial meeting, no matter the obstacles, with someone who is paranoid and easily frightened due to past experiences.

Tired of what he's been doing, What it's done to his life... Getting most if what he needed Has left him with less than he had.
This person is exhausted from their current lifestyle but has realized that pursuing what they thought they needed has actually left them with less than before.

All is clear: I can see for miles and miles. All I hear are your footsteps in my heart.
I have a clear understanding of things and am constantly aware of the presence of a loved one in my heart.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRIAN ENO, JOHN DAVIES CALE, John Cale

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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