Bruford's later outings would be released under either his full name or variations of Bill Bruford's Earthworks/Earthworks.
Plans for J.D.
Bruford Lyrics
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She's learned to just pretend he's right
She feels no pain
She used to care
But now she looks back
To the things he used to be
With no warning
And no final say
And his plans for Judgement Day
It makes no sense
His everything is in the future tense
He's wasting time
The past is gone
The present lingers-
A mist before the dawn
There's no fooling
And no final say
He'll find time runs out on him
And the games he needs to play
And his plans for Judgement's Day
You're wasting time
The more you talk, the more you realise
The man's made up his mind
It's not money that he's rolling in
But the fear of endless night
And his plans for Judgement Day
You hate to fight
You've learned to just pretend he's right
You're wasting time
You used to care, but now you look back
To the things he used to be
There's no fooling
And he won't forget
The way you ran out on him
And his plans for Judgement Day
The lyrics of "Plans for J.D." by Bruford delve into the themes of past unresolved conflicts and future regrets. The song is essentially about two individuals, one who hates to fight and the other who is wasting time, living in their own world of unrealistic plans that include Judgement Day. The first set of lyrics describe a woman who has given up on fighting with her partner and has learned to pretend that he is always right, despite the fact that she used to care about things more. She looks back at the things he used to be, suggesting that things have changed, and warns that without any final say, time will run out on him and his delusional plans.
On the other hand, the second set of lyrics describe a man who persists to live in the future tense, wasting time and unbothered by the past that is gone. However, the present lingers before the dawn and he needs to stop playing games as time will run out on him and his imaginary plans for Judgement Day. The third set of lyrics tell us that the man is driven by his fear of endless night, and despite the attempts of the other person to reason with him, he has made up his mind. The final set of lyrics then bring the two people together, with the woman realizing that she too has been wasting time, pretending that her partner is always right when deep down she knows that he's not. However, she realizes that he won't forget the fact that she ran out on him, and that his plans for Judgement Day will remain.
Overall, "Plans for J.D." is a poignant yet cryptic song that can be interpreted in several ways. It unabashedly deals with human anxieties, fears, regrets, and aspirations all at once. It is a strong reminder that time is finite, and we should live our lives in the present tense rather than hoping for unrealistic outcomes in the future.
Line by Line Meaning
She hates to fight
She doesn't like to argue or confront others
She's learned to just pretend he's right
She has accepted that it's better to agree with him than to argue with him
She feels no pain
She is emotionally numb or indifferent to the situation
She used to care
She used to have feelings and concerns about the situation
But now she looks back
To the things he used to be
She ponders on his past and how much he has changed
With no warning
And no final say
He'll find time runs out on him
And his plans for Judgement Day
His lack of preparation will catch up with him, and his plans will fail
It makes no sense
The situation is confusing or illogical
His everything is in the future tense
He focuses too much on the future and not enough on the present
He's wasting time
He is not utilizing his time effectively
The past is gone
The present lingers-
A mist before the dawn
The past is unchangeable, and the present is fleeting and uncertain
There's no fooling
And no final say
He'll find time runs out on him
And the games he needs to play
And his plans for Judgement's Day
He cannot deceive or manipulate others forever, and his plans will fail
You're wasting time
You are not utilizing your time effectively
The more you talk, the more you realise
The man's made up his mind
Trying to convince him otherwise is useless; he has already made up his mind
It's not money that he's rolling in
But the fear of endless night
He is motivated by fear rather than wealth or success
And his plans for Judgement Day
He has plans for the future that may not necessarily come to fruition
You hate to fight
You've learned to just pretend he's right
You do not like to argue or confront others, so you pretend to agree with him
You're wasting time
You are not utilizing your time effectively
You used to care, but now you look back
To the things he used to be
You used to have feelings and concerns about the situation, but now you realize how much he has changed
There's no fooling
And he won't forget
The way you ran out on him
And his plans for Judgement Day
He cannot be deceived or manipulated, and he won't forget how you left him out of his plans for the future
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.