Hand Held in Black and White
Dollar Lyrics
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Colour evening palaces that burn
Some expression leading to the sky
They will wait until you learn to fly
Chorus
Hand held in black and white
Into the northern light
Fly like a silver wing higher
Gliding and other things
Fly like a silver wing higher
Inner visions written on the wall
In graffiti winner takes it all
Take a chance and put your money down
We will race you high above the ground
Repeat chorus
Inner visions written on the wall
In graffiti winner takes it all
Take a chance and put your money down
We will race you high above the ground
Repeat chorus to fade
The lyrics to Dollar's song Hand Held in Black and White weave together different elements of adventure, travel and risk-taking. The opening line, "On a ticket Tokyo return," hints at a journey being made to a distant place, perhaps to seek new experiences or to escape the drudgeries of everyday life. The second line, "Colour evening palaces that burn," is somewhat cryptic, but could be interpreted to suggest that even when the traveler reaches their destination, they find unexpected challenges, dangers or opportunities.
The third and fourth lines, "Some expression leading to the sky / They will wait until you learn to fly," hint at the idea that the traveler is being encouraged to take risks, to reach for some sort of unattainable or idealized goal, and to overcome their fears in order to do so. The chorus, which repeats twice in the song, presents a vision of soaring freedom and release that comes from taking those risks - "Fly like a silver wing higher / Catching the southern wind / Gliding and other things / Fly like a silver wing higher."
The middle verse of the song adds a further layer of complexity to this vision of adventurous risk-taking, suggesting that there are winners and losers in this game, and that one needs to be bold enough to put their money down and take a chance, in order to see the rewards. The repeated references to "inner visions written on the wall / In graffiti winner takes it all" suggest that the rewards may not just be material, but psychic and emotional - that the traveler is seeking something deeper and more meaningful than just financial gain.
Overall, the lyrics to Hand Held in Black and White present a vision of travel and adventure that is both alluring and challenging, requiring the traveler to take risks and overcome fears in order to achieve a sense of freedom and transcendence.
Line by Line Meaning
On a ticket Tokyo return
We've got a return ticket to Tokyo.
Colour evening palaces that burn
The sunset is coloring the palaces in burning shades.
Some expression leading to the sky
There's something leading us up towards the sky.
They will wait until you learn to fly
They'll wait until we're ready to soar through the skies.
Chorus
The chorus is about the freedom of flying like a silver wing.
Hand held in black and white
We'll hold hands against the backdrop of the stark black and white scenery.
Into the northern light
We'll fly towards the breathtaking aurora borealis.
Fly like a silver wing higher
We'll soar through the skies like a gleaming silver wing, aiming higher.
Catching the southern wind
We'll catch the powerful southern wind to help us fly further.
Gliding and other things
We'll glide through the air and experience other exhilarating sensations.
Fly like a silver wing higher
We'll keep flying higher and higher like a silver wing.
Inner visions written on the wall
We have personal visions and dreams that we've written on the walls of our minds.
In graffiti winner takes it all
Just like graffiti paintings, in life, the winner takes it all.
Take a chance and put your money down
Take a risk and invest your energy and resources towards your dreams.
We will race you high above the ground
We'll compete to soar higher and higher, defying gravity.
Repeat chorus
The chorus is repeated to emphasize the theme of flying and freedom.
Inner visions written on the wall
Our personal visions and dreams are repeated to drive the message home.
In graffiti winner takes it all
The message that the winner takes it all is repeated for greater impact.
Take a chance and put your money down
The message to take risks and invest in your dreams is reinforced.
We will race you high above the ground
We'll continue to push ourselves to soar higher and higher.
Repeat chorus to fade
The chorus is repeated as the song fades out, leaving us with the image of soaring through the skies.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRUCE WOOLLEY, TREVOR CHARLES HORN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@stevealexR1
On a ticket Tokyo return
Colour evening palaces that burn
Some expression leading to the sky
They will wait until you learn to fly
Chorus
Hand held in black and white
Into the northern light
Fly like a silver wing higher
Catching the southern wind
Gliding and other things
Fly like a silver wing higher
Inner visions written on the wall
In graffiti winner takes it all
Take a chance and put your money down
We will race you high above the ground
Repeat chorus
Inner visions written on the wall
In graffiti winner takes it all
Take a chance and put your money down
We will race you high above the ground
Repeat chorus to fade
@keeblem1
Even now, nearly 40 years later, watching Theresa Bazar my heart aches like a love sick teenager! I loved her so much...
@charles5596
He wasnt to be sniffed at either back then ! Lovely looking people
@grahammurfitt4460
I know she was adorable. It's awful thinking its 41 years ago! I was 16 and just escaped from school setting out in the world
@timturpinfleck17642
I know what you mean, she was soooo lovely 😍. Remember this Top of the Pops performance.
@markleyland2772
She’s a babe still
and always will be ❤️❤️❤️
@nigelwilliams9307
She's almost 70 years old now in 2022 which is a bit of a shock but we all get old, if we're lucky. David is now a politician..lol
@manweller1
The bass rift on this is too die for. Trevor horn the man
@oktfg
Thank you Theresa for the persistence convincing Trevor to become a producer and making this song so energising what became the sound of the 80s. 💯😍💥
@Wildzippy
Production from 38 years ago .... but still sounds better than 95% of music now. Trevor Horn and Dollar were a match made in heaven. Amazing.
@andyhopkinson2708
100% better than the Shit that's out now