Collins' music is mostly electric guitar-driven pop, and his songwriting and vocal delivery range from the acerbicly satirical to the soulfully tender, although he is better known for the former. He built his own studio in 1994 and produced his own third solo album, Gorgeous George. He has also worked as producer with other artists, including The Proclaimers, The Cribs, and Little Barrie. Collins also produced and starred in the Channel 4 sitcom West Heath Yard.
Collins lives with his long term partner, Grace Maxwell, who also manages his career. The couple, who live in London, have one son.
In a BBC 6 Music radio interview on 18 February 2005 Collins had said he felt unwell, but ascribed the nausea and vertigo to food poisoning. Two days later he was admitted to intensive care in London's Royal Free Hospital after apparently suffering a major cerebral haemorrhage. On 25 February he underwent an operation, reportedly after suffering a second haemorrhage. The procedure was successful, and Collins began a lengthy programme of neurological rehabilitation.
Sept 2007 saw the release of Home Again, the first album since his illness. Recorded before Collins’ hospitalisation but only mixed and produced after his recovery, Edwyn worked on the album during his recovery. He was heard to sing a few bars on BBC Radio 4's Front Row, sharing strumming and chord duties with Grace. 'Crap' he said afterwards; some listeners begged to differ.
Written In Stone
Edwyn Collins Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's funny I don't recognize the signs
It's a fatal combination
When destiny and providence align
The madness that surrounds me
The further that I roam
Directions that confound me
I can't find my way home
But I will get there
On my own
Written in blood
Written in stone
I'd ask for new directions
But my memory, it's shot and full of holes
Still my recall's near perfection
When compared with the condition of my soul
The madness that surrounds me
The further that I roam
Directions that confound me
I can't find my way home
But I will get there
On my own
Written in blood
Written in stone
In “Written in Stone” by Edwyn Collins, the singer reflects on his life journey, grappling with both the concept of destiny and the idea of taking control of his own fate. He has arrived at his destination, but it feels unfamiliar and disorienting. Despite feeling lost and hopeless, the singer is determined to find his way home, even if he has to do it on his own. The chorus, “But I will get there / On my own / Written in blood / Written in stone,” emphasizes the agency of the individual, even in the face of uncertainty and adversity.
The lyrics suggest a struggle between fate and free will, as the singer navigates both external forces and internal disorientation. His memories are unreliable, but his soul is in even worse shape. The refrain, “The madness that surrounds me / The further that I roam / Directions that confound me / I can’t find my way home,” highlights the singer’s sense of feeling lost and disconnected from himself. However, his determination to make it home, “On my own,” reveals a willingness to take responsibility for his own journey, despite the challenges that may lie ahead.
Overall, the song captures the struggle to reconcile internal and external forces, between a sense of destiny and an innate desire for control. The singer is lost, but not hopeless, and the song encourages the listener to embrace their own agency, even in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I've reached this destination
I have arrived at where I intended to go.
But it's funny I don't recognize the signs
I find it odd that I don't recognize the markings along my path.
It's a fatal combination
When fate and divine intervention combine, it can be deadly.
When destiny and providence align
When what was meant to happen and what is divinely planned come together.
The madness that surrounds me
The chaos that envelops me.
The further that I roam
The more I wander away from home.
Directions that confound me
Instructions that perplex and bewilder me.
I can't find my way home
I am lost and cannot return to where I belong.
But I will get there
But I will find my way back.
On my own
By myself, without assistance.
Written in blood
My determination to succeed is unbreakable, as if written in blood.
Written in stone
My conviction to reach my destination is unwavering and unchangeable, as if carved in stone.
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.