A Visit to Newport Hospital
Egg Lyrics


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There used to be a time when we lived in the van
We used to roam about with Janice, Liz and Ann
Now looking back it seemed to be a happy time
And so we kid ourselves we didn't really mind
The hang-ups and the lack of bread

There were four of us then, the group was Uriel
We played five nights a week at Ryde Castle Hotel
We spent our time avoiding skinheads and the law
It was a freedom that we'd never felt before
And now we're doing this instead

It was a way of life that was completely new
And so we found that we had quite a lot to do
The time passed slowly and each day was much the same




We ate and loved and slept and no-one was to blame
For saying things better left unsaid

Overall Meaning

In Egg's song "A Visit to Newport Hospital," the group reflects on the time they spent living in a van with their friends Janice, Liz, and Ann. Despite the financial difficulties and other challenges that come with living in a van, they fondly look back on their past and idealize this simpler time. They seem to suggest that their travel and music was more important than material possessions, hence why they didn't mind the lack of money. Additionally, Egg reminisces about their time performing as a group called Uriel at Ryde Castle Hotel, where they played five nights a week. Even though they had to avoid hostile skinheads and the police, Egg romantically characterizes this period as a time of total freedom for them.


In these lyrics, Egg highlights the beauty of life outside of societal norms, and how living outside of the mainstream can lead to valuable experiences and connections. The band's memories of this unconventional lifestyle are vivid and detailed, and they seem to treasure the memories they have formed. The lyrics to "A Visit to Newport Hospital" serve as a reminder that the most important parts of life may not have anything to do with material riches.


Line by Line Meaning

There used to be a time when we lived in the van
In the past, we lived in a van


We used to roam about with Janice, Liz and Ann
We used to travel with our friends Janice, Liz, and Ann


Now looking back it seemed to be a happy time
When we reflect on that time, it seemed like a joyful period


And so we kid ourselves we didn't really mind
We deceive ourselves that we did not miss other things


The hang-ups and the lack of bread
Despite emotional and financial struggles we faced at that time


There were four of us then, the group was Uriel
Our band, Uriel had four members at that time


We played five nights a week at Ryde Castle Hotel
Our band had a recurring gig five nights a week at Ryde Castle Hotel


We spent our time avoiding skinheads and the law
We spent time trying to stay out of trouble with skinheads and law enforcement


It was a freedom that we'd never felt before
We experienced a new sense of liberty during that time


And now we're doing this instead
Currently, we have different activities and pursuits


It was a way of life that was completely new
That period offered a new lifestyle for us


And so we found that we had quite a lot to do
We had many obligations and activities to fulfill


The time passed slowly and each day was much the same
We experienced a slow passage of time where every day was similar


We ate and loved and slept and no-one was to blame
We indulged in eating, love, and rest without anyone to blame for any events happening at that time


For saying things better left unsaid
For mentioning things that are better kept quiet




Contributed by Nathaniel W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@TheHermit72

the feeling this song gives is something unique, what a great piece of art

@tammiealmany4691

Diego Morales TRUE

@hermanmelville8151

pure,crystal diamond,in a stormy afternoon in an english pub!

@TheHermit72

@@hermanmelville8151 Exactly! those are the perfect words for this song !

@jonsilence

@@hermanmelville8151: Exactly! Pure magic!

@geoff6942

Great visuals thank you. This was one of the iconic records I bought late 60s/early 70s.
A Visit to Newport Hospital had such a great sound, atmosphere, and storyline. I've never heard anything like it since.
It enabled me to 'go to another place', and still does.
No Rolling Stones or Beatles record did that for me.

@jonsilence

Thank you for the wonderful heartfelt memories about EGG's Polite Force album; you echo my sentiments exactly!

@fredericfournier5662

I love the opposition between doomy gloomy intro and the bright main part. Organ chords suite on the lyrics is one of the most beautiful thing I've ever heard and it's running in my head. As a lover of first Caravan era I'm stuck on this song. I will catch a nice "The polite force" LP one day from UK.

@jonsilence

Respect brother, agreed on all points!

@danpinzone8226

Only soft machine compares to this masterpiece

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