Monkman was a student at Westminster School where he studied organ and harpsichord, later studying at the Royal College of Music, winning the Raymond Rusel prize for virtuosity on the harpsichord and becoming a member of the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. In the late 1960s he co-founded the rock band Curved Air, and in 1977 collaborated with Brian Eno in the project 801.
In the 1980s he resumed classical performances and recordings, plus, together with guitarist and composer John Williams, formed the classical/rock fusion band Sky.
During his time with Sky, Monkman continued to release solo recordings which mingled original composition with film and television soundtracks and library music. His 1978 album Energism included the electronic "Achievements of Man", from which extracts were used as the theme to the BBC programme Think Again. He composed the piece "Current Affairs", used by Channel 4 as the introduction to Engineering Announcements, provided by the IBA. He also became known as a synthesizer demonstrator on programs like the BBC's Tomorrow's World.
In 1980, Monkman's soundtrack to the British film "The Long Good Friday" was so successful that he opted to amicably leave Sky in order to concentrate on television and soundtrack work. At around the same time, he resumed performances of classical harpsichord music.
In 1981, Monkman released an art/progressive rock album called "Dweller on the Threshold". This was the first album on which he had sung lead vocals; it also featured Camel's Andy Latimer (guitar) and former Whitesnake drummer Dave Dowle, as well as singers Graham Laydon and Julia Rathbone.
After a twenty-year break, Monkman started to release further albums at the start of the twenty-first century, beginning with 2001's "21st Century Blues".
Taken
Francis Monkman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Falling to a hole inside myself
I can't remember hardly anything
But I remember holding your hand
And winter colors all but fade away
The sun seems motion to take the sky
You used to keep me warm within your purity
But now I'm lost in an empty space
Reeling
A broken soul
This lie that I'm forced to live in
Taken
Now that you've been ripped from me
My memory is a fog too thick to see
I must have sold your thoughts to stop the pain
And while it always rains inside of me
My love for you will never ever let you die
Reeling
This broken soul
This lie that I'm forced to live in
Taken
Now that you've been ripped from me
Can't you see?
Can't you see?
I'm not me
I can't let go
Your softness touched me
Without your touch
I weaken like a flower burned
If this is gone
I promise you anything β miss me
So I could hold you in my arms forever
Reeling
This broken soul
This lie that I'm forced to live in
Taken
Now that you've been ripped from me
The lyrics of Francis Monkman's song "Taken" portray the pain and loneliness of someone who has lost their loved one. The opening lines show that the singer has always experienced this emptiness inside them and is unable to recall much from the past, except for the memories of holding their loved one's hand. Throughout the song, the imagery used is quite vivid, as it describes the fading of winter colors and the sun's motion to take the sky, further emphasizing the singer's sense of a lack of control over their life.
As the song progresses, the singer admits to blocking out memories of their loved one as a way to cope with the pain. Despite this, the memory of their love and the pain of their absence still persists, and the singer longs for their touch, which they describe as their softness. The repetition of the phrase "this broken soul, this lie that I'm forced to live in, taken now that you've been ripped from me" emphasizes the overwhelming sorrow and sense of loss that the singer feels and conveys a feeling of hopelessness.
Overall, the lyrics of "Taken" provide an emotive portrayal of loss and the pain of missing someone dearly. The use of imagery and repetition effectively conveys the sense of grief that the singer experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
This has always been the way it has been
I have always struggled with feeling lost and empty
Falling to a hole inside myself
Feeling consumed by darkness and negativity
I can't remember hardly anything
My mind is clouded with pain and confusion
But I remember holding your hand
The only vivid memory I have is the feeling of comfort you brought me
And winter colors all but fade away
The world feels bleak without you by my side
The sun seems motion to take the sky
Everything around me feels pointless and insignificant
You used to keep me warm within your purity
You were a source of light and goodness in my life
But now I'm lost in an empty space
Without you, I feel completely alone and adrift
Reeling
Overwhelmed by pain and grief
A broken soul
My spirit is shattered by your absence
This lie that I'm forced to live in
My existence feels like a cruel joke
Taken
You were taken from me too soon
My memory is a fog too thick to see
My thoughts are jumbled and unclear
I must have sold your thoughts to stop the pain
I have tried to push my memories of you aside to avoid feeling the sadness
And while it always rains inside of me
My heart is heavy with sorrow even on good days
My love for you will never ever let you die
You will always hold a special place in my heart
Can't you see?
I'm struggling and need help
I'm not me
I feel like I have lost my identity without you
I can't let go
I am not ready to move on
Your softness touched me
You had a gentle and nurturing presence
Without your touch
I feel cold and empty
I weaken like a flower burned
The pain of your absence feels like a searing fire
If this is gone
If you are really gone forever
I promise you anything β miss me
I will do anything to keep your memory alive and honor what we had
So I could hold you in my arms forever
I wish I could have one more moment with you
Lyrics Β© BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BENJAMIN M CARROLL, DANIEL TICOTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
M
As a prog rock fan, I've never come across Francis Monkman nor his music. Glad to have heard the song at an Arctic Monkeys concert the other night, thanks Al!
Saffron Satiety
Here because of the introoo
ManilvaRS
exactly why im here too hahaha
Stephen
One of the all time great movie themes.....a true classic of it`s time...and even after all this time very very very cool.
Roberto Ignacio Frères Henriquez
Did anyone else come here for Arctic Monkeys?
A
Me
sousahksksks
@A Me too π
Elena S
Meee
Ivan Mrtav Ladan
yes
HΓ©lio Dias
Aparently muse was here too, by 2008/2009