Dominó
Genesis Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

The grey of evening fills the room
There's no need to look outside
To see or feel the rain
And I reach across to touch her
But I know that she's not there
Rain keeps running down the window pane
Time is running out for me
Can't you see what you are doing to me?
Can't you see what you have done?
As I try to pass another long and sleepless night
A hundred crazy voices call my name
As I try to pass them by
I almost can believe that she is here
In the glow of the night

Do you know what you have done?
Do you know what you've begun?
Do you see we shall never be together again?
All of my life

For the fonely people, empty rooms
And all the pointless violence, silent tombs
Could it be that we shall be together again?

Sheets of double glazing help to keep outside the night
Only foreign city sirens can cut through
Nylon sheets and blankets help to minimize the cold
But they can't keep out the chilling sounds
Will the nightmare soon give way to dreaming
That she is here with me?
Here in the glow of the night

Do you know what you have done?
Do you know what you've begun?
Do you see we shall never be together again?
All of my life
For the lonely people, empty rooms
And all the pointless violence, silent tombs
Could it be that we shall be together again?
Could it be that we shall be together again?

In silence and darkness
We held each other near that night
We prayed it would last forever

Blood on the windows
Millions of ordinary people are there
They gaze at the scenery
They act as if it is perfectly clear
Take a look at the mountains
Take a look at the beautiful river of blood

The liquid surrounds me
I fight to rise from this river of hell
I stare round about me
Children are swimming and playing with boats
Their features are changing
Their bodies dissolve and I am alone

Now see what you've gone and done
Now see what you've gone and done

Well now you never did see such a terrible thing
As was seen last night on TV
Maybe if we're lucky, they will show it again
Such a terrible thing to see
But there's nothing you can do when you're the next in line
You've got to go domino

Now I'm one with the living and I'm feeling just fine
I know just what I got do
Play the game of happiness and never let on
That it only lives on in a song oh
There's nothing you can do when you're the next in line
You've got to go domino

Do you know what you have done?
Do you know what you've begun?

In silence and darkness
Hold each other near tonight
For will it last forever
Will it last forever?
Forever

There's nothing you can do when you're the next in line
You've got to go domino

Do you know
Do you know
Do you know what you have done?
Do you see what you've begun?
'Cause there's nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing




There's nothing you can do There's nothing you can do
Do you see, do you see what you've done?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Genesis's song "Domino" are about a man who is feeling lonely and missing a woman who is no longer with him. He is trying to pass another sleepless night with hundreds of voices calling his name, but he almost believes that she is there with him. He questions if she knows what she has done and if she knows they will never be together again. The song continues with the man describing his surroundings, such as the rain running down the window pane and the chilling sounds he hears. He then shifts to a section about blood on the windows and everyday people looking at the scenery, followed by a television broadcast of a terrible event. Finally, the song comes full circle with the line "there's nothing you can do when you're the next in line, you've got to go domino."


The song's overall message is about the inevitability of life's events and how one must continue to move forward, even when faced with difficult situations. This is highlighted by the repetition of the line "there's nothing you can do." The use of vivid imagery, such as the rain on the window and the river of blood, allows the listener to fully immerse themselves in the emotions and experiences of the singer.


Line by Line Meaning

The grey of evening fills the room
The darkness and gloom have taken over the room


There's no need to look outside
It's clear that it's raining without having to check outside


To see or feel the rain
The rain can be sensed without seeing it


And I reach across to touch her
The persona wants to feel the presence of their lover beside them


But I know that she's not there
Realisation hits that their lover is absent


Rain keeps running down the window pane
The rain continues to streak down the window glass


Time is running out for me
The persona is running out of time to be with their lover


Can't you see what you are doing to me?
The persona is asking their lover if they realise the impact of their actions


Can't you see what you have done?
The persona is questioning their lover's understanding of the aftermath of their actions


As I try to pass another long and sleepless night
The persona is struggling to get through a sleepless night


A hundred crazy voices call my name
The persona is disoriented and hearing things


As I try to pass them by
The persona tries to ignore the voices


I almost can believe that she is here
The persona is so consumed that they begin to imagine their lover is present


In the glow of the night
In the dim light of the night


Do you know what you have done?
The persona questions their lover again about the consequences of their actions


Do you know what you've begun?
The persona questions their lover about the new situation they're in


Do you see we shall never be together again?
The persona realizes they might not be with their lover again


All of my life
This situation will define the rest of the persona's life


For the lonely people, empty rooms
This life is for those who are left alone in empty rooms


And all the pointless violence, silent tombs
All the suffering and pain are for nothing but a silent grave


Could it be that we shall be together again?
The persona questions the possibility of being reunited with their lover


Sheets of double glazing help to keep outside the night
The windows help keep out the noises of the night


Only foreign city sirens can cut through
The distant sirens are the only sounds that can be heard


Nylon sheets and blankets help to minimize the cold
The sheets and blankets provide warmth


But they can't keep out the chilling sounds
The covers cannot block out certain noises


Will the nightmare soon give way to dreaming
The persona wants to wake up from the nightmare and start dreaming about their lover


That she is here with me?
The persona wants their lover to be with them in their dreams


Will it last forever?
The persona is questioning the longevity of their current situation


Blood on the windows
There is violence happening outside


Millions of ordinary people are there
Regular people are witnessing the violence


They gaze at the scenery
The people watch as the violence unfolds


They act as if it is perfectly clear
They are unfazed by the violence and act like it's normal


Take a look at the mountains
The persona is pleading for people to look at the beautiful nature around them


Take a look at the beautiful river of blood
The persona is shocked at how people can ignore the violent reality


The liquid surrounds me
The persona is surrounded by blood


I fight to rise from this river of hell
The persona is trying to escape the violent reality


I stare round about me
The persona looks around in shock and horror


Children are swimming and playing with boats
Even children are playing in the bloody scenery


Their features are changing
The children's faces are becoming twisted and uncomfortable to look at


Their bodies dissolve and I am alone
The children disappear and the persona is left alone in the violent and bloody environment


Well now you never did see such a terrible thing
The persona is describing a shocking scene they witnessed on TV


As was seen last night on TV
The scene was broadcast the previous night on TV


Maybe if we're lucky, they will show it again
The persona is questioning the morality of broadcasting violent scenes


But there's nothing you can do when you're the next in line
There's no escaping the reality of violence and death


Now I'm one with the living and I'm feeling just fine
The persona is alive and well, but struggling to cope with the violent reality


I know just what I got to do
The persona knows they need to make the best of what they have


Play the game of happiness and never let on
The persona wants to hide their true feelings and pretend to be happy


That it only lives on in a song oh
The happiness only exists in the song and not in reality


There's nothing you can do when you're the next in line
There's no escaping fate or the reality of one's situation


Do you know what you have done?
Again, the persona questions their lover's actions


Do you see what you've begun?
The persona is asking their lover to acknowledge the new situation they're in


Forever
The persona is questioning the possibility of being with their lover forever, considering their current situation




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: MICHAEL RUTHERFORD, PHIL COLLINS, TONY BANKS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Rogerio Nuno Correia


on Ripples…

dont u think it as got to do with Peter Gabriel getting out of the Band? im 56.... just a thought...

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