The band's onetime stated aim was to "expand the frontiers of contemporary popular music at the risk of becoming very unpopular," although this stance was to alter significantly with time. While never achieving the commercial heights of progressive rock contemporaries such as Jethro Tull, Genesis, Yes or Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Gentle Giant was considered to be one of the most experimental bands in the genre (as well as one of the most experimental rock bands of the 1970s).
Gentle Giant's music was considered complex even by progressive rock standards, drawing on a broad swathe of music including folk, soul, jazz, and classical music. Unlike many of their progressive rock contemporaries, their "classical" influences ranged beyond the Romantic and incorporated mediaeval, baroque, and modernist chamber music elements. The band also had a taste for broad themes for their lyrics, drawing inspiration not only from personal events but from philosophy and the works of both François Rabelais and R. D. Laing.
Band members:
Members of classic lineup listed in bold.
Derek Shulman - lead vocals, saxophone, recorder, keyboards, bass, drums, percussion, "Shulberry" (3-string custom electric ukulele) (1970-1980)
Ray Shulman - bass, trumpet, violin, vocals, viola, drums, percussion, recorder, guitar (1970-1980)
Kerry Minnear - keyboards, lead vocals (on recordings only), cello, vibraphone, xylophone, recorder, guitar, bass, drums (1970-1980)
Gary Green - guitar, mandolin, vocals, recorder, bass, drums, xylophone (1970-1980)
John Weathers - drums, percussion, vibraphone, xylophone, vocals, guitar (1972-1980)
Phil Shulman - lead vocals, saxophone, trumpet, clarinet, recorder, percussion (1970–72)
Martin Smith - drums, percussion (1970–1971)
Malcolm Mortimore - drums, percussion (1971–1972)
Words From the Wise
Gentle Giant Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Words from the wise, discourage too many people when things go wrong.
Words from the wise, encourage you, carries all your taking on,
Words from the wise, discourage too many people when things go wrong.
I have my doubts, as everyone. Little isle in a stormy sea.
Words from the wise, believe in you, All I do is believe in me.
Only darkness in the night, Turn the darkness into
Light the fire inside of yourself
I'm the one it's nobody else
Listen out. But remember always
Your the wise, The wise.
REPEAT
When it feels so hard to try, Just a weight, a chain, a lie,
Even though you need to fight, make the changes into
Light the fire inside of yourself
I'm the one it's nobody else
Listen out. But remember always
Your the wise, The wise.
REPEAT...
The song "Words From the Wise" by Gentle Giant is a call to self-belief and empowerment in difficult times. The lyrics encourage the listener to seek words of wisdom from those who believe in them and to ignore the discouragement of those who do not. The author acknowledges the doubts that everyone faces in challenging situations, but asserts that the key to success is to believe in oneself.
The lyrics also suggest that inner strength can be found by turning to oneself and lighting the fire of determination from within. The repetition of the phrase "I'm the one it's nobody else" underscores the importance of personal accountability and the idea that one's success or failure ultimately rests with oneself. The song ends with a powerful reminder that "your the wise" - the ultimate source of wisdom and strength comes from within.
Overall, the song serves as a powerful reminder that adversity can be overcome by turning inward and finding strength from within. By encouraging the listener to seek out positive influences and disregard negativity, the song offers a message of hope and self-belief that is universal and timeless.
Line by Line Meaning
Words from the wise, encourage you, carries all your taking on,
The advice given by wise people can be encouraging and give you the strength to handle whatever comes your way.
Words from the wise, discourage too many people when things go wrong.
Sometimes, wise words can be discouraging for people going through tough times, which can cause them to lose hope.
I have my doubts, as everyone. Little isle in a stormy sea.
Like every person, I have doubts and fears, and sometimes it feels like I'm struggling to stay afloat amidst difficult circumstances.
Words from the wise, believe in you, All I do is believe in me.
Wise people can inspire us to believe in ourselves, but ultimately it's up to each of us to cultivate that self-belief.
If the going looks to strong, And a little seems too long
When life feels overwhelming and never-ending, it can be tempting to give up hope.
Only darkness in the night, Turn the darkness into
Even when we feel like we're surrounded by darkness and negativity, we have the power to create something positive.
Light the fire inside of yourself
We each have an inner flame that can keep us going even during the darkest times.
I'm the one it's nobody else
Ultimately, we are responsible for our own lives and choices.
Listen out. But remember always
It's important to pay attention to the advice and wisdom of others, but we must also be mindful of our own needs and desires.
Your the wise, The wise.
In the end, we each have the capacity to be wise and make good choices for ourselves.
When it feels so hard to try, Just a weight, a chain, a lie,
Sometimes, it can feel like we're weighed down by our fears and doubts, and that our efforts are futile.
Even though you need to fight, make the changes into
Despite how difficult it may seem, it's important to keep fighting and making positive changes in our lives.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Derek Shulman, Kerry Minnear, Ray Shulman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind