John Payne, Guthrie Govan, Jay Schellen and Ryo Okumoto. All four men have left their mark indelibly stamped on the music world. John Payne joined venerable rock legends ASIA back in 1991 after John Wetton’s final departure. Over the next 15 years, John would lead Asia through some of their most critically and fan acclaimed works. All this culminated with the highly successful “Silent Nation” album in 2004 and the subsequent world tour. “Silent Nation” was the most successful Asia release since the bands heady career highs of the early 1980s.
Guthrie Govan has been a prodigy on the strings since he was a small boy. He is one of the most respected musicians in guitar circles today. He joined Asia in 2001 during the recording sessions for their “Aura” album. His distinctive style has left his signature on the tracks from Asia’s “Aura” and “Silent Nation” releases. Guthrie’s string wizardry has thrilled fans across the world as he lent his talents to Asia classics old and new to hungry audiences everywhere.
Jay Schellen first burst onto the scene in the early 80s, lending his considerable talents to such notable bands as Hurricane, Bad Finger and most recently Asia. He also was a major part of the “Conspiracy” project head up by Chris Squire (Yes) and Billy Sherwood (Yes). Jay has also lent his skills to a formidable list of projects that have shown his incredible diversity and adaptability in the drumming field. John Payne first met Jay during the writing sessions for Asia’s “Silent Nation” album. From the first demos, it was clear that Jay was a force to be reckoned with. And in 2005 when the Asia drum throne became vacant, John’s first call was to Jay. His dynamic playing took the second half of the Asia world tour and elevated it to the next level.
Ryo Okumoto’s resume reads like a who’s who of the music world. Besides his ever present role as keyboardist in prog rock favorites, Spock’s Beard, Ryo has lent his considerable talents to many recording and live projects. Rock legends like Phil Collins, Eric Clapton, Robbie Robertson, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson and many, many more have called on Ryo’s magic fingers. His distinctive style was a welcome addition to the GPS sound.
With all the pieces in place, these four power houses of musical talent joined forces under the banner GPS. With the music firmly rooted in the prog sensibilities that defined many of their individual projects, GPS has taken all of their contributions and raised the bar. From the invigorating guitar solos contributed by Guthrie to the rock steady beats brought to bear by Jay, the music marks a new era for all of these talented musicians. John Payne’s vocals have never sounded better and Ryo’s keyboards somehow tie the whole thing into the potent musical brew that is GPS. Welcome to the future.
Written On The Wind
Gps Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
On a ship of fools
When you gave us friendship
Next we gave you rules
Yes we gave you rules
It's written on the wind
You must let me in
You must let us in
Then to the west we traveled
Till we met the sea
And this land was golden
Gold for you and me
Gold for you and me
It's written on the wind
Let the rush begin
It's written on the wind
Big sky closing in
Won't you listen to the wind
And we gave you rules
Yes we gave you rules
'Cos it's written on the wind
You must let us in
It's written on the wind
Someday were gonna turn to dust again
Wind
In "Written On The Wind," GPS captures the complicated nature of human relationships and the balance between freedom and rules. The opening lyrics suggest that the singer sees themselves as a "wise man," but that they are surrounded by foolish or misguided individuals on "a ship of fools." However, the situation changes when "you gave us friendship" - it's unclear who is being addressed here, but it's possible that a specific person or group extended a hand of friendship which the singer accepted. In response, "we gave you rules." This could indicate that the singer or their community was trying to exert control over the relationship, or that they were attempting to set boundaries in order to protect themselves or their interests. The repetition of the line "yes we gave you rules" adds emphasis to this point.
The chorus contains the titular phrase, "It's written on the wind / You must let me in" which suggests that there is something important that needs to be acknowledged and addressed in the relationship. The second verse adds some geographic imagery, describing a journey to the west until reaching the sea and finding "gold for you and me." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for discovering something valuable or precious in the relationship. However, the second chorus adds a sense of urgency, with the line "let the rush begin / big sky closing in" indicating that time may be running out for the relationship.
Overall, "Written On The Wind" is an evocative and introspective song that highlights the difficulties of navigating relationships and the balance between freedom and control. The lyrics suggest that sometimes it's important to let go of rules and allow relationships to evolve naturally, while also acknowledging that boundaries may be necessary to protect oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought I was a wise man
I believed that I possessed wisdom.
On a ship of fools
I was amidst people who were foolish like a ship that lacks a crew or has an ignorant one.
When you gave us friendship
When you welcomed us with friendly feelings.
Next we gave you rules
In return, we laid down certain regulations for you to follow.
Yes we gave you rules
Indeed, we set down some guidelines for you.
It's written on the wind
The message is present all around us, but one must be attentive to perceive it.
You must let me in
Grant me access to your inner circle or mind.
You must let us in
Allow us to enter your world and share our thoughts with you.
Then to the west we traveled
We journeyed towards the west, towards the setting sun.
Till we met the sea
Until we reached the point where the land ended and the vast ocean began.
And this land was golden
The land was rich and abundant with resources and opportunities.
Gold for you and me
This wealth was available to all of us, as we were equals.
Let the rush begin
Let us hurry and seize these opportunities before they slip away.
Big sky closing in
The vast expanse of the sky appears to be getting smaller and closing in on us, which is an ominous sign.
Won't you listen to the wind
Are you not aware of the whispers of the wind, which carries messages from the universe?
'Cos it's written on the wind
Because the message is embedded in the fabric of nature and cannot be ignored or erased.
Someday were gonna turn to dust again
Our time on this earth is limited, and one day we will all return to the dust from which we were created.
Contributed by Christopher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.