A joint venture between Jon Anderson, best known as the lead singer for Yes… Read Full Bio ↴A joint venture between Jon Anderson, best known as the lead singer for Yes, and Vangelis.

They formed in 1979 after Vangelis had been rumoured to replace Rick Wakeman in Yes a few years before. Anderson had contributed to Vangelis' albums "Heaven and Hell", "See You Later" and "Opera Sauvage".

They released a total of four albums with Anderson writing the lyrics and Vangelis composing the music: "Short Stories" in 1980, "The Friends of Mr. Cairo" in 1981, "Private Collection" in 1983, and "Page of Life" in 1991, which got re-released in 1998 with some additional tracks of which Vangelis reportedly did not approve. There are also two compilations, called "The Best of Jon & Vangelis" (1984) and "Chronicles" (1994)

Say what you will
Jon & Vangelis Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

When the water finds an opening
And the stone starts to crack
When you lose your foundation
And the room goes black

When the wind knocks you over
And the rain shuts your eyes
What will you hold onto

When the waters rise

When it feels like your fortune
Is slipping through your hands
There's a hole in your pocket
And a change in your plans

'Cause you don't have the money
And you can't buy luck
What will you hold onto
When the well dries up

When the world's wars are raging
And the bombs start to fall

What will you hold onto
At the end of it all

Overall Meaning

These poignant lyrics from Jon & Vangelis's song "Say what you will" delve into themes of resilience and inner strength in the face of adversity. The imagery of water finding an opening and the stone starting to crack symbolizes vulnerability and instability in one's foundation. The mention of losing one's foundation and the room going black conveys a sense of being lost and disoriented when faced with challenges that shake your core beliefs.

The verse about the wind knocking you over and the rain shutting your eyes paints a picture of being overwhelmed and blinded by external forces. In these moments of chaos and uncertainty, the question "What will you hold onto when the waters rise" prompts introspection about what truly matters and sustains us during tumultuous times.

The lyrics touch upon the feeling of losing control over one's fortune and the sense of powerlessness that comes with it. The imagery of a hole in your pocket and a change in your plans conveys a sense of unpredictability and the harsh reality of life's unexpected twists and turns. The lines highlight the struggle of clinging onto stability when facing financial difficulties and unforeseen obstacles.

Referencing the world's wars raging and bombs falling evokes a sense of the world in turmoil and widespread destruction. This apocalyptic imagery raises the question of what remains steadfast and unchanging in the face of such catastrophic events. The refrain "What will you hold onto at the end of it all" prompts contemplation on the enduring values and beliefs that provide solace and hope amidst the chaos and devastation of war.

Line by Line Meaning

When the water finds an opening
When unexpected challenges arise

And the stone starts to crack
And things start to fall apart

When you lose your foundation
When you feel lost and unstable

And the room goes black
And everything seems hopeless

When the wind knocks you over
When obstacles knock you down

And the rain shuts your eyes
And challenges cloud your vision

What will you hold onto
What will you cling to for strength

When the waters rise
When difficulties become overwhelming

When it feels like your fortune
When it seems like luck is not on your side

Is slipping through your hands
Is slipping away from you

There's a hole in your pocket
There's a leak in your resources