123
Julian Nagano Lyrics
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On a simple line, day by day
The earth spins on its axis
One man struggle while another relaxes
There's a hole in my soul like a cavity
Seems the world is out to gather just by gravity
The wheel keeps turning, the sky's rearranging
I'd like to feel that you could be free
Look up at the blue skies beneath a new tree
Sometime again, you'll turn green, and the sea turns red
My son, I said, the power of reflections over my head
The big wheel keeps on turning
On a simple line, day by day
The earth spins on its axis
One man struggle while another relaxes
We sang about the sun and danced among the trees
And we listened to the whisper of the city on the breeze
Will you cry in the most in a lead-free zone
Down within the shadows where the factories drone
On the surface of the wheel they build another town
And so the green come tumbling down
Yes, close your eyes and hold me tight
And I'll show you sunset sometime again
The big wheel keeps on turning
On a simple line, day by day
The earth spins on its axis
One man struggle while another relaxes
As a child solemn pray, my hope hides in disguise
While satellites and cameras watch from the skies
An acid drop of rain recycled from the sea
It washed away my shadow, burnt a hole in me
And all the king's men cannot put it back again
But the ghetto sun will nurture life
And mend my soul sometime again
The big wheel keeps on turning
On a simple line, day by day
The earth spins on its axis
One man struggle while another relaxes
Julian Nagano's song "123" uses the metaphorical image of a big wheel to describe the constant movement and change in the world. The first two lines of the song set up this metaphor, with the big wheel representing the unstoppable force of time itself. As the chorus repeats throughout the song, it becomes clear that the turning of the wheel is not always equal for everyone - while some people seem to have an easy ride, others struggle to keep up. This is particularly highlighted in the line "One man struggle while another relaxes." This suggests a societal struggle between the privileged and the oppressed, where some people have advantages while others are left to fight for their place in the world.
The lyrics also touch on environmental themes, suggesting that the earth is constantly changing and being affected by human activity. The line "The wheel keeps turning, the sky's rearranging" could refer to climate change causing drastic changes in weather patterns. The lyrics also suggest that society is to blame for environmental destruction, with references to the "factories drone" and the "green come tumbling down."
Line by Line Meaning
The big wheel keeps on turning
The world keeps moving and changing, despite our efforts to control it
On a simple line, day by day
Every day is similar to the last, and we follow a routine
The earth spins on its axis
The world revolves around its own center, constantly in motion
One man struggle while another relaxes
Some people have to work hard just to survive, while others enjoy their wealth and leisure time
There's a hole in my soul like a cavity
I feel empty and incomplete, like something vital is missing
Seems the world is out to gather just by gravity
It seems like everyone is just trying to accumulate material possessions, like they're being pulled in by a force they can't resist
The wheel keeps turning, the sky's rearranging
Time keeps moving forward, and everything around us is constantly changing
Look, my son, the weather is changing
I'm pointing out the natural cycles and patterns in the world to my child
I'd like to feel that you could be free
I want my child to live a life free from the constraints and pressures of society
Look up at the blue skies beneath a new tree
I'm encouraging my child to appreciate the beauty of nature
Sometime again, you'll turn green, and the sea turns red
The world is full of surprises and changes, some of which can be unsettling
My son, I said, the power of reflections over my head
I'm thinking about the impact of my own experiences and perspectives on my child
We sang about the sun and danced among the trees
I have happy memories of enjoying nature with my child
And we listened to the whisper of the city on the breeze
We've also experienced the noise and chaos of the urban environment
Will you cry in the most in a lead-free zone
I'm concerned about the environmental and health risks of modern life
Down within the shadows where the factories drone
Industrialization has created many challenges and problems that we have to deal with
On the surface of the wheel they build another town
Despite these challenges, people continue to build and expand their communities
And so the green come tumbling down
However, this growth often comes at the expense of natural habitats and ecosystems
Yes, close your eyes and hold me tight
I want my child to feel safe and loved despite the difficulties of the world
And I'll show you sunset sometime again
I want to share more moments of natural beauty with my child
As a child solemn pray, my hope hides in disguise
As a child, I used to pray for a better world, but I've become more cynical over time
While satellites and cameras watch from the skies
We live in a world where surveillance technology is ubiquitous, and we can feel like our privacy is being invaded
An acid drop of rain recycled from the sea
Even nature itself seems to have turned against us, with pollution and climate change affecting the quality of the air and water
It washed away my shadow, burnt a hole in me
These problems have taken a personal toll on me, affecting my sense of self and well-being
And all the king's men cannot put it back again
The problems facing us are too complex and multi-faceted for any one solution to fix them all
But the ghetto sun will nurture life
Hope can still be found in unexpected places, like the sun in a rough urban environment
And mend my soul sometime again
I hope to find healing and renewal for myself and my community, even in the face of great adversity
Contributed by Grayson W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jacob Bump
Oh My Word!!!! Everyone on stage is together!!!! It is literally the most wonderful thing to see everyone singing/playing normally like this. Though everyone is masked in the audience, it just makes me so happy to see the orchestra and chorus singing together properly. And such a marvelous performance!! Thank you so much!
Michael Doyle
The mezzo soprano is very good.
That critical, mysterious transition at 1:09:30 and following, into the final section of the Mass is beautifully done. Only Bach's closing of his Mass in B Minor moves me as much as this.
Tristan Wagner
what ? this mezzo doesn't have any free sound, no squillo at all and an artificial color . please ! 😅
Leonardo
32:25 Beethoven wrote the 'Et In Carnatus est' which is the most beautiful piece ever written in the history of music. Just hearing the interweaving of the soloists' voices with the flute makes it sublime. I believe it is one of the greatest musical expressions of all time.
Edward kwakye
don't know what else to say; have listened to this on my CD numerous times and kinda of know all the nitty-gritty of it all. This felt like I had turned on my CD player all over again.
GREAT JOB!
Prabhudhas Ivanson
Superlative performance. Made me fully appreciate this great masterpiece for the first time.
Agathe Maman
Toujours aussi emouvant.John Elliot Gardiner sublime cet œuvre. Je le connais surtout sur des œuvres baroques. Super! Très beau!
Leonardo
17:10 The tenor is awesome ! He plays perfectly his voice color between high and low tones !
Karen Silver
Magnificent performance of a work of transcendent beauty. God would approve, I think.
Neus Barrera
Sir John Elliot Gardiner is one of my favourite conductors, in January 2020, a month before the Covid19 made our lives a nightmare, I attended four amazing performances of Beethoven nine symphonies conductet by Gardiner. It was simply wonderful, the fact that original instruments were used made me feel much closer to Beethoven!!