Hawkshaw was born in London, England in 1969 and is the daughter of British Disco producer Alan Hawkshaw (of Love De-Luxe with Hawkshaw's Discophonia fame; they had a #1 disco hit on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1979 with "Here Comes That Sound Again". He later went on to compose the famous theme music for the British television game show Countdown). It was through her father and her love for dance music that would inspire Kirsty to pursue a career in music.
At a rave event in 1991 she was noticed by producers Ian Munro, Kevin Dobbs and Nigel Walton, who at the time were known as A.S.K. It was through this meeting that they would form a Dance act called Opus III. Their first single, "It's A Fine Day" from their debut album Mind Fruit was an international smash and hit #1 on Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in 1992. They also had another US #1 hit on the Dance chart in 1994 with "When You Made The Mountain" from their second and last album Guru Mother.
After the group broke up in 1994, Hawkshaw pursued a solo career and since then has been in demand by other acts in the Dance, House, Eurodance, Trance, and Electronica community, ranging from DJ Tiesto to Delerium.
Kirsty recorded an ambient, ethereal album, Enlightenment, which was never released.
On October 10, 2005 she released Meta-Message, a collection of older and newer songs after a growing interest in her out-of print O.U.T..
Official Kirsty Hawkshaw Podcast - Liner Notes Oct 2007
www.kirstyhawkshawpodcast.com
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Mercury
Kirsty Hawkshaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Do you scare yourself
I know you're not a saint yet
Neither am I
I guess that time put out the flame
Now I don't ever know
The meaning of my name
How can it be over
How can it be over
It hasn't begun
You're free to go now
Be alone in the flesh
And I won't think of you
I'll try to see myself
Should I stare into the lake
Free like mercury
The past we must forsake
How can it be over
When it hadn't begun
How can it be over
It hasn't begun
I write this song for you
As a contract for the love
And what was true or not
Won't compare to the above
I'll try and hold my head
Should I fall into the sea
Free like mercury
If only I could be
Over what hadn't begun
How can it be over
It hasn't even begun
The song "Mercury" by Kirsty Hawkshaw appears to be a reflection on a failed relationship. The first stanza highlights a sense of confusion and inadequacy within the singer as they question whether or not they have failed their partner, and simultaneously reflect on how they too are not perfect. The line "I guess that time put out the flame" suggests that the relationship may have once been strong, but over time it crumbled.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the question "how can it be over when it hadn't begun?" This line expresses the singer's sense of confusion and disbelief that the relationship has ended before given a chance to flourish. The second verse is a response to this confusing reality, indicating that the singer is attempting to move on and free themselves from the hurt that the relationship has caused. The lines "Should I stare into the lake / Free like mercury / The past we must forsake" suggest a desire to let go of what has happened and move forward.
The final verse is an acknowledgement of the reality of the situation, and a plea to move on. The singer writes the song as a "contract for the love," expressing that whatever was true or not doesn't matter because it wasn't enough to save the relationship. The final lines of the song express a sense of liberation, where the singer wants to be as free as mercury, and is ready to let go of something that they know never truly began.
Line by Line Meaning
Do I fail you
Am I disappointing you?
Do you scare yourself
Are you frightened by your own feelings?
I know you're not a saint yet
I understand that you are not perfect
Neither am I
And neither am I
I guess that time put out the flame
Maybe time has caused our love to weaken
Now I don't ever know
I don't have any idea
The meaning of my name
What my identity represents
How can it be over
Is it possible that it's finished?
When it hadn't begun
When it hasn't even started?
You're free to go now
You're allowed to leave now
Be alone in the flesh
Live a solitary life in the physical realm
And I won't think of you
And I won't ponder about you
I'll try to see myself
I'll attempt to understand myself
Should I stare into the lake
If I gaze into a body of water
Free like mercury
Unfettered and fluid like the element mercury
The past we must forsake
We must abandon our previous experiences
I write this song for you
I'm composing this song for you
As a contract for the love
As a confirmation of our love
And what was true or not
And what was real or imagined
Won't compare to the above
Cannot compare to the love we have
I'll try and hold my head
I'll strive to keep my composure
Should I fall into the sea
If I happen to plunge into the ocean
Free like mercury
As carefree and adaptable as mercury
If only I could be
If only I could attain that state
Over what hadn't begun
Done with something that never even started
How can it be over
Can it really be finished?
It hasn't even begun
It hasn't started yet
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KIRSTY HAWKSHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
blancotirador
Maravilla de voz, sorprendente, que paz transmite, es una voz de un Angel. Yo la acabo de descubrir por casualidad y es que no paro de escuchar todo los temas que encuentro en la red, Ojala llegue a conocerte mas gente.
Broken Ninja
First time I've heard this, and it wont be the last..
I can relate to it more than I should be able to..
Kirsty's voice never lets me down.. :)
Matthew Opdyke
This tune... is one of my 43-year-old favorites. Just before 1999 took place, this did. A friend in Kirsty Hawkshaw (Kirsty Wao Wright)... a wonderful human being, wrote this in her darker days, yet still embraced beauty...
chubbydebu
It's in my top 5 best songs of all times... It's absolutly amazing... Kirsty's voice + amazing reverb of the piano = perfection !!!
Randy Colby
BEAUTIFUL!
tzgx
One of the best songs from "O.U.T.". Should really be better known...
lxworld
Stunning
VV TT
I remember finding this song in a FUTURE MUSIC magazine Bonus CD. Since then it was my precious CD -)
chubbydebu
As a huge fan and collector about Kirsty stuffs, i remember i've bought the cd, you talk about, on ebay few years ago :)
nitelite78
This is where I know it from. Sticks in my mind and sometimes I find it for another listen.