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
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On Ultimate Things
Kirsty Hawkshaw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Contradiction holds on tightly
He won't give the facts away
Like the brightest shooting star
Can't give the dark the light of day
Situation decides
It won't always hold you tightly
Situation decides
Is beyond your reach
My love
As a child has no plans to grow
Foolish forecasts self indulgence
No future only fairground rides
Fear of pain desire for pleasure
Situation decides
It won't always hold you tightly
Situation decides
You always seem to drive me
Back inside myself
Our dreams
Should not be shared
Fantasies are only temporary
The facts never clash
It surrounds me
Like loves subtle protection
But I can still hear
The war next door
Back inside myself
In Kirsty Hawkshaw's song "On Ultimate Things," the lyrics explore the concept of dreams and how they are often unshareable. A dream is often a personal experience that only the dreamer can truly understand. Contradiction is also a recurring theme in the lyrics. The singer mentions how it holds on tightly and how "situation decides" what happens. This suggests that there are forces beyond our control that determine our fate, and that sometimes we need to accept these contradictions in order to move forward.
The singer also addresses the idea of growth and how it is not always planned. They compare themselves to a child who has no plans to grow, and that foolish forecasts and self-indulgence can prevent growth. The fear of pain and desire for pleasure can also overshadow growth. The chorus repeats the line "situation decides" and emphasizes that it won't always hold you tightly. The singer urges the listener to still their mind but acknowledges that it may be beyond their reach. The song ends with the line "back inside myself," suggesting that despite everything, we are ultimately alone in our experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
A dream cannot be shared
I cannot expect someone else to understand my dreams, aspirations or my personal desires.
Contradiction holds on tightly
There are opposing forces that may prevent me from achieving or expressing myself as I want.
He won't give the facts away
I cannot force someone to disclose information that they don't want to share with me.
Like the brightest shooting star
There are things that may shine brightly for a moment but then disappear just as quickly.
Can't give the dark the light of day
Sometimes, no matter how much we want to understand something or someone, we are unable to do so.
Situation decides
The circumstances surrounding a situation may be the determining factor in its outcome.
It won't always hold you tightly
The aforementioned circumstances may not always be a constant factor in a situation.
Still your mind
It's important to take a moment to quiet your thoughts and focus on the present moment.
Is beyond your reach
There may be things that are simply out of my control or ability to comprehend.
My love
A term of endearment directed towards someone the singer cares for.
As a child has no plans to grow
Just as a child may not have a concrete idea of their future, neither may an adult in certain aspects of their life.
Foolish forecasts self indulgence
It's unwise to make predictions about the future without sound knowledge or insight.
No future only fairground rides
Without a plan or direction, life may feel directionless or whimsical.
Fear of pain desire for pleasure
We may be driven by the desire for pleasure or the need to avoid pain.
You always seem to drive me
The actions or behaviors of someone else may lead me to certain outcomes or feelings.
Back inside myself
I may retreat into my own thoughts or emotions as a result of external circumstances or influences.
Our dreams
Referring to the dreams and aspirations that the singer has in common with someone else.
Should not be shared
It's not always wise or necessary to share one's dreams or aspirations with others.
Fantasies are only temporary
As appealing as fantasies may be, they are not a permanent reality.
The facts never clash
Facts and reality do not oppose each other, they exist independently.
It surrounds me
An abstract idea or feeling is enveloping the singer.
Like loves subtle protection
The aforementioned idea or feeling is comforting or protective in nature.
But I can still hear
Despite the comforting feeling, the singer is still aware of the harsh or unwelcome things surrounding them.
The war next door
Referring to a conflict, either literal or figurative, that is occurring outside the singer's sphere of influence.
Back inside myself
Returning to one's inward thoughts or feelings as a coping mechanism or as a result of external factors.
Lyrics © SENTRIC MUSIC
Written by: KIRSTY HAWKSHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Westley Nash
This really is beautiful ♥️ So emotive and expressive.
jommoner
I can’t believe I am the 966th viewer, and am subscribing when there are only 1.9k subscribers. This song is beautiful, as is the whole album it comes from (On Ultimate Things / O.U.T / O<U>T). I have introduced several people here in NZ to this album and Kirsty’s other work. I have this album on original CD also :) her work with BT, and also on the album ‘Nommo’ by Slovo is awesome - check it out (as well as her earlier work such as with Opus)
Kirsty Hawkshaw
thank you for supporting and subscribing :). I tend to just take things in my stride, i'm old school like that but every little view helps to keep things going so thank you for that nice message :)
Hamishtarah
An ecstatic piece of musical poestry <3
Kirsty Hawkshaw
A dream cannot be shared
Contradiction holds on tightly
He won’t give the facts away
Like the brightest shooting star
Can’t give the dark the light of day
Situation decides
It won’t always hold you tightly
Situation decides
Still your mind
It’s beyond your mind
James G.
Beautiful.
Stephen Hughes
Shared! - I always seem to be drawn to very calm tunes! (I think it's because I lived in Manchester for too long, and not long enough in Cornwall)!