It's not strange for a group of friends after some drinks, to start creating bands, but these guys went further, they designed a fancy logo in the beer coasters, and soon went to rehearse, but they discovered that the courage given by alcohol to form a band is not enough to make it work.
After seven years Bert Heinen (one of the pub guys) had gathered enough material to release an album and he started to send some demos to different magazines and after a good response from Background Magazine and his lead to a contract with LabraD'Or records in 1997.
In 1998 with Bert in the Guitars, Keyboard and vocals plus Marien in drums and additional keyboards, "LIKE WENDY" releases "The Storm Inside" with a very melodic approach to MARILLION, PENDRAGON, PALLAS AND IQ. The albums consisting of the demo tracks plus two new songs, was quite simple but pretty effective and received favorable comments of the critics.
The next year, the duet releases "Rainchild" which is an evolved version of the first album, keeping the style intact but with a more professional sound.
With the new century the third album by "LIKE WENDY" sees the light. "Songs from the Moonlit Bay" proves to be different from the first track, "Falcon Suite" is a 21 minutes epic, but it's not only the length, they go a step back and receive the direct influence of "GENESIS", the guitar work is clearly reminiscent of "STEVE HACKETT" and the sound is clearly oriented towards Symphonic rather than Neo Prog.
"Summer in Eden" is released in 2002, but doesn't have the same quality of "Songs from the Moonlit Bay"; the sound is a blending of "Foxtrot" and "PENDRAGON" with very little variations, so it sounds pale in comparison with the previous albums.
"Homeland" (2004) marks a change, the band turns into a one man project because Marien leaves the band, with the only participation of a trumpet player named Jos, in the song "Flood".
The sound changes again, and I'm able to listen a clear "PINK FLOYD" influence, but keeping the original style almost intact, except for some electronic touches.
The saga of "Like Wendy" ends in 2005 with the release of "Endgame", this time Bert recruits another multi-instrumentalist called Mark-Jeroen Heek (with no specific mention of which instrument each member plays), the result (not because Heek, but more because the idea was exhausted) is disappointing, very simple and with a poppier approach, which is not wrong "per se", but the bands sounds too predictable.
Everything points towards a band that has dissolved, their official site http://www.likewendy.nl/ is in construction for a rather long time and the Geocities site has no change since January 2,000.
I believe that if Bert Heinen is able to recapture the essence of "Songs from the Moonlit Bay", he's able to give us some solid albums, but only time will tell.
Iván Melgar - Morey
Birth
Like Wendy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
marking time
marking space
Collecting the sighs
from the worries inside
dressed in pride for ourselves to the sky
worthless names, ignorant games
I don't even know if the time is right
I don't know what to say
Say my name
Here in the life
much is mine
much is stake
Saving a coin for a wish
from the fountain
or saving coin to cover eyes of pain
much too late to be saved
I don't even know if the dream is mine
and when it's mine
I don't know if it's safe
We see the pale light of mourning
the heroes in concrete are dead
As we search for old fashioned words
but using the modern instead
Now can we see a receding life like a
wallpaper flower so thin
The halls that were mentioned
in Kingdom's song
no more give a sound from within
We realise pain as an unwanted gift
beg sorrow and suffering to fatt
But using ourselves as the temple to worship
No gratitude far life at all
Now can we see a receding life like a
wallpaper flower so thin
then curse at the sight and unbelieving
praying to forgive the sins
With the sun, with the moon
all the stars couldn't capture the truth
With the rains with the storm
as the nightmare confronts us we run
And when we, we let it fade too soon
washed away like the lines in the sand
Surely we saved all hope for just one
when the memory drifts by one's again
In every way we'd make
the same mistakes again
The song "Birth" by Like Wendy is a thought-provoking piece with a range of emotions and themes running through it. The first verse seems to capture the confusion and uncertainty that can come with a new beginning of some kind, like a birth. The lines "I don't even know if the time is right" and "I don't know what to say, say my name" suggest a feeling of being lost and not quite sure how to proceed. The reference to "worthless names, ignorant games" hints at a sense of frustration or disillusionment with the expectations or demands of society.
The second verse delves deeper into the idea of life and the uncertainty that comes with it. The line "much too late to be saved" suggests a feeling of regret or missed opportunities. The mention of saving coins for a wish or to cover eyes of pain hints at the idea of trying to balance hope and sorrow. The line "I don't even know if the dream is mine" touches on the idea of authenticity and whether or not we are truly living the lives we want.
The chorus seems to suggest that despite our best efforts to make sense of life and find meaning, we often fall short. The line "Surely we saved all hope for just one" points toward the idea that we may cling to a single hope or dream, even if we make the same mistakes over and over again.
Overall, "Birth" is a poignant reflection on life and the complexities that come with it. It touches on themes of identity, purpose, and the struggle to find meaning in the face of uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
Here at the birth
At the beginning of something new
marking time
Keeping track of the passing moments
marking space
Defining the boundaries of our existence
Collecting the sighs
Gathering the emotions that weigh us down
from the worries inside
That come from our own insecurities
dressed in pride for ourselves to the sky
Putting on a brave face and striving for success
worthless names, ignorant games
The meaningless pursuits that distract us from our goals
I don't even know if the time is right
Uncertainty about the timing of our actions
and when it's right
Even when things line up perfectly
I don't know what to say
The difficulty of expressing ourselves
Say my name
An expression of longing to be recognized and remembered
Here in the life
Existing in the present moment
much is mine
The choices we make that shape our lives
much is stake
The risks we take and the consequences of our actions
Saving a coin for a wish
Hope for a better future
from the fountain
A symbol of abundance and prosperity
or saving coin to cover eyes of pain
Preparing for the inevitability of suffering and loss
much too late to be saved
The inescapable nature of death and decay
I don't even know if the dream is mine
Doubt about our true desires and aspirations
and when it's mine
Even when we achieve our goals
I don't know if it's safe
The fear of losing what we've gained
We see the pale light of mourning
The sadness that comes from loss
the heroes in concrete are dead
The fading memory of past accomplishments
As we search for old fashioned words
The difficulty of expressing our emotions
but using the modern instead
The limitations of modern society
Now can we see a receding life like a
The fleeting nature of existence
wallpaper flower so thin
The artificiality of our surroundings
The halls that were mentioned
The memories of the past
in Kingdom's song
A reference to an unknown past
no more give a sound from within
The emptiness of nostalgia
We realise pain as an unwanted gift
The bitterness of suffering
beg sorrow and suffering to fatt
The tendency to dwell on the negative aspects of life
But using ourselves as the temple to worship
Finding solace within ourselves
No gratitude far life at all
Taking life for granted
then curse at the sight and unbelieving
The bitterness of regret
praying to forgive the sins
The hope for redemption
With the sun, with the moon
The passage of time
all the stars couldn't capture the truth
The elusive nature of reality
With the rains with the storm
The unpredictability of life
as the nightmare confronts us we run
The instinct to flee from danger
And when we, we let it fade too soon
The regret of missed opportunities
washed away like the lines in the sand
The impermanence of our accomplishments
Surely we saved all hope for just one
Hoping for a brighter future
when the memory drifts by one's again
Longing for the past
In every way we'd make
The inevitability of our choices
the same mistakes again
Repeating our past failures
Contributed by Harper V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@user-rr4kd4ok6h
Amazing neoprog song by Great band
@manuelparker5132
Marvelous song !!! Maravilloso tema !!!
@superlinus70
magic.....W Rock Prog