Prelude
Man Lyrics


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There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're going
Or which way the wind is blowing

Is it raining, is it snowing?
Is a hurricane a-blowing
Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Oh, the fires of hell are glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing?

Yes, the danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing




Any signs that they are slowing
Stop the boat

Overall Meaning

The above lyrics are taken from the song "Prelude" by Man from their album "Rhinos, Winos & Lunatics" released in 1974. The song is written by the band members Micky Jones and Deke Leonard. The lyrics are quite poetic and can have multiple interpretations.


The first two lines of the lyrics suggest the uncertainty and the unpredictability of life's journey. The singer is trying to say that we never know where life will take us and which path we should follow. The third and fourth lines suggest that the singer is lost and has no sense of direction. The uncertainty is further highlighted in the next few lines where the singer questions the weather conditions and whether a natural calamity is imminent.


The fifth line "Not a speck of light is showing" could be interpreted in different ways. It could mean that the singer is in a dark place with no hope or guidance. It could also suggest that the singer is blind to the potential dangers around them. The next two lines express the growing danger in the singer's surroundings. The fires of hell could represent the danger that is growing and the grisly reaper could represent death.


The last few lines suggest that the danger is growing, but the rowers keep on rowing, indicating that life goes on, despite the dangers. The final line "Stop the boat" could be interpreted as the singer wanting to stop the ride, take a break, and reassess the situation.


Line by Line Meaning

There's no earthly way of knowing
We are unsure of our current path or destination


Which direction we are going
We do not know which way to turn


There's no knowing where we're going
Our journey lacks any clear sense of direction


Or which way the wind is blowing
We are unsure of the external factors that may affect us


Is it raining, is it snowing?
We are unsure of even the present weather conditions


Is a hurricane a-blowing
There is a possibility of extreme danger ahead


Not a speck of light is showing
We are in complete darkness, both literally and metaphorically


So the danger must be growing
The lack of light signifies a growing threat


Oh, the fires of hell are glowing
The danger ahead is as intense as the fires of hell


Is the grisly reaper mowing?
Death or some other form of destruction may already be upon us


Yes, the danger must be growing
The previous signs only reinforce the growing threat


For the rowers keep on rowing
Despite the danger, we continue moving forward


And they're certainly not showing
There is no hesitation or slowing down


Any signs that they are slowing
Our journey's momentum is not faltering or decreasing


Stop the boat
The only solution may be to halt our progress and reassess our path




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ROGER LEONHARD, MIKE JONES

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@rolffriedrichwitte7547

One from may Favorit BAND MAN! Since beginning i am Fan!

@romankohse6260

when i was young   it was one of my favorite songs, the way they the arragement was done and the move over from one to the other song, no one did better.
Roman

@patriciareilly8841

This music caused the outbreak of violence known as "The Troubles"🤐

@PAULLONDEN

A shortened version of this might've equalled Fleetwood Mac's "Albatross" success.....

@1951nightwish

You chopped the end off - Sacrilage !!!!

@PAULLONDEN

Yeah...but there once was a 10 minute limit to video uploads.... he could've done a gentle fade out though....

@PonyishLimbo

A wonderful prelude to a bullshit album.

@PAULLONDEN

A bit harsh...but yeah..this wonderful track was somewhat out of place with the rest of the material on it......It was always a crude wakeup after having a stoned 13 minutes....The rest was bit of a ragbag but still liked it....

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