The Fish era is often categorized as neo-progressive. They originally started as "Silmarillion" (from Tolkien's book) with heavy influences from classic Genesis but went on to develop their own distinctive sound. The band was formed in 1979 by Mick Pointer (drums), Steve Rothery (guitar), Doug 'Rastus' Irvine (bass), and others, soon adding vocalist Fish (real name Derek W. Dick), Diz Minitt (bass), and Brian Jelliman. By the time of their first album, 1983's Script for a Jester's Tear, the bass position had been taken over by Pete Trewavas and keyboards by Mark Kelly.
The studio albums Fugazi (1984), Misplaced Childhood (1985), and Clutching at Straws (1987), as well as the 1984 live album Real to Reel all sold respectably, and the band scored a hit single in Britain with Kayleigh in 1985.
When Fish left the band in 1988 after four albums he was replaced by Steve Hogarth. A former member of The Europeans and some-time collaborator with The The and Julian Cope, Hogarth brought a new energy to the band.
Across a further ten albums, Hogarth – along with existing members Rothery, Kelly, Trewavas, and Mosley – have reinvigorated and constantly redefined Marillion’s sound. They forged into new musical territories with a succession of inventive, emotional albums, displaying little regard to the vagaries of hit charts or radio playlists.
After the release of 1999’s marillion.com the band freed themselves from record company pressure once and for all by launching their own record label, the Intact imprint.
Thanks to their pioneering embrace of the Internet through their website http://marillion.com, Marillion have developed a unique and intimate relationship with their fans. From sponsoring entire tours of the USA to funding the recording of recent albums, Marillion’s global fan-base is unique in its affection and dedication. As a result, such passionate, wholesale support has allowed Marillion to step outside of the conventional music industry and find their own path.
In 2001 Anoraknophobia saw Marillion take the groundbreaking step of asking fans to pre-order an album 12 months before release. An amazing 12,000 people signed up, helping to finance the recording. The band once again took pre-orders for the 2004 release Marbles, but this time the money was channelled into a campaign fund to promote its launch. The success of singles Don't Hurt Yourself and You're Gone – the latter making it all the way to number 7 – vindicated the band's independent strategy.
Their 2007 album Somewhere Else reached number 24 in the UK album chart with their most recent single Thankyou Whoever You Are hitting the UK singles chart at number 15. The band shows no signs of fading away after more than 25 years of activity.
Their 15th album, "Happiness is the road", was physically released in October 2008 but was originally available exclusively from the band's website. It was released with little promotion and a deluxe pre-order package was made available as with Marbles. 'Happiness is the Road' is the second studio double album of a long career (2004's Marbles was the other). A UK and European tour followed the album's release, and the band is taking special effort to record every show in the "Happiness on the Road" tour, making the recordings available from the band's website.
White Russian
Marillion Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where do we go from here, where do we go from here
Where do we go from here, where do we go from here
They boarded up the synagogues, Uzis on a street corner
You can't take a photograph of Uzis on a street corner
The DJ resigned today they wouldn't let him have his say
Surface scratched where the needles play, Uzis on a street corner
Terror in Rue de St. Denis, murder on the periphery
Someone else in someone else's pocket
Christ knows I don't know how to stop it
Poppies at the cenotaph, the cynics can't afford to laugh
I heard in on the telegraph there's Uzis on a street corner
Where do we go from here, where do we go from here
The more I see, the more I hear, the more I find fewer answers
I close my mind, I shout it out but you know it's getting harder
To calm down, to reason out, to come to terms with what it's all about
I'm uptight, can't sleep at night, I can't pretend everything's all right
My ideals, my sanity, they seem to be deserting me
But to stand up and fight I know we have six million reasons
They're burning down the synagogues, Uzis on a street corner
The heralds of the holocaust, Uzis on a street corner
The silence never louder than now, how quickly we forgot our vows
This resurrection we can't allow, Uzis on a street corner
Where do we go from here, where do we go from here
We buy fresh bagels from the corner store
Where swastikas are spat from aerosols
I sit in the bar sipping iced White Russian
Trying to score but nobody's pushing
And everyone looks at everyone's faces
Searching for signs and praying for traces of a conscience in residence
Are we sitting on a barbed wire fence
Racing the clouds home, racing the clouds home
We place our faith in human rights
In the paper wars that tie the red tape tight
I know that I would rather be out of this conspiracy
In the gulags and internment camps frozen faces in nameless ranks
I know that they would rather be standing here besides me
Racing the clouds home, racing the clouds home
You can shut your eyes, you can hide it away it's gonna come back another
day
Racing the clouds home, are we racing the clouds home
Racing the clouds home
The song "White Russian" by Marillion is a protest song that brings the issue of anti-Semitism to the forefront. The lyrics ask the question, "Where do we go from here?" in the midst of a world where synagogues are being boarded up, Uzis are on street corners, and there is terrorism and murder happening. The song touches on the idea of people searching for a community, a conscience, and believing in human rights.
The narrating voice acknowledges that the situation is getting harder, and it is not easy to come to terms with what it all means. It reflects on how the ideals and sanity of people seem to be deserting them. Despite this, there are six million reasons someone should stand up and fight. The song questions whether people are sitting on a barbed wire fence, trying to race the clouds home, or if they are placing their faith in human rights and trying to untangle the red tape.
The lyrics stress that the issue of anti-Semitism will not go away by ignoring it. The song tries to raise awareness that if Uzis are on a street corner, some of the most fundamental human rights are being stripped away. The song is a call for people to stand up and fight against prejudice and discrimination.
Line by Line Meaning
Where do we go from here?
Questioning the direction of society amidst chaos and confusion.
They boarded up the synagogues, Uzis on a street corner
Anti-Semitic violence is ravaging the city and becoming more prevalent.
You can't take a photograph of Uzis on a street corner
The reality of the situation is shocking and beyond belief.
The DJ resigned today they wouldn't let him have his say
Individuals who speak out against injustice are being silenced and punished.
Surface scratched where the needles play, Uzis on a street corner
Drugs and violence go hand in hand on the same streets.
Terror in Rue de St. Denis, murder on the periphery
Terrorism and violence are becoming a regular occurrence in public spaces.
Someone else in someone else's pocket
Those in power are being controlled by unknown outside forces.
Christ knows I don't know how to stop it
The artist is at a loss for solutions to prevent the ongoing violence and chaos.
Poppies at the cenotaph, the cynics can't afford to laugh
Memorials for past violence do not deter present violence and people must take it seriously.
I heard in on the telegraph there's Uzis on a street corner
News of violence is being disseminated through mass media outlets.
The more I see, the more I hear, the more I find fewer answers
As the problems in society become more apparent, the solutions become harder to come by.
I close my mind, I shout it out but you know it's getting harder
The artist is becoming more disillusioned and frustrated with the lack of progress on social issues.
To calm down, to reason out, to come to terms with what it's all about
The singer is trying to stay level-headed and come to a deeper understanding of the issues at hand.
I'm uptight, can't sleep at night, I can't pretend everything's all right
The singer is plagued with anxiety and cannot ignore the problems in society.
My ideals, my sanity, they seem to be deserting me
The singer's belief in positive change and mental stability are waning.
But to stand up and fight I know we have six million reasons
Despite the difficulties, the artist is still determined to fight for a better future, in honor of the victims of the Holocaust.
The heralds of the holocaust, Uzis on a street corner
There are people actively promoting violence and hatred, and it is reminiscent of the Holocaust.
The silence never louder than now, how quickly we forgot our vows
The lack of action and increased violence is more deafening than anything else, and people have forgotten their promises to create a better society.
This resurrection we can't allow, Uzis on a street corner
The rise of extremist groups and violence must be stopped.
We buy fresh bagels from the corner store
In the midst of violence, people still try to go about their daily lives.
Where swastikas are spat from aerosols
Despite trying to go about their business, there is still a strong presence of hatred and intolerance.
I sit in the bar sipping iced White Russian
The artist is trying to escape from the chaos and find some peace in the midst of madness.
Trying to score but nobody's pushing
The singer is trying to find a way to make a difference but is not finding much support from others.
And everyone looks at everyone's faces
There is suspicion and fear among people due to the rampant violence.
Searching for signs and praying for traces of a conscience in residence
People are hoping to find others who care about social issues and have a sense of morality.
Are we sitting on a barbed wire fence
People are stuck in a difficult position between wanting to live their lives and wanting to address social issues.
Racing the clouds home, racing the clouds home
People are trying to find solutions and make positive changes before it's too late.
We place our faith in human rights
People believe in the importance of treating others with decency and fairness.
In the paper wars that tie the red tape tight
The bureaucracy involved in social change is often overwhelming and frustrating.
I know that I would rather be out of this conspiracy
The singer would prefer not to live in a world where violence and hatred are pervasive.
In the gulags and internment camps frozen faces in nameless ranks
The singer would rather be in situations where people are more willing to fight against injustice, even if it means facing harsher conditions.
I know that they would rather be standing here besides me
Other people also want to create a better world and work together to solve social issues.
You can shut your eyes, you can hide it away it's gonna come back another day
Ignoring social issues or hoping they will simply disappear will not make them go away.
Racing the clouds home, are we racing the clouds home
People are trying to work towards a better future before it's too late.
Racing the clouds home
Urgency in creating positive social change to avoid further chaos and violence.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DEREK WILLIAM DICK, IAN MOSLEY, MARK KELLY, PETE TREWAVAS, STEVE ROTHERY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind