He was a member of the early-'80s techno group Q-Feel and recorded a hit solo album, In the House of Stone and Light, in 1994. The title track, in which he wrote himself, was a hit in the same year, reaching #14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a popular mainstream hit. He later released his second solo album, In the Temple of the Muse, on an independent label in 2008.
He currently resides in Southern California.
Shape The Invisible
Martin Page Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love seems so far away
There's no sign of life in Eden's garden
Just another day
Liberty's coming out to play
On a Belfast street
Concrete stained
Blood and rain
There's a broken man
Praying for a wounded land
Oh why can't we shape the invisible
for faith that's blind
The voice of reason cries
Oh why can't we shape the invisible
Just anther day
Brotherhood won't show his face
In the neighborhood
Drive by shots
time stops
Doors are locked
Behind my door
Fear is keeping score
Oh why can't we shape the invisible
And the dealer won't rest
'Til he sells a child death
Oh why can't we shape the invisible
Just another day,
Walking in the steps of Cain
In the desert sun
Lightning strikes
Chemical lights
Burn my eyes
A mother's son,
Is now a soldier marching on
He's been told to shape the invisible
Under poisoned skies
The children wonder why
Our fathers can't shape the invisible
Somewhere a small boy is playing with his toys
Someday his innocence
Will shape the invisible
The lyrics to Martin Page's Shape The Invisible paint a picture of a world in turmoil. The first verse speaks of a lack of love and life in Eden's garden, a place synonymous with peace and harmony, followed by imagery of Belfast's streets, stained with concrete and blood. The singer is ashamed of what he sees and refers to a broken man praying for his wounded land. The chorus questions why we can't shape the invisible, which may refer to the intangible forces of peace, love, and freedom.
The second verse shifts to the topic of brotherhood, or the lack of it in certain neighborhoods where drive-by shootings occur, causing fear and locking doors. The dealer referenced in the lyrics won't rest until he sells death to children. The chorus once again asks why we can't shape the invisible, perhaps referring to the fact that we cannot see nor touch the ideals of brotherhood, community, and safety.
The final verse takes on a more global perspective, with mentions of Cain, the son of Adam and Eve who became the first murderer, and a reference to desert warfare. The line "he's been told to shape the invisible" refers to a soldier who has been given ambiguous orders, and the chorus again laments our inability to shape intangible ideals. The lyrics end on a hopeful note, however, with a small boy playing with his toys and the belief that someday his innocence will shape the invisible.
Line by Line Meaning
Just another day
The daily monotonous routine goes on.
Love seems so far away
The feeling of love appears to be distant.
There's no sign of life in Eden's garden
The place that should symbolise life, energy and happiness appears to be devoid of it.
Just another day
The drab pattern of life continues.
Liberty's coming out to play
The idea of freedom is taking hold and becoming more apparent.
On a Belfast street
The events described are taking place in Belfast.
Concrete stained
The material that represents stability and firmness is now spotted with something that symbolises danger and harm.
Blood and rain
The two powerful elements of life and nature are both seen as mixed with danger and loss.
I'm ashamed
The artist feels guilty or humiliated by the situation.
There's a broken man
Someone who is wounded, either literally or figuratively.
Praying for a wounded land
The man is praying for his land, which is equally wounded, to become a better place.
Oh why can't we shape the invisible
The man is bemoaning the fact that some important things are difficult to express or understand.
for faith that's blind
For beliefs that are difficult to pin down or analyse.
The voice of reason cries
The wise or sensible person is speaking out to advocate for a better situation.
Just another day
Routine continues.
Brotherhood won't show his face
The sense of 'brotherhood' or unity is absent or hiding.
In the neighborhood
The situation is more localised or close to home.
Drive by shots
Shots fired from a car while driving past a target.
time stops
The singer might feel like time has stopped because of how shocking or sudden these events may be.
Doors are locked
Fear has set in and as part of a coping mechanism, people begin to lock their doors.
Behind my door
The situation affects the artist as they find themselves locked in their home for safety.
Fear is keeping score
The sense of foreboding and terror is palpable.
And the dealer won't rest
The dealer of illicit activities is not going to quit or stop what they do.
Til he sells a child death
Even if it means selling something terrible, the dealer needs to make the sale.
Walking in the steps of Cain
The singer feels like they are following in footsteps that will lead to destruction or worse.
In the desert sun
The events described are taking place in a hot, open and unforgiving atmosphere.
Lightning strikes
A sudden flash of brilliance and power amidst the danger and threat.
Chemical lights
Man-made tools of destruction or danger.
Burn my eyes
The events described are difficult or painful to watch and observe.
A mother's son
The child of a loving caregiver.
Is now a soldier marching on
The child is now an adult in war, fighting for their home and country.
He's been told to shape the invisible
The soldier has been given something abstract and difficult to complete as part of their role.
Under poisoned skies
The sky has taken on a sinister or dangerous quality.
The children wonder why
The young innocents see that things are not as they should be and don't know why.
Our fathers can't shape the invisible
Even the older generation would find it difficult or challenging to change some significant aspects of life.
Somewhere a small boy is playing with his toys
This is a glimpse of hope - an image of a happier and carefree time for a young child.
Someday his innocence will shape the invisible
The hope or expectation that someone pure or untarnished can bring change to their world.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARTIN PAGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind