"Invisible War" is my first jar...a collection of some of the first fireflies I ever caught; mostly they were just sprouting their wings in that time, learning all about life, exploring the world, and frolicking about with me in fascinating places like Mongolia, where I lived until I was eight. Really I caught the first specimen in this particular jar when I was fifteen--"Song of the Open Road"--based on the Whitman poem of the same name.
Now, at 20, I'm always chasing around a few fireflies at a time, attempting to master the art of capturing the most elaborate creatures. The idea is that the better the creature, the longer it will stay alive and the brighter its light will shine. We need bright light, see, because it's dark sometimes, very dark.
I have dreams about how the world should be. Indeed we live in a place which was meant to be beautiful; though we oftentimes ruin it ourselves by default. In science there is the idea of entropy--the tendency of things toward disorder. If a vase is sitting on a little table, it's quite probable that it could fall off and shatter into a hundred pieces, if not rather unlikely that all those pieces would jump back together again and shape themselves once again into a beautiful vase--unless of course someone worked very hard to glue it all back together into something new and different.
Unfortunately the implications of this in real life are much more complicated than a single vase shattering to the ground. We see natural disasters that destroy and reshape lives; wars, rumors of wars that create tension and dissension between people groups; poverty, disease, starvation, and everything that lies between.
These are the things which burden my heart, and the things which I've always felt compelled to express through my music. If all I do in life is shine a little light into the dark spaces of the world, my time on earth will certainly not have been wasted.
So I catch firefies.
Lay Your Hands On Me
Merry Ellen Kirk Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the plastic flowers on the windowsill
No more miracles, loaves and fishes
Been so busy with the washing of the dishes
Reaction level's much too high, I can do without the stimuli
I'm living way beyond my ways and means
Living in the zone of the in-betweens
Static charge of the cold emotion
Watched on by the distant eyes
Watched on by the silent, hidden spies
But still the warmth flows through me
And I sense you know me well
No luck, no golden chances
No mitigating circumstances now
It's only common sense
There are no accidents around here
I am willing, lay your hands on me
I am ready, lay your hands on me
I believe, lay your hands on me, over me
Working in gardens, thornless roses,
Fat men play with their garden hoses
Poolside laughter has a cynical bite,
Sausage speared by the cocktail satellite
I walk away from from light and sound,
Down stairways leading underground
But still the warmth flows through me
And I sense you know me well
It's only common sense
There are no accidents around here
I am willing, lay your hands on me
I am ready, lay your hands on me
I believe, lay your hands on me, over me
Over me
The song "Lay Your Hands On Me" by Merry Ellen Kirk is a contemplative piece that touches upon themes of existentialism, meaninglessness, and searching for a sense of purpose. The first two lines of the song paint a picture of a mundane setting - a corner in a garden grill that is adorned with plastic flowers. The singer then reflects on the absence of wonders, using the metaphor of "no more miracles, loaves, and fishes." This is followed by a line about being too occupied with mundane chores like washing dishes, which seems to be making the singer's "reaction level" too high. The idea of living beyond one's means and existing in the "in-betweens" creates a sense of disorientation, as if the singer is floating in a space without a clear sense of direction or purpose. The reference to the "flashes on the frozen ocean" and "static charge of the cold emotion" convey a sense of bleakness and desolation.
Despite this sense of despair, the singer senses warmth flowing through them and a feeling of being known well by an unseen presence. They acknowledge the absence of luck, golden chances, and mitigating circumstances, but express a sense of belief in the presence of an intentional design as opposed to mere accidents. This conviction culminates in the plea "lay your hands on me," expressing a yearning for guidance and direction.
The latter half of the song features more mundane imagery, like working in gardens and being surrounded by the cynical laughter of others. The singer seems to be retreating from the light and sound of the outside world, perhaps in search of solitude and peace. The final lines of the song express a surrender to the mysterious force that the singer senses, repeating the plea to "lay your hands on me" with a growing sense of urgency.
Line by Line Meaning
Sat in the corner of the garden grill
I am sitting alone in a quiet place
With the plastic flowers on the windowsill
There are artificial flowers near me
No more miracles, loaves and fishes
I no longer expect extraordinary things to happen
Been so busy with the washing of the dishes
I have been occupied with simple daily tasks
Reaction level's much too high, I can do without the stimuli
I am feeling overwhelmed and prefer to avoid overstimulation
I'm living way beyond my ways and means
I am living beyond my limits
Living in the zone of the in-betweens
I am in a transitional phase
I can see the flashes on the frozen ocean
I can observe movement in stillness
Static charge of the cold emotion
My emotions are muted and static
Watched on by the distant eyes
I am being observed from afar
Watched on by the silent, hidden spies
I am being monitored without my knowledge
But still the warmth flows through me
I feel a sense of comfort
And I sense you know me well
I feel understood by someone
No luck, no golden chances
I have not had any fortunate opportunities
No mitigating circumstances now
There are no excuses for my situation
It's only common sense
It is logical and practical
There are no accidents around here
Nothing happens by chance
I am willing, lay your hands on me
I am open to receiving help
I am ready, lay your hands on me
I am prepared for assistance
I believe, lay your hands on me, over me
I have faith in being healed
Working in gardens, thornless roses,
People are enjoying leisurely activities
Fat men play with their garden hoses
Some people are carefree and indulgent
Poolside laughter has a cynical bite,
People are making negative comments disguised as humor
Sausage speared by the cocktail satellite
There is an artificial and superficial quality to the environment
I walk away from from light and sound,
I am deliberately withdrawing from external stimulus
Down stairways leading underground
I am descending to a deeper place
Contributed by Hannah O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@wearyofallthiscrap
Probably the best cover of Gabriel's song I've ever heard. Fantastic!
@sober8
I like this very much, thanks for sending it to me
@petewarren11
@MeteoXavier Mateo, I'll say thank you for the kind comments on the arrangement. I had the honor of producing this for Merry Ellen. It was a lot of fun to do. Probably the most enjoyable of all the songs on that album. Thanks again for the kind words. It made my day (even if you wrote it a year ago).
@harry4711
Stunning!!! would love to hear this live with a corresponding line-up :)
@8YK0
Splendida interpretazione!!!!
@MeteoXavier
I've would've pulled the vocals back some, but you absolutely fucking NAILED the arrangement. I do not impress easily but I can think of a lot of people besides myself, Dr. Gabriel included, that would be even more impressed. Extremely creative and extremely well mixed and mastered. It fits the mold of a modern Peter Gabriel very well. 9.3/10
@Blinkymyt
This is just as good on YouTube as elsewhere (i.e., SF). Don't think MeteoXavier's plaudit for NAILED is apropos but, otherwise, nice reviews herein. Amicably, John
@MeteoXavier
@petewarren11 My name is "Meteo", but you're welcome.