In 2002, Halstead released his debut solo album, Sleeping on Roads. A second solo album, Oh! Mighty Engine was released on July 29, 2008. Halstead's third solo album, 'Palindrome Hunches', was released on September 11, 2012.
Oh! Mighty Engine
Neil Halstead Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Says time is passing
But the bubbles in her heart are everlasting
Yeah, she gave her life to art
And who could blame her?
It's pretty major
Fraught with danger and stuff
Like that
Oh, mighty engine
Of good intention
You're purring softly beside me
Grinding gently inside me
Tapping totally madly
For you
Says the plot is getting strange
It's taken over
And the hero's run away
And no one told her
But she can't control the page
It's taken over
There's people dying, semicolons crying
And full stops finding fault
Oh, what a dolt
Cindy writes of kerosene
And broken bottles
Says the troubles were a part of someone's childhood
But she can't get past the point
Where someone's dying
It's pretty minor
A pithy liner should sort it out
But he won't die
He just mucks about
Oh, it's so hard
Now we've broken out the gin
It helps her thinking
And given into sin
We're breathing deeply
But something's on her mind
A chapter stirring
Her mind is whirling
And off she trots
To tap her keys to the top
Oh, she's off
Mighty engine
Of good intention
You're purring softly beside me
Grinding gently inside me
Tapping totally madly
For you
The song "Oh Mighty Engine" by Neil Halstead tells the story of Cindy, a writer who struggles with the creative process and the weight of the art she creates. Cindy is consumed by her work, and while she finds comfort in the permanence of the bubbles in her heart, she is also fraught with danger and the difficulties of the creative process. The song speaks to the many struggles of being an artist, as Cindy grapples with mortality, the plotlines of her work, and the realization that her writing has taken over her life in many ways.
One of the strong themes in the song is the idea of control, or the lack of control, that artists often face in the creative process. Cindy struggles to control the plot of her book, and she is torn between the desire to create something beautiful and the sense that she has lost control over the story. The use of the metaphor of the "mighty engine" helps to convey this sense of powerlessness, as Cindy is both fueled by her creative passion but also seems to be at the mercy of it. The song suggests that the process of art-making, while beautiful and important, can also be overwhelming and difficult to navigate.
Line by Line Meaning
Cindy writes a paragraph
Cindy is writing a piece of literature
Says time is passing
The story being written progresses over time
But the bubbles in her heart are everlasting
Despite the passage of time, the emotions expressed in the story remain strong and persistent
Yeah, she gave her life to art
Cindy has dedicated herself to the craft of writing and creating art
And who could blame her?
It is understandable that someone would devote themselves to their passion
It's pretty major
Writing and creating art is a significant undertaking
Fraught with danger and stuff
The creation process can be risky and challenging
Like that
These are just a few examples of the difficulties involved in writing and creating art
Oh, mighty engine
The act of creating art is compared to a powerful engine
Of good intention
Despite the difficulties, the creation process is driven by positive intentions
You're purring softly beside me
The process of creating art is smooth and comfortable
Grinding gently inside me
The act of creating art stirs up one's emotions and thoughts
Tapping totally madly
The creative process can be both intense and seemingly spontaneous
For you
The creation process is dedicated to the art and the audience
Says the plot is getting strange
Cindy is struggling with the direction of the story
It's taken over
The story seems to have a life of its own and has diverged from Cindy's original plan
And the hero's run away
One of the characters has gone off-script and is no longer fulfilling their expected role
And no one told her
Cindy was not anticipating this turn of events
But she can't control the page
Despite being the author, Cindy is no longer fully in control of the story
There's people dying, semicolons crying
The story has taken a dark and emotional turn, as reflected by the symbolic death of characters and the use of literary devices
And full stops finding fault
Even the punctuation seems to be pointing out flaws and issues with the story
Oh, what a dolt
Cindy is feeling foolish and frustrated with the situation
Cindy writes of kerosene
Cindy is exploring darker and more dangerous subject matter in her writing
And broken bottles
The use of broken bottles suggests a sense of chaos or destruction
Says the troubles were a part of someone's childhood
Cindy is exploring the idea that one's troubled upbringing can impact their present and future
But she can't get past the point
Cindy is stuck on a certain aspect of the story or idea
Where someone's dying
The theme of death and loss is present in the story
It's pretty minor
Despite the serious subject matter, Cindy is downplaying the impact of this particular event
A pithy liner should sort it out
Cindy is considering using a clever or witty line to resolve the issue
But he won't die
The character or idea will not easily be resolved by a quick line or solution
He just mucks about
The character or idea is behaving in an unpredictable or frustrating manner
Oh, it's so hard
Cindy is struggling with the obstacles in her path
Now we've broken out the gin
Cindy has turned to alcohol to help her relax or loosen up
It helps her thinking
Cindy feels that the alcohol is aiding her creative process
And given into sin
Cindy is indulging in behavior that is not necessarily healthy or productive
We're breathing deeply
Cindy is taking deliberate breaths to help her relax and focus
But something's on her mind
Despite her efforts to relax and focus, Cindy is still preoccupied with her work
A chapter stirring
Cindy is feeling inspiration or motivation to work on a particular section of her story
Her mind is whirling
Cindy is experiencing a rush of ideas and thoughts
And off she trots
Cindy is eagerly returning to her writing
To tap her keys to the top
Cindy is excited to work on and complete her writing
Contributed by Amelia I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kirito's brothero
Writer's ballad:
0:14–0.42
1:09–1.42
2:37–3.53
4:24
Lyrics:
Cindy writes a paragraph,
Says time is passing.
But the bubbles in her heart
Are everlasting.
Yeah, she gave her life to art,
And who could blame her?
It’s pretty major,
Fraught with danger
And stuff like that.
Says the plot is getting strange,
Taken on your meaning.
And the hero’s run away,
And no one’s stopped him.
But she can’t control the page;
It’s taken over.
There’s people dying,
Colons crying,
And full stops finding fault.
Oh, what a dolt.
Cindy writes of kerosene
And broken bottles.
Says the troubles were a part
Of someone’s childhood.
But she can’t get past the point
Where someone’s dying.
It’s pretty minor;
A pithy liner
Should sort it out.
But he won’t die;
He just mucks about.
Oh, it’s so hard.
Now we’ve broken out the gin;
It helps her thinking.
And given in to sin,
We’re breathing deeply.
But something’s on her mind:
A chapter stirring.
Her mind is whirling,
And off she trots
To tap her keys to the top.
Oh, she’s off.
declan kelly
Love this..:)
Al elis
This is nice ballad or folk.