In the wake of English avant-garde rock group Henry Cow (1968-1978), Art Bears (1978-1981), a song-oriented group, was formed by three of Henry Cow's members, drummer Chris Cutler, multi-instrumentalist Fred Frith and singer Dagmar Krause. In Art Bears' wake, News From Babel emerged in 1983, comprising Cutler, Krause, Henry Cow woodwind player Lindsay Cooper, and United States harpist Zeena Parkins. It was Parkins' first "rock group" and the first time she had recorded with her harp. This new group followed the song-oriented approach of Art Bears, but with a different musical emphasis. Cooper composed all the music and Cutler wrote all the song texts.
News From Babel was purely a studio group. The name was derived from the title of George Steiner's book After Babel, and some of the songs on their albums relate directly to Steiner's books. In 1983 they recorded Work Resumed on the Tower, the title referring to the Tower of Babel, with guest vocalist Phil Minton. In 1986 they recorded Letters Home, named after the title of one of Sylvia Plath's books, with guest vocalists Robert Wyatt, Sally Potter and Phil Minton. Cooper's music on both albums is a blend of jazz and cabaret, while Cutler's lyrics are literate, exploring Marxist themes and personal alienation.
The group disbanded in 1986 after recording their second album. However, in 2014 they reformed as part of the larger ensemble that performed the music of Lindsay Cooper. These were their only live performances (with John Greaves deputising for Robert Wyatt).
Heart of Stone
News From Babel Lyrics
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Where waters wash
The ones who spoke and
Would not hear, the ones
Who built the walls;
These miles were theirs,
These ranks of Air…
Now only blooms recall
The glory and the pity of
Their fall.
The opening lines of News From Babel's song Heart of Stone portray an imagery of a desolate landscape where the hearts of stone are scattered. These hearts belong to individuals who were stubborn and refused to listen to anyone who spoke against them. They were builders who constructed walls around themselves to protect their egos and beliefs. However, the same waters that once nurtured and gave life to this landscape come to wash away the marks of their presence.
As the song progresses, the lyrics take on a more melancholic tone. The next few lines suggest that these people once had a sense of ownership and pride for these lands. These miles were once theirs, and the air around the area was filled with the respect and admiration of their peers. Yet this all faded away as their hearts remained cold, and they refused to change their ways.
The final two lines of the song sum up the message of Heart of Stone. The only thing that remains of these individuals are the blooms that continue to grow and thrive despite their absence. The glory that once surrounded these people during their times of pride has now turned into pity for the fallen spirits who were unable to adapt and evolve with the changing times.
Line by Line Meaning
The hearts of stone were here
The unemotional and insensitive people with no empathy for others lived in this place
Where waters wash
This area is close to water bodies
The ones who spoke and
The arrogant people who always talked about themselves and their accomplishments
Would not hear, the ones
They never paid attention or listened to others
Who built the walls;
They constructed physical and metaphorical barriers to keep themselves isolated from the rest of the world
These miles were theirs,
The area and everything around it belonged to them
These ranks of Air…
The sky and the air above this place also bore the mark of their presence and ownership
Now only blooms recall
Only flowers and blossoms remind us of what was once present here
The glory and the pity of
The greatness and the tragedy of their existence, and the consequences of their actions
Their fall.
Their downfall and the end of their reign over this area
Contributed by Caleb G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kevmaher8988
Great album :-)
@magusperde365
Its more Lindsay Cooper works than anything else. feels kinda bad to put taht much emphasis en Robert Wyatt even if he gave an awesome performance as always. Lindsay Cooper is a genius
@akarshrastogi3682
ok this was nice