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).
Who Will Accuse?
News From Babel Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and cold
and I am old
and tired of truth
Must we forever
Make our History
In this Cold
Who will accuse us
If we choose
To dream –
To take a World
Already made –
To sit before
A fire that warms
and not to ask
Who built it, or
What burns?
The lyrics of News From Babel's song Who Will Accuse? express a sense of weariness and disillusionment with the world. The singer describes their life as "bare and cold" and themselves as "old and tired of truth." This suggests a feeling of emptiness and a weariness with the harsh realities of life. The repetition of the word "cold" reinforces this sense of bleakness and suggests a lack of warmth or connection in the world.
The lyrics also raise questions about history and the way we make meaning in our lives. The singer asks whether we must "forever make our history in this cold country." This could be read as a critique of the dominant narratives and ideologies that shape our understanding of the world. The questioning tone suggests a desire for something different, for a way of living that is more connected to the natural world and less bound by societal norms and expectations.
The final stanza of the song introduces the idea of dreaming and escaping the coldness of the world. The singer asks, "Who will accuse us if we choose to dream?" This suggests a desire to detach from the harsh realities of life and to find solace in the imagination. The idea of sitting before a fire that warms without questioning its source or construction suggests a willingness to accept things as they are, without probing too deeply into their origins or meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
This life is bare
Existence is bleak and devoid of any meaningful substance
and cold
The environment is devoid of any warmth or compassion
and I am old
As an individual, there is a sense of hopelessness and a feeling of being jaded and worn out
and tired of truth
The exposure to constant negativity and unpleasant realities has taken a toll, leading to the desire to escape from truth
Must we forever
Is it necessary to always be
Make our History
To create our legacy
In this Cold
Within this frigid
Country?
Land devoid of any warmth and hope
Who will accuse us
Who will hold us accountable
If we choose
If we decide to
To dream –
To imagine and aspire
To take a World
To possess a reality
Already made –
That is already fashioned
To sit before
To relax and enjoy
A fire that warms
A warm fire that nourishes
and not to ask
Without questioning
Who built it, or
About its origins, or
What burns?
The things that fuel the fire
Contributed by Bentley P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
dunkbot
Thanx for this nice piece of Robert and crew...
lichtungdesseins
cannot write any more comments ,but i admired these guys since first notifikation
Gasparuccio X
robert wyatt??????
Carla Diratz
YES.