Their debut album Mind Fruit produced the track "It's a Fine Day," a cover of a 1983 single by Jane & Barton, which topped the U.S. Hot Dance Club Play chart in 1992 and reached number five on the UK singles chart.
The song, now considered a house music classic, is the basis of Orbital's 1993 track, "Halcyon + On + On", found on their second eponymous album (the "la la la" section of the "It's A Fine Day" chorus was backmasked and sampled throughout the song). Norwegian artist Erlend Øye also covered the song on his album that was part of the DJ-Kicks series.
Interestingly enough, Hawkshaw, impressed with the Orbital track, returned the favor by appearing in the video for "Halycon + On + On" playing a housewife who was 'under the influence' (even though she looked like she was daydreaming, but that could be disputed). The other single release from "Mind Fruit", was "I Talk To The Wind". This was not a big chart success in the UK, only reaching number 52.
Opus III's second album Guru Mother surfaced in 1994 and produced another number-one dance song "When You Made the Mountain". A third U.S. dance chart entry, "Hand in Hand (Looking for Sweet Inspiration)" hit number 14.
The group disbanded after their second album. Hawkshaw is still a major presence in dance music, lending her vocals to a number of electronic and dance music artists and tracks well into the 21st century.
I Talk to the Wind
Opus III Lyrics
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Where have you been
I've been here and I've been there
And I've been in between
I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind cannot hear
I'm on the outside looking inside
What do I see
Much confusion, disillusion
All around me
You don't possess me
Don't impress me
Just upset my mind
Can't instruct me or conduct me
Just use up my time
I talk to the wind
My words are all carried away
I talk to the wind
The wind does not hear
The wind cannot hear
The lyrics to Opus III's song I Talk to the Wind are a reflection on the experience of feeling disconnected from the world around you. The conversation between the "straight man" and the "late man" highlights a gap between someone who is grounded in reality and someone who is more introspective and contemplative. The late man has been "here and there and in between" which could be interpreted as a metaphor for his journey through life, experiencing different places and emotions but feeling like he doesn't quite fit in anywhere.
The chorus of the song, "I talk to the wind, my words are all carried away, I talk to the wind, the wind does not hear, the wind cannot hear" is a powerful expression of the feeling of being unheard. The wind is a symbol of the indifference of the world around us, and the frustration that comes with trying to communicate with something that does not listen. The singer is stuck on the outside looking in, seeing "much confusion, disillusion, all around me," unable to make any real impact.
The last verse of the song is a rejection of being used or controlled by others, as the singer proclaims "you don't possess me, don't impress me, just upset my mind, can't instruct me or conduct me, just use up my time." It's a call for independence and autonomy, even in the face of overwhelming indifference. Overall, the lyrics to I Talk to the Wind are a poignant expression of the feeling of being disconnected and unheard, and the struggle to find meaning in a confusing and chaotic world.
Line by Line Meaning
Said the straight man to the late man
A conversation between the ignorant and the learned
Where have you been
What experiences have you had
I've been here and I've been there
I've had various experiences
And I've been in between
I've encountered both good and bad experiences
I talk to the wind
I speak my mind in vain
My words are all carried away
My thoughts are not valued or understood
The wind does not hear
No one is listening to me
The wind cannot hear
My voice is meaningless and unheard
I'm on the outside looking inside
I observe others without being a part of their world
What do I see
I witness confusion and disillusion
Much confusion, disillusion
There's chaos and disappointment around me
All around me
I am surrounded by it
You don't possess me
You have no control over me
Don't impress me
I am not impressed by you
Just upset my mind
You bother and irritate me
Can't instruct me or conduct me
You cannot lead or guide me
Just use up my time
You waste my time
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Greg Lake, Ian Mcdonald, Michael Rex Giles, Peter John Sinfield, Robert Fripp
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind