Weeks studied illustration at Brighton University before spending a decade in The Maccabees. In 2016, when the group decided to disband he set about writing his first book The Gritterman, which was published on September 7th, 2017, accompanied by the soundtrack album The Gritterman.
Angels Singing
Orlando Weeks Lyrics
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The planet's heating up they say
I mean I've read somewhere that
There's a tarmac that can de-ice itself
I'm not sure I wanna live in a world
Were the B2116 doesn't need gritting
As a rule
I do the local pavements and footpaths before it gets dark
Too much traffic about
But sometimes, needs must
When I have been out during the day
I feel like some kind of seasonal hero
On the narrower roads the car's will queue for hours behind me
And then one by one
They drive past
Cheering from their window
Beeping their horn
Flashing their light
Keeps me going it does
It's always the trouble
With loose links and chains
You pick out the corners
And scratch out the names
And the truth of the matter
It's always the same
You dress for the sun
And down comes the rain
So you dress for the rain
And the sun's out again
And the angels are singing
They're blowing the cobwebs away
It's an old chain of familiar chores
And their hearts are really in it today
We ought to know better
We all come unstuck
And the best of us all
Are still riding on luck
It's as old as the weather
The one thing you know
You dress for the rain
And the wind starts to blow
So you brace for the wind
And down comes the snow
And the angels are singing
They're blowing the cobwebs away
It's an old chain of familiar chores
And their hearts are really in it today
Dress for the sun
Down comes the rain
So you dress for the rain
And the sun shines again
As old as the weather
It's always the same
You dress for the sun
And down comes the rain
The song "Angels Singing" by Orlando Weeks talks about the dying profession of gritting and the effect of climate change on the planet. The lyrics start with the mention of the dying profession of gritting and how tarmac can de-ice itself. The artist expresses his concern about living in a world where the B2116 doesn't need gritting. He then talks about how he does the local pavements and footpaths before it gets dark, and how he feels like some kind of seasonal hero when he's out during the day. He describes how on narrower roads, cars queue for hours behind him, and as they pass, they cheer him on, beep their horn, and flash their lights.
The chorus "And the angels are singing, They're blowing the cobwebs away, It's an old chain of familiar chores, And their hearts are really in it today" talks about the work of gritting as an old chain of familiar chores that the artists find comforting, and the angels singing is a metaphor for the feeling of making a difference and doing something good.
The second verse talks about the uncertainty of life, how we dress for one thing, and the opposite happens. We brace ourselves for one event, and the opposite happens. It's all just as old as the weather. The chorus gets repeated, emphasizing the comfort that something as mundane as gritting can bring.
The song is thought-provoking and has a deep meaning to it. It reminds us that mundane things that we often overlook can bring comfort and joy in life. The work of gritting is not something glamorous, but it's essential for the safety of the community in cold weather.
Line by Line Meaning
Gritting's a dying profession they tell me
The job of gritting roads is losing importance as technology advances.
The planet's heating up they say
Experts warn that the earth is getting warmer due to climate change.
I mean I've read somewhere that
There's a tarmac that can de-ice itself
Some new tarmac material has been developed that can remove ice without human intervention.
I'm not sure I wanna live in a world
Were the B2116 doesn't need gritting
The B2116 road no longer requiring gritting would indicate a dystopian future.
As a rule
I do the local pavements and footpaths before it gets dark
Can't start on the roads too early
Too much traffic about
The artist generally prioritizes sidewalks over roads for de-icing and avoids early morning traffic.
But sometimes, needs must
When I have been out during the day
I feel like some kind of seasonal hero
On the narrower roads the car's will queue for hours behind me
And then one by one
They drive past
Cheering from their window
Beeping their horn
Flashing their light
Keeps me going it does
The singer feels good when they're able to help de-ice roads and enjoys the support they receive from the people who cheer them on.
It's always the trouble
With loose links and chains
You pick out the corners
And scratch out the names
And the truth of the matter
It's always the same
There's always some difficulty with dealing with chain reactions, and the ultimate outcome is predictable.
You dress for the sun
And down comes the rain
So you dress for the rain
And the sun's out again
Life is unpredictable, and you must be prepared for both good and bad times.
And the angels are singing
They're blowing the cobwebs away
It's an old chain of familiar chores
And their hearts are really in it today
Despite the familiar nature of the task at hand, the artist feels uplifted and refreshed by the experience.
We ought to know better
We all come unstuck
And the best of us all
Are still riding on luck
As humans, we should be wiser, but we all face hardships, and even the most successful of us are subject to luck.
It's as old as the weather
The one thing you know
You dress for the rain
And the wind starts to blow
So you brace for the wind
And down comes the snow
The unpredictability of life is like the weather, always changing, and you must be ready for any situation.
Writer(s): Orlando Thomas Weeks
Contributed by Aubrey K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.