After having been asked to leave the group by Robert Fripp, Sinfield continued to be active in the progressive rock scene. He produced Roxy Music's first album Roxy Music, and later recorded a solo album, Still, in 1973. The album was later reissued on CD with additional tracks as Stillusion. He then turned up providing lyrics for fellow Crimson alumnus Greg Lake in Emerson, Lake and Palmer, as well as others like Italian progressive rock group PFM and former Procol Harum singer/pianist Gary Brooker.
Latterly, he has worked in the pop music field. For example, he wrote the lyrics to "The Land of Make Believe" by Bucks Fizz and "Think Twice" for Celine Dion. He has also written lyrics for another Crimson alumnus, David Cross.
Sinfield's best known work is the lyrics for the "atheist" Christmas song "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake in 1977 which has now become a Christmas standard.
Envelopes of Yesterday
Peter Sinfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You stole my cloudy castles but you didn't say what for
You said I didn't have the eyes to paint out in the street
Without a standard martyr's hat and neon sloganned feet
To eat, it seems, I needed you for crumbs your need was me
We cheered and passed the sanguine flask till the iceman made me see
At five o'clock you could never wash your printer's stain away
So I count you lost and your words I've tossed
I feel like a tumbling kite there's no hand on my reel
I dived aboard your star-bright ship to find you'd left the wheel
To hunt some upstart passengers who had gambled with their fare
Then trumpeted the hull with holes and laughing gone by air
Whilst most of us who stayed aboard slipped brandy to the crew
John Purser locked his iron box and pointed at the queue
Still working out the price of time no echoes will we lay
So I've burnt the till and I've thrown the bills
In the weary envelopes of yesterday
I need to suck the breasts of time and freeze her milk in ink
To juggle cruets full of dreams and balance on the brink
Don't blame me if my smoke and steam obscured your rutted track
I only meant to startle you not offer you my back
To ride upon and overload with your jars of unbaked clay
You can find your guide to the pulpit ride
in the dreary envelopes of yesterday
I'm upside down I'm an empty town my eyes are full of ghost
Of dusty windowed certainty and spider-webbed almost
I love, I hate this rock and roll the ladies and the lights
Ate all my flowers long ago but the roots came through all right
Whilst now my toast is the crossroads post, I hear just out of sight
That the Black Pick's found his Chaldean lamp
After years in a concentration camp
But I fear he's still out on the ice
With his bagpipe mouth and his cup of crimson speiss
Still, I've fulfilled a host of dreams for that I'll cry hurray
But it won't be long till I cast this song
In the jet-edged envelopes…
In Peter Sinfield's song "Envelopes of Yesterday," the singer seems to feel lost and displaced. He compares himself to a rusty key that doesn't fit any door, illustrating his feeling of being out of place. The singer references someone who stole his "cloudy castles," but doesn't explain why. He proceeds to say that this person said he didn't have the eyes to paint out in the street without a standard martyr's hat and neon sloganned feet. This implies that the singer has been judged or criticized for not fitting a certain mold. However, despite his need for crumbs, he sees that the relationship was one-sided and the need was not mutual. The singer then meets the iceman, a symbol of reality, who makes him see the truth of his situation. He counts this person as lost and has thrown their words into the bleary envelopes of yesterday, implying that he has moved on.
The singer then feels like a tumbling kite and says that he dived aboard someone else's star-bright ship only to find out they had left the wheel to hunt some upstart passengers who had gambled with their fare. This signifies that someone had taken control of his life only to abandon it when they found other people to take advantage of. The singer suggests that those who stayed aboard slipped brandy to the crew, implying that they were complacent in their situation. John Purser locked his iron box and pointed at the queue, symbolizing his control over and disregard for the others. The singer mentions that they are still working out the price of time and that they've burnt the till and thrown the bills in the weary envelopes of yesterday.
Overall, the song seems to be a reflection of a series of negative experiences where the singer has been taken advantage of and left to feel displaced. The lyrics and symbols used are strong and allow the listener to connect to the emotions that are being described.
Line by Line Meaning
I feel like a rusty key I don't fit any door
I feel outdated and out of place, unable to find a sense of belonging.
You stole my cloudy castles but you didn't say what for
You took something of mine without explanation or justification.
You said I didn't have the eyes to paint out in the street
You criticized my ability to express myself creatively.
Without a standard martyr's hat and neon sloganned feet
Unless I conform to certain expectations, I am not considered worthy or important.
To eat, it seems, I needed you for crumbs your need was me
We had a mutually beneficial relationship, but it was not based on genuine care or love.
We cheered and passed the sanguine flask till the iceman made me see
We enjoyed each other's company until reality set in and forced me to see things more clearly.
At five o'clock you could never wash your printer's stain away
No matter how hard you try, you cannot escape your mistakes or your past.
So I count you lost and your words I've tossed in the bleary envelopes of yesterday
I have let go of you and your words, and moved on from the past.
I feel like a tumbling kite there's no hand on my reel
I am lost and directionless, without someone to guide or support me.
I dived aboard your star-bright ship to find you'd left the wheel
I trusted you and followed you, only to find that you were not in control of the situation.
To hunt some upstart passengers who had gambled with their fare
You pursued those who had taken risks, perhaps out of envy or spite.
Then trumpeted the hull with holes and laughing gone by air
You caused damage and destruction, and left without remorse or responsibility.
Whilst most of us who stayed aboard slipped brandy to the crew
Those of us who stayed behind tried to make the most of a bad situation, by finding solace in small pleasures.
John Purser locked his iron box and pointed at the queue
Someone took precautions and warned others of the impending danger.
Still working out the price of time no echoes will we lay
We are still figuring out the value of our experiences, but it feels like no one will listen or acknowledge them.
So I've burnt the till and I've thrown the bills in the weary envelopes of yesterday
I have gotten rid of the past and all its reminders, leaving behind only a sense of tiredness and fatigue.
I need to suck the breasts of time and freeze her milk in ink
I want to capture and preserve the essence of time, to make it last and to cherish it.
To juggle cruets full of dreams and balance on the brink
I want to navigate the challenges of life, while holding onto my aspirations and ideals.
Don't blame me if my smoke and steam obscured your rutted track
Do not hold me responsible if my actions or ideas have made it difficult for you to follow your own path.
I only meant to startle you not offer you my back
I did not intend to hinder or betray you, but rather to provoke or inspire you.
To ride upon and overload with your jars of unbaked clay
To burden me with your unfulfilled plans and ambitions, without regard for my own aspirations.
You can find your guide to the pulpit ride in the dreary envelopes of yesterday
You can find someone else to support you and guide you, as I have moved on.
I'm upside down I'm an empty town my eyes are full of ghost
I am confused and directionless, haunted by memories and emotions from the past.
Of dusty windowed certainty and spider-webbed almost
Of ideas and beliefs that are outdated and unclear, and of aspirations that are barely within reach.
I love, I hate this rock and roll the ladies and the lights
I have conflicting feelings and opinions about the lifestyle and culture associated with music and entertainment.
Ate all my flowers long ago but the roots came through all right
The indulgences and excesses of the past have taken a toll, but I have managed to find resilience and hope within myself.
Whilst now my toast is the crossroads post, I hear just out of sight
I am at a pivotal moment in my life, unsure of which direction to take, but with a sense that help or opportunity may be nearby.
That the Black Pick's found his Chaldean lamp after years in a concentration camp
Someone who has faced great adversity has found the inspiration or guidance they need to move forward.
But I fear he's still out on the ice, with his bagpipe mouth and his cup of crimson speiss
Despite some progress, there is still a risk of being stuck or lost, because of one's own limitations or bad habits.
Still, I've fulfilled a host of dreams for that I'll cry hurray
Despite the challenges and uncertainties, I have achieved some of what I set out to do, and I am proud and grateful for that.
But it won't be long till I cast this song in the jet-edged envelopes…
But soon enough, I will move on and create something new, leaving the past behind in a definitive way.
Contributed by Declan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.