The band Phideaux comprises many friends who have known each other since early childhood. Each album is unique in sound and content of adventurous art rock music.
Phideaux creates mysterious and melodic music for the sheer love of it, independently releasing recordings which have been complimented for capturing the essence of classic rock music while remaining modern and distinctive.
They are inspired by mellotrons and flutes and keyboard heavy music but also love dual lead guitar and power chords. Syncopation and tricky time signatures are sometimes utilized but always there is melody to be hummed and riffs to invade your ears and mind. The lyrics tell stories, sometimes clearly, sometimes abstrusely, but always with an intent to spark an image or metaphor.
discography
1993: Friction
2003: Fiendish
2004: Ghost Story
2005: Chupacabras
2005: 313
2006: The Great Leap
2007: Doomsday Afternoon
2009: Number Seven
2011: Snowtorch -and- 7½
2012: Infernal
Headstones
Phideaux Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a chicken heading for the knife
Inside the farmer's pen
Most of me was left behind
In school where I first learnt to write
With my father's pen
Mighty was the sword I thrust
And secrets gave away
I was young and juvenile
Inferno hot and volatile
I had so much to say
And the children in the park are playing
Suspiciously they look to me
Like headstones in a graveyard swaying
Sometimes it is hard to see
That all we have is what we need
I'm always wanting more
When you're lost with no one else
It doesn't help to find yourself
It helps to find the door
And the children in the park are playing
And the headstones are silently waiting
History is littered with
Has-beens who have never lived
Do not look away
This could be your destiny
Unless you learn that you are free
And leave behind the chains
And the children in the grace are playing
And the headstones are the only thing staying...
The lyrics of Phideaux's song Headstones convey a sense of disillusionment with life and a struggle for freedom. The opening lines, "I've been running all my life, like a chicken heading for the knife," set the tone for the rest of the song, which describes a sense of being trapped and unable to escape. The metaphor of the chicken heading for slaughter in the farmer's pen is a powerful one, implying a sense of being trapped and unable to escape even in the face of danger. The singer goes on to describe how most of them was left behind in school, where they first learned to write with their father's pen. This creates a sense of nostalgia for a simpler time when one was more innocent and carefree, without the burdens and responsibilities of adult life.
The song then shifts to talking about the singer's youthful ambitions and idealism. The line "mighty was the sword I thrust, until the words betrayed my trust" appears to be a reference to the power of words and how they can sometimes undermine one's original intentions. The singer expresses frustration that their youthful passions and energy were not enough to achieve their goals, and that they were ultimately sabotaged by their own words and actions. The line "And the children in the park are playing, suspiciously they look to me, like headstones in a graveyard swaying" seems to convey a sense of alienation and disconnection from the world around them, as if the singer no longer belongs in the world of carefree innocence that the children represent.
Overall, the song Headstones speaks to the struggle to find meaning and purpose in life, and to escape the traps of youth and naivety. The references to headstones and graveyards create a sense of finality and inevitability, as if the singer is resigned to a fate that they cannot escape. However, the song also implies that there is still hope, and that one can break free from the chains that bind them and find a way to live a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Line by Line Meaning
I've been running all my life
I have been constantly moving and avoiding things all my life.
Like a chicken heading for the knife
I have been as helpless as a chicken going to be slaughtered.
Inside the farmer's pen
I am trapped inside a controlled environment.
Most of me was left behind
A lot of my personal identity has been sacrificed.
In school where I first learnt to write
My first experience with writing was in school.
With my father's pen
My father provided the tool for my first experience with writing.
Mighty was the sword I thrust
I felt powerful and knowledgeable when I first started writing.
Until the words betrayed my trust
However, my trust in language was ultimately shattered.
And secrets gave away
My personal secrets and vulnerabilities were exposed.
I was young and juvenile
I was young and inexperienced.
Inferno hot and volatile
I was very emotional and unstable.
I had so much to say
I had a lot of thoughts and opinions to express.
And the children in the park are playing
While I was struggling to develop my own identity, children around me played without concern.
Suspiciously they look to me
The children seem to be wary and untrusting of me.
Like headstones in a graveyard swaying
The children's wary glances remind me of headstones that sway in the wind.
Sometimes it is hard to see
It can be difficult to understand what is actually important versus what we want.
That all we have is what we need
We must recognize that we only need what is necessary to sustain our lives.
I'm always wanting more
I am never satisfied with what I have and am constantly seeking more.
When you're lost with no one else
When we are lacking direction and support from others,
It doesn't help to find yourself
we cannot always rely on simply finding ourselves to solve our problems.
It helps to find the door
Rather, it is important to find a way out and move forward.
History is littered with
Throughout time, many people have been lost and have not lived up to their potential.
Has-beens who have never lived
People who have allowed themselves to be caught up in societal expectations and have not truly lived.
Do not look away
We must confront this reality and not turn a blind eye.
This could be your destiny
We must recognize that we could potentially fall into this same pattern if we are not careful.
Unless you learn that you are free
However, we can avoid this fate by recognizing that we are free to make our own choices.
And leave behind the chains
We can break free from societal constraints by leaving behind societal expectations.
And the headstones are silently waiting
The heavy silence of headstones serves as a reminder that we must live our lives fully before our time runs out.
Contributed by Joseph H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Arjen Anthony Lucassen
AMAZING track! Makes me cry ... every time :-)