Originally coming to fame in the mid-1960s singing orchestral pop ballads as the frontman of The Walker Brothers, Walker went on to a solo career balancing a light entertainment/MOR ballad approach with increasing artistic innovations in arrangement and writing. Despite a series of acclaimed albums, a disastrous drop in sales forced him back into straight Middle of the road recordings with little of his own artistic input. This in turn eventually led to a Walker Brothers reunion in the mid-1970s (although the latter eventually moved, by mutual consent, into more avant-garde areas).
From the mid-1980s, Walker revived his solo career while drastically reinventing his artistic and compositional methods, via a series of acclaimed and vividly avant-garde albums. These combined his iconic voice with an unsettling avant-garde approach which owed more to modernist and post-modernist classical composition than to his pop singer past. This change in approach has been compared to "Andy Williams reinventing himself as Stockhausen".
Walker has been a continuing influence on other artists, in particular The Last Shadow Puppets, Marc Almond, Goldfrapp, Douglas Pearce of the band Death in June, Billy MacKenzie of The Associates, David Sylvian, Julian Cope, Antony Hegarty, Thom Yorke, Steven Wilson, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Trey Spruance, Perry Blake, Radiohead, Noah Lennox, Mikael Åkerfeldt, and the Divine Comedy/Neil Hannon.
Walker continued to release solo material until his death, and was signed to 4AD Records. As a record producer or guest performer he worked with a number of artists including Pulp, Ute Lemper, Bat For Lashes and Sunn O))).
All His Children
Scott Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the mountain and the ski
When the arms of the world open wide
Well, the trick is that plain as a falling rain
And you're sure as the time and the tide
You see, we're all His children, His next of kin-
That's the way it began
You are the family of Man
When you walk down a road
And the sun is on your side
With the sweet river breathes on your face
When you don't hear a sound, as you look around
Everything are to fall into place
You see, we're all His children, His next of kin-
That's the way it began
No matter where you're going, or where you been-
You're part of the family of Man
You see, we're all His children, His next of kin-
That's the way it began
No matter where you're going, or where you been-
You're part of the family of Man
The lyrics of Scott Walker's "All His Children" reflects a peaceful imagery of being surrounded by mountains and nature which is a metaphor for God's generosity and magnificence. In the first verse, he describes how one can feel small and isolated while standing in front of a towering mountain, but then realizes with uplifting certainty that the whole universe is open to embrace them. The metaphor of rain falling is used to convey the message that God's love is bountiful and all-encompassing. In the second verse, Walker suggests how walking on a road, being blessed by the sun's warmth and the cool breeze from a river, one can experience a moment of clarity that everything falls into place. The lyrics emphasize how seeing the divine presence in nature and its inherent rhythm can connect one to a larger reality that sustains everyone.
As the song progresses, Walker's message becomes more explicit. He states that all humans are God's children and part of the family of man. The lyrics convey a sense of togetherness and unity that transcends all boundaries. The phrase "next of kin" suggests a familial bond, a sense of belonging that unites us as one. There is an underlying message of universal brotherhood that is woven throughout the song, and the idea that all humans will return to the same source is emphasized. The lyrics are a reminder that despite cultural, geographical, and linguistic differences, humans share a common bond that unites them all under the umbrella of existence.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're standing alone
Even when you feel solitary
With the mountain and the ski
In nature's vast and majestic splendor
When the arms of the world open wide
When the world presents itself as welcoming
Well, the trick is that plain as a falling rain
The solution is incredibly simple
And you're sure as the time and the tide
You can be certain of its effectiveness
You see, we're all His children, His next of kin-
We are all God's creations, related to one another in some way
That's the way it began
Our shared ancestry is how it started
No matter were you're going, or where you been-
Regardless of your past or future experiences
You are the family of Man
You are a member of humanity
When you walk down a road
During any journey in life
And the sun is on your side
When life feels optimistic and bright
With the sweet river breathes on your face
Nature surrounds you and offers comfort
When you don't hear a sound, as you look around
In moments of tranquility and calm
Everything are to fall into place
Everything begins to make sense
You're part of the family of Man
You are a member of the human race
Contributed by Muhammad B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sararichmond8476
I played this to my young students one lesson. They were knocked sideways and said they'd never heard anything like it before. The looks on their faces! They also couldn't believe I was actually there when this was first released.! Unreal piece of music.💟
@xiropigado
Excellent comment Sara, all of us who lived in those years were so privileged to have experienced his magic.
@regdwight235
BEAUTIFUL .
I am going to miss the mystery ,the mastery and the complexity of this musical genius .
Walker for me epitomises everything an artist should be.
What a journey it was and luckily his music lives on
Thank you so much .
RIP Scott
@davidskeeterskeeter1835
Beautifully put my friend,,Respect,👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇬🇧
@davidjazay9248
I feel the same. He opened doors we yet have to step through.
@dparker7014
RIP Scott Walker. Thank you for such beautiful music.
@ivdk1
D Parker never, ever heard such a beautiful song for the first time in my life. What a hidden treasure. RIP Noël, RIP Scott
@Twyfall
Am I the only one completely and utterly haunted by whatever it is making that backing melody? The intro, truly spectral
@gryphonrue
I too would really like some insight into the backing melody. I can here some chords held by a string ensemble...
@jonathanbohman5069
Cimbalom