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))).
Angels Of Ashes
Scott Walker Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Will give back your passions
Again and again
Their light shafts
Will reach through the darkness
And touch you my friend
And blind you with wings
Wrapped in flame
If you're down to an echo
They just might remember
Your name
In the unbroken darkness
Where emptiness empties
Alone
There's no starting or stopping
Where there is no right or
No wrong
Well that's all right for some
Who can hang the absurd
On their wall
If your blind hands can't grope
Through these measureless waters
You'll fall
You've been following patterns
And fleeting sensations
Too long
And the fullness that fills up
The pulse of durations
Is gone
Let the great constellation
Of flickering ashes
Be heard
Let them burn with a fire
All it takes to confess
Is a word, just a word
I can recommend angels
I've watched as they've made a man strong
Oh so strong
If your humbleness shows
Then I'm sure that they'll take you
Along
You can tell them who sent you
It might help to get you
Above
You can say that he laughed
And he walked like St. Francis
With love
The song Angels of Ashes by Scott Walker is a reflection on the human condition in the face of darkness and emptiness. The lyrics speak to the idea that there is a higher power, represented by the "Angels of Ashes," that can reignite passion and restore purpose to those who feel lost. The use of metaphorical descriptions like "light shafts" and "mind dance" paint an ethereal picture of the angels, suggesting that they exist in another realm beyond our own. However, the lyrics also acknowledge the challenges of seeking connection with this higher power, as it requires a willingness to accept the unknown and relinquish control.
Line by Line Meaning
The Angels of Ashes
Will give back your passions
Again and again
The Angels of Ashes will restore your passions and desires repeatedly.
Their light shafts
Will reach through the darkness
And touch you my friend
The angels' light will penetrate the darkness and connect with you.
They'll fly in a mind dance
And blind you with wings
Wrapped in flame
The angels will dance in your mind and overwhelm you with their fiery wings.
If you're down to an echo
They just might remember
Your name
Even if you are barely noticeable, the angels might still acknowledge you by name.
In the unbroken darkness
Where emptiness empties
Alone
When there is complete darkness and emptiness, you are often alone.
There's no starting or stopping
Where there is no right or
No wrong
Without clarity or guidance of right and wrong, you do not know where to begin or end.
Well that's all right for some
Who can hang the absurd
On their wall
Some can accept the irrational and display it on their walls as art.
If your blind hands can't grope
Through these measureless waters
You'll fall
If you cannot navigate through the vast unknowns, you may falter and lose your way.
You've been following patterns
And fleeting sensations
Too long
You've been chasing familiarity and temporary pleasures for a prolonged period.
And the fullness that fills up
The pulse of durations
Is gone
The fullness that once fueled your passion and drive is now gone.
Let the great constellation
Of flickering ashes
Be heard
Allow the array of decay and rubble to be recognized and appreciated.
Let them burn with a fire
All it takes to confess
Is a word, just a word
Let the ashes ignite with emotion and only require a simple admission to liberate oneself.
I can recommend angels
I've watched as they've made a man strong
Oh so strong
I can attest to the effectiveness of angels in bolstering and strengthening a person.
If your humbleness shows
Then I'm sure that they'll take you
Along
If you exhibit humility, the angels will likely accompany you on your journey.
You can tell them who sent you
It might help to get you
Above
You can inform the angels of who sent you, which could benefit you in the future.
You can say that he laughed
And he walked like St. Francis
With love
You can describe the sender as someone who exudes love and positivity, akin to Saint Francis.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SCOTT ENGEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@googleaccountjki993
The Angels of Ashes
Will give back your passions
Again and again
Their light shafts
Will reach through the darkness
And touch you my friend
They'll fly in a mind dance
And blind you with wings
Wrapped in flame
If you're down to an echo
They just might remember
Your name
In the unbroken darkness
Where emptiness empties
Alone
There's no starting or stopping
Where there is no right or
No wrong
Well that's all right for some
Who can hang the absurd
On their wall
If your blind hands can't grope
Through these measureless waters
You'll fall
You've been following patterns
And fleeting sensations
Too long
And the fullness that fills up
The pulse of durations
Is gone
Let the great constellation
Of flickering ashes
Be heard
Let them burn with a fire
All it takes to confess
Is a word, just a word
I can recommend angels
I've watched as they've made a man strong
Oh so strong
If your humbleness shows
Then I'm sure that they'll take you
Along
You can tell them who sent you
It might help to get you
Above
You can say that he laughed
And he walked like St. Francis
With love
@johngreenfield4555
Guy was an unconscious genius! So beautiful to listen to!
@jackgeitz1548
once again...the genius and talent of this ultra-sensitive man shines through...Scott 4 blew my world apart in Hobart Tasmania in 1969, I'm now 70, and this album has never lost its appeal or worth, it is timeless. Wish the rotten BBC had never destroyed the tapes of his TV show.....
@eddythefan
WTF WHY did B.B.C do that atrocity ???
@xiropigado
Every Scott Walker song effects me, the beauty, the sadness, the emotion, His songs take your breathe away.
@johnanthony9313
This is the one...the song that must accompany me to the beyond. Thanks Scott, you were always the best.
@samandjennysambrook
A god given gift, what a voice. We have lost another genius. RIP Scott. X
@davidjose4140
RIP Scott. This is my favorite song of all time. It is difficult to live in a world without your presence.
@madelinemitchell104
I was missing him as soon as I heard. Like Bowie, he's left a void that no one else could ever fill.
@johnanthony9313
Yes Jose Scott demonstrated what human performance can reach. Be glad we still have his recordings.
@supersteveworld
Can’t think of a better song. Beautiful.