He released his first solo album, Voyage of the Acolyte, in 1975 while still with Genesis, and has maintained a steady output since. He is a distinctive and versatile guitarist who also performs classical concerts and has released five classical albums in addition to many rock, progressive, and blues albums. He participated in the 1986 formation of GTR with Steve Howe.
Hackett's tours alternate between acoustic performances (often accompanied by his brother John Hackett (flute) and Roger King (keyboards) as the Steve Hackett Acoustic Trio) and more rock-oriented performances.
In 2013, Hackett teamed up with bass player Chris Squire, founding member of Yes, to form Squackett.
* Official website
Weightless
Steve Hackett Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Circling slowly beneath the sky
Lone in the air and the world is turning
Looking the eagle straight in the eye
What goes up must come down
And you circle all around
On your own
You learn to swing
Over trees
In the clouds
It's a breeze
Blowing round
Leaving the ground and you're feeling weightless
To the sea sparkling in the sun
There's a beach and it's time for landing
But it seems that you've just begun
What goes up must come down
And you circle all around
On your own
You're seeing things in a dream
You learn to swing
Over trees
In the clouds
It's a breeze
Blowing round
I go down, I go down, I go down
I go down, I go down
On your own
You're seeing things in a dream
You learn to swing
Over trees
In the clouds
It's a breeze
Blowing round
The lyrics of the song "Weightless" by Steve Hackett can be interpreted in different ways. The verses describe the sensation of flying, represented by an eagle circling in the sky. The words "Far in the distance and way up high, Circling slowly beneath the sky, Lone in the air and the world is turning, Looking the eagle straight in the eye" suggest a detachment from the ground and a feeling of freedom that comes with being in the air. The repetition of the line "What goes up must come down" reminds us of the temporary nature of this sensation and the inevitability of returning to the ground. However, the chorus implies that even though it may come to an end, the experience of flying is worth it, as it allows one to see things from a unique perspective and opens up new possibilities.
The lines "On your own, you're seeing things in a dream, You learn to swing, Over trees, In the clouds, It's a breeze, Blowing round" indicate that the sense of weightlessness also comes with a sense of discovery and imagination. The rhythmic repetition of the words "I go down, I go down, I go down" could symbolize the return to reality or the end of the dreamlike state, but it could also represent the addictive quality of flying, making the listener crave for more.
Overall, "Weightless" is a song about the pleasure, excitement, and wonder of the experience of flying and the feeling of freedom it brings, while acknowledging the fleeting nature of it. It suggests that even though one may come down from the sky, the memory of the flight will stay with them forever.
Line by Line Meaning
Far in the distance and way up high
You are observing something from a great distance and high up in the air.
Circling slowly beneath the sky
You are moving consistently and slowly under the open sky.
Lone in the air and the world is turning
You are all by yourself in the air while the world continues to move.
Looking the eagle straight in the eye
You are confronting an eagle and making direct eye contact with it.
What goes up must come down
Anything that ascends must eventually fall back down.
And you circle all around
You are rotating or moving in a circular motion.
On your own
You are doing something alone, without the assistance of others.
You're seeing things in a dream
Your perception of reality is distorted or unrealistic, like in a dream.
You learn to swing
You acquire the ability to move back and forth on an object suspended from a fixed point.
Over trees
You are moving above or across trees.
In the clouds
You are situated among or moving through the clouds in the sky.
It's a breeze
The experience is easy, effortless and pleasant.
Blowing round
Moving in a circular motion due to the wind.
Leaving the ground and you're feeling weightless
You are lifting off from the ground and experiencing a lack of gravitational pull.
To the sea sparkling in the sun
You are descending towards the ocean which is shining brightly in the sunlight.
There's a beach and it's time for landing
You are approaching a sandy shore where you will soon touch down.
But it seems that you've just begun
The experience feels like it has only just started, despite nearing the end.
I go down, I go down, I go down
You are rapidly descending downwards.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STEVE HACKETT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ken Lyall
It is great how Steve became a better singer over the years. He was struggle in this album, but listen to him in the last 10 years or so, amazing...
itsgauravbee
I'm loving it
pajamasflannel
Jon Anderson should have sung this tune.
Steve
pajamasflannel : Agreed!! That’s so true. However Steve did it 👍🏼 ok on this one.
Scotty Dangerously
Sounds like a song about Superman or a Superman-wannabe