Hillage started out as a prog rocker, always leaning towards the more whimsical/ mystical side of things in his work with Gong (1973-1975). On going solo, he continued in a similar vein, fusing melodic elements with ambient soundscapes on albums such as "Green", "L", "Fish Rising" and most notably "Motivation Radio" and "Rainbow Dome Musick". One of the first to popularise electronic ambient sounds, his work was rediscovered by later electronic dance acts, giving Hillage a new lease of life as a performer/DJ in the 1990s following a successful stint as producer.
Famously name-checked in the 80s British sitcom "The Young Ones": hippie Neil's party is broken up by the police who crash into the house, bringing the music to an abrupt halt and scratching Neil's LP, causing him to lament "Oh no, Steve Hillage!".
System 7 is the dancefloor project of Steve Hillage and Miquette Giraudy. System 7 are not to be missed with nearing 20 years of experience after having spent much time learning the dance music vibe alongside THE ORB (see first few LPs by the orb). Steve had been visiting a chill out in a converted church squat in London, when he noticed excerpts from Rainbow dome music edited and effected into the live ambient vibes in the chill out. He approached the DJ/musicians who turned out to be The Orb. and as it happens Alex Patterson told Steve he dreamed of remixing rainbow dome music. Steve told Olex who he was and said he'd be happy to do one better and join in some studio colaborations with them and Steve's wife, Miquette. they contributed keyboards and that strange "glissando" guitar effect using bow on strings.
A further project by Steve (and Miqette) is Mirror System their set mixing psy, funk, jazz, and hip hop feels to a seamless and juicy chill out.
Open
Steve Hillage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna be you
??
Open
Communication, got to give it to you
You've got the inner eye,
You've got the power,
You've got the loving vibe,
You;ve got the reception,
???
You've got the spirit,
You've got the drive,
We've got the feeling,
We've got the feeling,
I wanna feel you..
I wanna be you..
??
Open
The lyrics to Steve Hillage's song Open seem to be about the desire for connection and communication with someone or something greater than oneself. The repetition of "I wanna feel you, I wanna be you" expresses a yearning for intimacy and unity with this other entity. Throughout the song, Hillage lists different qualities that this entity possesses - sunshine, inner eye, power, loving vibe, reception, spirit, and drive. Perhaps these are characteristics that the singer desires for himself, and sees in this other entity.
The line "Communication, got to give it to you" could be interpreted in a few different ways. On the surface, it could mean that the singer needs to improve their own communication skills in order to connect with this other entity. Alternatively, it could be a message directed towards the entity itself - a reminder that communication is a two-way street and that both parties need to be actively engaged in order to form a connection.
Overall, the lyrics to Open are somewhat abstract and open to interpretation. However, the repeated desire for connection and the acknowledgement of the other entity's positive qualities suggest a longing for something deeper and more meaningful than surface-level interactions.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna feel you,
Expresses a desire to have an emotional connection with someone.
I wanna be you
Wants to share the life experiences of an individual in order to form a better understanding of how they are.
Open
Emphasizes the importance of being receptive and willing to understand and listen to others.
Communication, got to give it to you
Clear, honest and open communication is necessary for understanding others.
You've got the sunshine,
Refers to a person's positive outlook or disposition.
You've got the inner eye,
Refers to a person's intuition and their ability to see things that aren't immediately apparent.
You've got the power,
A person has the ability to influence, control or change things around them.
You've got the loving vibe,
A person exudes warmth, kindness, and affection towards others.
You've got the reception,
A person is open and receptive to the ideas, opinions and feelings of others.
You've got the spirit,
A person has strong beliefs, convictions or attitudes which drive them forward.
You've got the drive,
A person is determined and motivated to achieve success or reach a goal.
We've got the feeling,
Shared emotions, feelings or experiences which help to bring individuals closer together.
I wanna feel you..
Reiterates the desire to connect with others on an emotional level.
I wanna be you..
Expresses the desire to understand and share experiences with those around them.
Contributed by Lauren F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TheMcmikerg
My favourite Hillage album. The bassist is loving it!
TheMcmikerg
@Paul Francis Bass Electric Upright Bass Player No probs, the bass is fantastic throughout this album ("Getting in Tune" is another fave). Steve always plays with great musicians - Joe Blocker (on "Green") can out-funk any of James Brown's drummers....
Paul Francis Bass Electric Upright Bass Player
TheMcmikerg Thanks for the compliment much appreciated!!
Cliff Carr
I bought this when it came out and still love it today just as much as I did then, a great testament to this incredible man and his band.
Paul Francis Bass Electric Upright Bass Player
Thanks for your comments Paul Francis Bass player
Paul Francis Bass Electric Upright Bass Player
Great tune, such a pleasure to be part of this project with Steve.Thanks for posting
Stephen Bolger
Put the album away every ten years, when you get it out again 10 years later it sounds even better!
Sander Vis
Used to play this from vinyl. Didn`t hear it for years until recently, surprised how good this still sounds
Purity Vendetta
I bought this album back when we used to pre order records. Sounds strange listening to a fab album titled Open and full of positivity while living in closed down, shut in, little england.
feduppelin
To toil in obscurity is the true meaning of toil