Back in the 70's, when there was no MTV, real music fans went 'underground' digging for gold, and found bands like String Driven Thing. Fronted by Glaswegians Chris & Pauline Adams, they were part of the famed Charisma stable, alongside Genesis, Lindisfarne & Van Der Graaf Generator and by the time they split in ‘74, they'd released three cult albums, the last of which, 'The Machine That Cried' was hailed at the time as a “staggering achievement” by the Guardian’s rock critic, Martin Walker.
The 90's saw occasional String Driven reunions, one of which was recorded for posterity ['$uicide Live in Berlin']. while Chris' rare German solo album ['The Damage'] also surfaced on the esoteric Ozit label. But behind the scenes, his sons were growing up, infected by the same old music bug, and gradually he was drawn back into performing. Now comes the Thing's first studio album in 30 years. Entitled 'Moments of Truth', it features ex Zydeco Ceilidh Band rhythm section Andy Allan and Dick Drake, guitars from sons Robin and Mervyn and banjo mandolin and bottleneck from George Tucker of the Berlin lineup. During the pre-launch period, they did a series of warm up gigs, featuring material old and new. Anyone lucky enough to catch them soon realised that acoustic folk this is definitely not.
The House
String Driven Thing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into the trees
And then I saw the house
And the rollercoaster takes you through the years
To the times we spent, when all our tears were always tears of joy
And you're standing in a room where no one looks
And you feel the past behind you as the breeze upon your neck
Will brush your tears away
And the scent of summer hangs upon the air
And you hear the sound of children as they play among the grass
Ain't it strange to hear that voice
Never thought I'd hear that voice again
And the rollercoaster takes you through the years
To the times we spent, when all our tears were always tears of joy
And you're standing in a room where no one looks
And you feel the past behind you as the breeze upon your neck
The song 'The House' by String Driven Thing is a beautiful ode to nostalgia and the memories of happier times. The opening lines "I love the traffic, into the trees / And then I saw the house" describe the feeling of going back to a place from the past, where everything is familiar and comforting. The rollercoaster mentioned in the lyrics is a metaphor to describe the emotional journey of reminiscing about past memories. The lyrics then describe the joyous times spent in this house with people who were likely close to the singer.
As the song progresses, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of the natural surroundings of the house. The "branches hanging down to the ground" and the "scent of summer" evoke the feeling of being in a lush and peaceful environment. The sound of children playing is also mentioned, highlighting the innocence and carefree nature of those times. The line "And you hear the sound of children as they play among the grass" emphasizes the idea of the singer being an observer, looking at these memories from a distance.
The final part of the song talks about hearing a familiar voice, which the singer thought they would never hear again. This could be a reference to a lost loved one or a friend, and the rollercoaster ride of emotions continues as they are transported back to memories of this person. The song ends with the same chorus, reminding us of the bittersweet nature of reminiscing about the past.
Line by Line Meaning
I love the traffic
I enjoy the rush of life and energy that can be found in populated areas
Into the trees
But sometimes I need to escape that urban environment and immerse myself in nature
And then I saw the house
And there, in the middle of the woods, I came across an unexpected sight
And the rollercoaster takes you through the years
As I explore this house and its surroundings, memories flood back to me from different points in my life
To the times we spent, when all our tears were always tears of joy
I am reminded of a time when everything seemed so simple and perfect, and even our sadness was tinged with happiness
And you're standing in a room where no one looks
As I stand in a quiet room, it feels like the unobserved corners of my mind are being exposed to the light
And you feel the past behind you as the breeze upon your neck
I feel a sense of nostalgia and a longing for what has already happened, as tangible as the wind on my skin
And the branches hanging down to the ground
As I walk outside again, the trees seem to offer me solace and a gentle touch
Will brush your tears away
Nature has the power to heal and soothe the troubles of the heart
And the scent of summer hangs upon the air
The atmosphere is heady with the perfume of the season, evocative and powerful
And you hear the sound of children as they play among the grass
A sound that is both simple and complex, reminding me of the carefree joy of youth and the fleeting nature of time
Ain't it strange to hear that voice
I am surprised and caught off guard to hear a particular voice from my past
Never thought I'd hear that voice again
The sound of this voice is a memory I thought I had lost forever
Contributed by Juliana R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.