Te… Read Full Bio ↴Terry Devine-King is a leading composer in the television world.
Terry was formerly an experienced performer and player with groups ranging from The Cutting Crew to The Style Council
His credits includes commercials for Guinness, Rover, Citroen, Orange, Daily Telegraph and Barclays, as well as numerous TV documentaries.
He is a founding composer shareholder of Audio Network .
Night Watch
Terry Devine-King Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The watch before the city gates depicted in their prime
That golden light all grimy now
Three hundred years have passed
The worthy Captain and his squad of troopers standing fast
The artist knew their faces well
The husbands of his lady friendsHis creditors and councilors
In armor bright, the merchant men
Official moments of the guild
In poses keen from bygone days
The city fathers frozen there
Upon the canvas dark with age
The smell of paint, a flask of wine
And turn those faces all to me
The blunderbuss and halberd-shaft
And Dutch respectability
They make their entrance one by one
Defenders of that way of life
The redbrick home, the bourgeoisie
Guitar lessons for the wife
So many years we suffered here
Our country racked with Spanish wars
Now comes a chance to find ourselves
And quiet reigns behind our doors
We think about posterity again
And so the pride of little men
The burghers good and true
Still living through the painter's hand
Request you all to understand
The lyrics of Terry Devine-King's song "Night Watch" paint a vivid picture of a historical scene. The song refers to the famous painting "The Night Watch" by Rembrandt, which depicts a group of guards and city officials in Amsterdam during the 17th century. The first verse conveys the contrast between the current state of the painting, which has become grimy and aged over three hundred years, and the original depiction of the guards standing proudly before the city gates.
The second verse delves into the relationship between the artist and the subjects of the painting. The artist intimately knows the faces of the guards, as they are the husbands of his lady friends, his creditors, and councilors. The image of the merchant men in shining armor also highlights the influence of economic power in society during that time.
The lyrics then mention the significant moments captured in the painting, such as the official gatherings of the guild, and the frozen representation of the city fathers. The scent of paint and the presence of wine add a sensory dimension to the artist's process. The mention of the blunderbuss and halberd-shaft alludes to the weaponry and respectable nature of the Dutch citizens.
The final verse explores the historical context of the painting. The suffering endured by the country during the Spanish wars is mentioned, but now the chance for peace and self-reflection has come, symbolized by the quiet reigning behind closed doors. The phrase "We think about posterity again" suggests that the painting aims to commemorate and preserve the legacy of these men for future generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Shine, shine, the light of good works shine
Let the brilliance and impact of our noble actions be radiant
The watch before the city gates depicted in their prime
The painting portrays the guards positioned at the city gates during their most glorious era
That golden light all grimy now
The once bright and glorious scene has now become tarnished and dirty
Three hundred years have passed
Centuries have gone by
The worthy Captain and his squad of troopers standing fast
The honorable Captain and his loyal soldiers enduring steadfastly
The artist knew their faces well
The painter was intimately familiar with their appearances
The husbands of his lady friends
These were the spouses of the painter's female acquaintances
His creditors and councilors
Those to whom he owed money and his advisors
In armor bright, the merchant men
The wealthy merchants depicted in shining armor
Official moments of the guild
Genuine and formal occasions of the society
In poses keen from bygone days
Striking and expressive stances from the past
The city fathers frozen there
The revered leaders of the town captured and preserved within the painting
Upon the canvas dark with age
On the aging and slightly discolored canvas
The smell of paint, a flask of wine
The aroma of fresh paint and the presence of a bottle of wine
And turn those faces all to me
Direct your attention to those faces in the painting
The blunderbuss and halberd-shaft
The musket and the weapon consisting of an ax blade fused with a long shaft
And Dutch respectability
Representing the high moral and social standards of the Dutch people
They make their entrance one by one
Each character is introduced sequentially
Defenders of that way of life
Protectors of their traditional lifestyle
The redbrick home, the bourgeoisie
Symbolizing the comfortable middle-class lifestyle
Guitar lessons for the wife
Even the wife indulges in musical education
So many years we suffered here
We endured countless years of hardship in this place
Our country racked with Spanish wars
Our nation was tormented by conflicts with the Spanish
Now comes a chance to find ourselves
Now we have an opportunity to rediscover our identity
And quiet reigns behind our doors
Peacefulness prevails within our households
We think about posterity again
We contemplate the future generations once more
And so the pride of little men
Consequently, the arrogance of ordinary individuals
The burghers good and true
The honorable and honest townspeople
Still living through the painter's hand
Continuing to exist through the artist's portrayal
Request you all to understand
Politely asking everyone to comprehend
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Francis Cross, James Richard William Palmer, John Kenneth Wetton, Richard William Palmer James, Robert Fripp, William Scott Bruford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Salran
on Final level - Triangulum
Overcooked!
Final level
Terry Devine-King
Salran
on Final level - Triangulum
Overcooked!