The music of The Blue Nile is built heavily on synthesizers and electronic instrumentation and percussion, although later works have featured acoustic guitar more prominently. Despite the "coldness" often associated with the use of such electronic instruments, The Blue Nile has managed to create music that is deeply emotional, and a lot of this has to do with the plaintive vocals of lead singer Paul Buchanan, whom critics have often compared to Peter Gabriel. The lyrics are often stream-of-consciousness descriptions of feelings and environments, which heighten the drama of the compositions, which are as much soundscapes as they are songs.
The band was formed when friends Buchanan and Paul Joseph Moore met Robert Bell shortly after graduating from the University of Glasgow in the late 1970s. Their debut album A Walk Across the Rooftops was the result of a request from the Linn Company to test a newly built recording studio!
The rare, later albums - which include acclaimed titles like Hats (1989) - have been released by the Scottish high end hifi company Linn and feature exceptional sound and production values.
Heatwave
The Blue Nile Lyrics
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You are pretending love is worth waiting for
You always breathe another air
The rivers in the distance must be leading somewhere
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or poor ?
Heatwave
Can this be all we will desire ?
Straw houses in the promised land
Why is it time for taking sides ?
When all I say and do is take too many chances
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
Heatwave
Will I tell you ?
Will you listen ?
If I tell you, what will happen ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or are we poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
In a heatwave
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or are we poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
In a heatwave
The Blue Nile's song Heatwave is a poignant reflection on the human condition in a world filled with chaos, confusion, and uncertainty. The opening lines "You live beneath another star/You are pretending love is worth waiting for" hint at a sense of dislocation and alienation from the surrounding world. The singer's desire for love and connection is compromised by his or her sense of being different and paralyzing doubts.
As the song progresses, the singer observes the world from a distance, seeing the "rivers in the distance" that "must be leading somewhere." The refrain "Heatwave, Heatwave" and the repeated question "Are we rich or poor?/Does it matter anymore?" suggest a sense of urgency and confusion about the world's state. There is also a sense of the singer's own lack of agency and control as they plead "Will I tell you?/Will you listen?/If I tell you, what will happen?" The song's melancholic mood is accentuated by the sparse instrumentation and the soulful, emotive vocal performance.
Heatwave is a compelling song about the human condition and the complexities of living in an imperfect world. Through its evocative lyrics and subdued musical arrangement, the song invites the listener to reflect on their place in the world, their values and desires, and the uncertain future that awaits us all.
Line by Line Meaning
You live beneath another star
You are from a different place - a different world altogether.
You are pretending love is worth waiting for
You are faking it, pretending that you believe love is worth the wait.
You always breathe another air
You are living a totally different life and seeing things differently.
The rivers in the distance must be leading somewhere
The things that you are thinking about and that are drawing you away must be leading somewhere important.
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish?
The heatwave is symbolic of something much larger that is affecting the unwise and inexperienced who do not know how to deal with it.
Are we rich or poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
It does not matter if we are rich or poor since the heatwave is affecting everyone the same way.
Heatwave
Can this be all we will desire ?
The heatwave makes us question if this is really all that we want.
Straw houses in the promised land
Even in the promised land, we may not have everything that we desire - it may be a facade.
Why is it time for taking sides ?
Why are we forcing people to choose sides in this crisis?
When all I say and do is take too many chances
Even though I know better, I still take unnecessary risks.
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
The young and inexperienced are suffering the most during this crisis.
Are we rich or poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
The heatwave is indifferent to wealth - it is affecting everyone the same way.
Heatwave
Will I tell you ?
Will you listen ?
If I tell you, what will happen ?
I am not sure if it will do any good to tell you how I am feeling - will you even care? And, even if you listen, will it really make a difference?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
The ineffective and foolish are suffering the most during this crisis.
Are we rich or are we poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
Wealth has no bearing on the crisis.
In a heatwave
This is all happening during a heatwave.
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
The young and inexperienced are disproportionately affected by the crisis.
Are we rich or are we poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
The crisis does not care about wealth - it is affecting everyone the same way.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Songtrust Ave
Written by: PAUL GERARD BUCHANAN, ROBERT BELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nathan M Jr
You live beneath another star
You are pretending love is worth waiting for
You always breathe another air
The rivers in the distance must be leading somewhere
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
Heatwave
Can this be all we will desire ?
Straw houses in the promised land
Why is it time for taking sides ?
When all I say and do is take too many chances
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
Heatwave
Will I tell you ?
Will you listen ?
If I tell you, what will happen ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or are we poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
In a heatwave
Heatwave, Heatwave
Why is it rolling down on the young and foolish ?
Heatwave, Heatwave
Are we rich or are we poor ?
Does it matter anymore?
In a heatwave
Songwriters: Paul Gerard Buchanan / Robert Bell
Audrey Arnold
This is the album of my lost youth. I cry every time I hear it, his voice and the lyrics!!
Martin Pizzarelli
Metoo
hellraiser917
I love and adore probably hundreds of bands but something about this band is different. Magic is afoot here! I can't describe it!
John McIntosh
They are stirring it up on us , Hellraiser 😊
Dharma Kemp
Well said! ✌️💜🆘
Howard Jones
hellraiser917 : Agreed, they have a timeless quality, love that you have used The Sound album cover there too! 😁👍🏻
Flavia ESCOBAR
Beautiful! His voice is so full of melancholy and so expressive
Tyler Hellums
Criminally underrated. The Blue Nile never talked much, but they said all the most important things!
Richard Weir
Still as staggeringly beautiful now as it was when I first heard it, more than 30 years ago
Elaine Carroll
@Howard Jones that's beautifully put Howard, it really is a song that can transport you to wherever you want to be.. 💜