Tom McRae is a singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom. He grew up in Suf… Read Full Bio ↴Tom McRae is a singer-songwriter from the United Kingdom. He grew up in Suffolk, the son of an Anglican vicar. McRae sang in the choir. His mother played guitar and as a teen, he'd borrow it. He began writing songs at 15. At 18 he moved to London to study politics at London Guildhall University, soon forming bands and writing songs. A chance meeting with sound engineer Roger Bechirian led him to a working relationship that shaped McRae's soft-spoken sound and later landed him a deal with DB records.

Changing his name from Jeremy Thomas McRae Blackall to just Tom McRae - he released his first, self-titled album in 2001, during the height of the new acoustic movement, and gained Mercury Music Prize nomination. His second album, Just Like Blood, was released in February of 2003, which was produced by Ben Hillier, responsible for Elbow’s Asleep In The Back, with which McRae’s album shares a similar melancholy but uplifting atmosphere. In 2004, McRae moved to California where he wrote and recorded his next album, All Maps Welcome, which was released in May 2005. His fourth album, King of Cards was released on 14th May 2007. A talented live performer, he supported Tori Amos on the UK leg of her Original Sinsuality tour, Paul Weller, Dido, World Party, The Waterboys among others. He is recognised as an intelligent and talented performer, influenced by, among others, Nick Drake, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Jeff Buckley.

On And On
Tom McRae Lyrics

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So Lord, I wait for your reply
But I won?t hold my breath tonight
You?re so much empty sky
And it?s too late
The damage has been done
You gave a child a gun
Then turned around and ran
And it goes on and on and on

It goes on and on and on
You know that it goes on
We were here long before
And we?ll be here when you?re gone
It goes on and on and on
You know that it goes on?

Believe it if you dare
Still he?ll vanish in thin air
As useless as a prayer
And it?s too late
The ricer has been crossed
The war?s been fought and lost
Your words have turned to dust

And it goes on?

And you know you had your chance

And still you won?t show your hand
It?s not a thing that I?d call love

Overall Meaning

The song "On And On" by Tom McRae speaks about one's disappointment and frustration towards those who fail to take responsibility for their actions. The lyrics start with the singer waiting for someone's reply. However, he does not have high hopes for a response and does not believe that it will change anything. The person he is addressing is compared to "empty sky," as they do not have any substance and are not dependable. The damage has already been done, and a child has been given a gun, which symbolizes the mistake for which the person never took responsibility. The singer observes that the person has turned around and ran, rather than taking responsibility for their actions.

The phrase "it goes on" repeats throughout the song, emphasizing that actions have consequences, and life continues despite the mistakes people make. The singer points out that they (the people who caused the damage) were there before and will be gone, but life goes on. The lyrics also indicate that the person being addressed had a chance to make things right, but they have not been forthcoming, and the singer does not consider their behavior "love."

The song's themes explore accountability, responsibility, and the continuation of life despite the challenges and damages that humans inflict on each other. It shows disappointment towards those who fail to take responsibility and highlights that although the damage has been done, life must go on.

Line by Line Meaning

So Lord, I wait for your reply
I am hoping to hear back from a higher power, but I am not keeping my hopes up too high tonight.

But I won?t hold my breath tonight
I don't want to get my hopes up for a response that may never come.

You?re so much empty sky
The higher power that I am waiting to hear from seems like vast, empty space with no response.

And it?s too late
There is no turning back now.

The damage has been done
The harm has been inflicted and cannot be undone.

You gave a child a gun
This higher power allowed for a dangerous situation to occur, putting innocent people at risk.

Then turned around and ran
Now that something bad has happened, this higher power seems to be nowhere to be found.

And it goes on and on and on
This cycle of tragedy and inaction seems to persist indefinitely.

You know that it goes on
This higher power could do something to intervene, but chooses not to.

We were here long before
Humanity has been around for centuries upon centuries.

And we?ll be here when you?re gone
Even after this higher power ceases to exist, humanity will still continue on.

Believe it if you dare
The idea that this higher power is still present may be a difficult one to accept or believe in.

Still he?ll vanish in thin air
It seems like this higher power is only an illusion and does not truly exist.

As useless as a prayer
Attempting to communicate with this higher power in prayer seems like a fruitless effort.

The river has been crossed
An important turning point has been reached and things cannot go back to the way they were before.

The war?s been fought and lost
A battle has been waged and it has resulted in defeat.

Your words have turned to dust
Any promises or assurances from this higher power have crumbled away like dust.

And you know you had your chance
This higher power had the opportunity to prevent this scenario from happening, but did not take advantage of it.

And still you won?t show your hand
This higher power continues to remain silent and not take any actions to help.

It?s not a thing that I?d call love
This is not the action of a benevolent, loving higher power, but of one that seems indifferent or uncaring.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: TOM MCRAE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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TRACKS

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01Set The Story Straight5:18

02Bright Lights3:34

03Got A Suitcase, Got Regrets3:41

04Keep Your Picture Clear3:58

05Houdini And The Girl3:03

06Sound Of The City4:15

07On And On4:30

PT4M30S

Tom McRae

08Deliver Me4:02

09One Mississippi4:12

10The Ballad Of Amelia Earhart3:23

11Lord, How Long?3:54

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Comments from YouTube:

Rainydaywoman100

15y

Some of the most magical moments of my life have been at Tom Mcrae concerts...he's amazing

fatih avcı

Tek kelimeyle mükemmel, bir canlı performans ancak bu kadar güzel olur.

denimdonna

12y

unusually Brilliant.. Part of my job at one time was to review imported music cd's at my library..tough job..lol. First day I took home Eagle Eye Cherry and Tom McRae. Been a fan since. His words go on and on..into layer after layer. And his music could stand on it's own, without lyrics..tho' why would you want to seperate mother and child. This is the first time I've seen him..been a fan for yrs..he looks just like I imagined. He looks like his music...Real.

denimdonna

12y

Gives all his money to the man.. with bags of mercy in his hand....Dose Me Up Once Is not Enough I can still see the ground.. from this high rise view.. looking down on you... I will not smile for your hidden camera show.. This one's for you..(finger)..lol. I love it.