Refugees
Van der Graaf Generator Lyrics
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Ice locked the people's hearts and made them old.
South was birth to pleasant lands, but dry:
I walked the waters' depths and played my mind.
East was dawn, coming alive in the golden sun:
The winds came, gently, several heads became one
In the summertime, though August people sneered;
We were at peace, and we cheered.
We walked alone, sometimes hand in hand,
Between the thin lines marking sea and sand;
Smiling very peacefully,
We began to notice that we could be free,
And we moved together to the West.
West is where all days will someday end;
Where the colours turn from grey to gold,
And you can be with the friends.
And light flakes the golden clouds above all;
West is Mike and Susie,
West is where I love.
There we shall spend our final days of our lives;
Tell the same old stories: yeah well,
At least we tried.
Into the West, smiles on our faces, we'll go;
Oh, yes, and our apologies to those
Who'll never really know the way.
We're refugees, walking away from the life
That we've known and loved;
Nothing to do or say, nowhere to stay;
Now we are alone.
We're refugees, carrying all we own
In brown bags, tied up with string;
Nothing to think, it doesn't mean a thing,
But we'll be happy on our own.
West is Mike and Susie;
West is where I love,
West is refugees' home.
The lyrics to Van der Graaf Generator's song Refugees are a poignant reflection on the human experience of displacement and the search for a place to call home. The song is structured around a journey that begins in the cold, desolate North and progresses through the different regions of the world before finally settling on the West as a place of refuge.
The first stanza sets the scene, describing the frozen North as a place where people's hearts are locked in ice and they become old before their time. This is contrasted with the dry but pleasant lands of the South where the singer walks in the depths of the water and plays with his mind. The East is where the sun rises and the winds are gentle, bringing people together in peace.
As the journey progresses towards the West, the singer and his companions walk alone, sometimes hand in hand, between the thin lines of sea and sand. They begin to notice that they could be free and so they move together towards the West, where all days will someday end and the colors turn from grey to gold. Here in the West, they find Mike and Susie as a symbol of companionship and love. They continue through the final days of their lives, telling the same old stories and with smiles on their faces, they go into the West.
The song reflects the experience of displacement and the search for a place to call home. The sense of longing for a place where one can be at peace with oneself and others is a powerful motif throughout the song. The idea of refugees as people walking away from the life that they've known and loved is a poignant reflection on the struggles that displaced people face.
Line by Line Meaning
North was somewhere years ago and cold:
Long ago, the north was a cold and uninviting place, and the people there became frozen inside and lost their joy.
Ice locked the people's hearts and made them old.
The people in the north became cold, hardened, and emotionally unavailable, and this caused them to age prematurely.
South was birth to pleasant lands, but dry:
The south was a place of warm, inviting landscapes, but it lacked the abundance of water that the singer craved.
I walked the waters' depths and played my mind.
The artist explored the depths of his own imagination and intellect while searching for water in the dry southern lands.
East was dawn, coming alive in the golden sun:
The east represented the dawn of a new day, full of promise and potential, and basked in the warmth of a radiant sun.
The winds came, gently, several heads became one
The winds of change brought people together from many different backgrounds and perspectives, uniting them in a sense of shared purpose.
In the summertime, though August people sneered;
Despite the negativity of those who lacked vision, the singer found joy and peace in the warmth of summer and the sense of community it engendered.
We were at peace, and we cheered.
Underneath the warmth of the summer sun, the artist and his community found a deep sense of inner peace and joy.
We walked alone, sometimes hand in hand,
Even while walking singly, the companionship of others was felt.
Between the thin lines marking sea and sand;
The group walked along the beach, where the sand meets the sea, and recognized the beauty in the landscape and community around them.
Smiling very peacefully,
Bathed in a sense of calm and serenity, the chorus shares smiles with one another.
We began to notice that we could be free,
Experiencing the sense of community and belonging allowed the artist and his companions to recognize their own sense of freedom.
And we moved together to the West.
Drawn by the promise of renewal and a fresh start, the group moves in a westerly direction.
West is where all days will someday end;
The West represents an ultimate destination, where all life culminates in a final day of rest.
Where the colours turn from grey to gold,
As the sun sets in the west, the colors of the world transition from drab and grey to stunning golds and blues.
And you can be with the friends.
For the artist, the West represents a place of ultimate reunion and connection with loved ones, both old and new.
And light flakes the golden clouds above all;
The sky above the West is bathed in palatial hues of gold and other bright colors, epitomizing the promise of the new frontier that is the West.
West is Mike and Susie,
Amidst the majesty of the West, Mike and Susie are fellow travelers, and an integral part of the singer's sense of community and friendship.
West is where I love.
For the singer, the West is a place of ultimate love and comfort, imbued with the promise of new beginnings and renewal.
There we shall spend our final days of our lives;
The artist and his companions see the West as their ultimate place of rest for their remaining years.
Tell the same old stories: yeah well,
The future holds promise of times spent listening to and sharing stories and memories about the past.
At least we tried.
For the artist and his companions, the West represents a final chance to succeed and find peace in life, even if it is fleeting.
Into the West, smiles on our faces, we'll go;
The singer and his comrades face their future with a sense of joie de vivre, and the anticipation of renewed adventure.
Oh, yes, and our apologies to those
While they are sorry that they leave some of their lives and history behind in the past, they know it is best for them to move on.
Who'll never really know the way.
The singer acknowledges that some people will never understand their journey or the hope that the West represents.
We're refugees, walking away from the life
The singer and his companions are like refugees from their old lives, seeking a new start in the West.
That we've known and loved;
While they will miss their old lives, they believe that it is time to embrace the next phase of their journey.
Nothing to do or say, nowhere to stay;
Without a clear path or destination, sometimes the best course of action is to simply keep moving forward.
Now we are alone.
The journey West represents an opportunity to try one's own path, and to embrace a sense of independence and self-sufficiency.
We're refugees, carrying all we own
In their bags, they carry everything they need to face the next chapter of their lives alone.
In brown bags, tied up with string;
The simplicity of the bags and their contents reflects the desire to start anew and embrace minimalism.
Nothing to think, it doesn't mean a thing,
Sometimes simplicity and a lack of concern for material things are the best ways to find peace.
But we'll be happy on our own.
The adventure and independence of the journey West will bring happiness and contentment, even if they are alone.
West is Mike and Susie;
Mike and Susie are friends on this journey, and a reflection of the importance of finding a sense of community and companionship on a roadway to independence.
West is where I love,
For the singer, the West represents a place to find love and romance, as well as continued opportunities for self-discovery.
West is refugees' home.
For the artist and his companions, the journey West represents a new community and an invigorating, hopeful sense of belonging.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER HAMMILL, PETER JOSEPH ANDREW HAMMILL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind