On a whim, I pulled Steve Winwood's "Arc Of A Diver" off the shelf yesterday. I loved it in 1980, and was surprised by how well it held up, especially the title track. Somewhere floating around with all the other music tidbits in my head, I knew the Bonzo Dog Band's Viv Stanshall had co-written songs with Winwood. As it turns out, it was only one song for this album, the title track, "Arc Of A Diver."
Could there be more than one Viv Stanshall? The same man that wrote "Look Out There's A Monster Coming," "Can Blue Men Sing The Whites," and "The Intro & The Outro" wrote these words of sheer beauty? I guess when you're brilliant, you're capable of anything. I love "Arc Of A Diver" and my inner sap comes out in full force when I let my guard down and allow myself to get lost in the words of a song. Yet, now knowing this was written by Stanshall and not Winwood or Wil Jennings, the other co-conspirator on the album, somehow made it all the more moving to me.
She bathes me in sweetness I cannot reveal
For sharing dreams I need my woman
This humble expression meagerly dressed
My eyes so mean it has no meaning
But jealous night and all her secret chords
I must be deaf on the telephone I need my love to translate
I play the piano no more running honey
This time to the sky I'll sing if clouds don't hear me
To the sun I'll cry and even if I'm blinded
I'll try moon gazer because with you I'm stronger
Arc of a diver effortlessly, my mind in sky and when I wake up
Daytime and nighttime I feel you near
Warm water breathing she helps me here
This time to the sky I'll sing if clouds don't hear me
To the sun I'll cry and even if I'm blinded
I'll try moon gazer because with you I'm stronger
Lean streaky music spawned on the streets I hear it but with you I had to go
'Cause my rock 'n' roll is putting on weight and the beat it goes on
Arc of a diver effortlessly, my mind in sky and when I wake up
Daytime and nighttime I feel you near
Warm water breathing she helps me here
With you my love we're going to raid the future
With you my love we're going to stick up the past
We'll hold today to ransom 'til our quartz clock stop until yesterday
8 comments:
I really like Winwood's albums in the 80s, except Roll With It. Arc of a Diver, Talking Back to the Night, and Back in the High Life were all very enjoyable. I agree with the praise for the lyrics on Arc of a Diver, just amazing. I've been listening to my vinyl copy of Talking Back to the Night lately and trying to find a replacement copy of the CD, as none of our local secondhand shops ever seem to have a copy in stock. Great stuff.
Viv Stanshall was also responsible for the lyrics for Vacant Chair, my favourite track on 1977's Steve Winwood. Just listened to it for the first time in a while and it still gives me pleasurable chills.
Let them alone for those down there speak our sorrow
While we can't share the joke together, yeah, we keep on going
My dearest friend till we meet again
O-ku Nsu-kun No-ko
The dead are weeping for the dead
Well said, pal.
Probably my favourite Winwood album & the title track is a killer as you say. Ah, poor old Vivian Stanshall: long gone but never forgotten. Thanks for the prompt to dig out Arc of A Diver as well as some delightfully silly Bonzo's stuff. Cheers!
Thanks for reminding me just how good Arc of A Diver is.
Yeah!! This really takes me back to simpler days.
I remember in college in the 80s, I had a big paper to do, was working part time, etc, lots going on. And money was scarce. So I promised myself, if I kicked ass on that paper and got an A, my reward would be to buy "Arc Of A Diver."
I did, and I did. Hearing the title song in particular takes me back to those wide-open days. Stevie at his best.
Slowdown Sundown is a great song too.
Just catching up. Thank you for posting this. Love this song, and love seeing the words printed out, even though it's near impossible to read them without singing the melody in my head.
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