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Closer To Blue Than Green

from Southern Cross Northern Skies by Rory Faithfield

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about

Written in Dublin 6-9 April 2013.
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Basic Meaning : Surrendering to life's losses (Blue) and dealing with them so you can move on and reclaim the innocence of youth (Green)

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I got the title at the traffic lights heading north waiting to turn right from Clanbrassil Street into South Circular Road, Dublin 8, and noticing that the colour of one of the two green lights was: Closer to blue than green

For me, this song is about moving from naivety and innocence (green) to the darkness of growing up and moving on (blue) and back home again (green).

The first verse: is carried by the idea of not taking a chance on something you care about (In my case, never asking my first “crush” out on a date or letting her know I was interested in her when I was 15) because you are too inexperienced (green) to appreciate the personal value of the situation.

1st Chorus: Introduces the metaphor as getting sad (blue) but less naive (green)

The second verse: is a metaphor based on foregoing the comfort and safety of what you know in exchange for the wisdom and experience gained from following your heart but having to face the darkness of change and uncertainty.

2nd Chorus: Develops the idea of getting sadder and darker (blue) and even less naive (green) as you grow and gain more experience with losses on the way.

The third verse is the epiphany, where you recognise that there’s a natural order and rhythm to life that can assist you, or imprison you, depending on how you look at it. In this case, recognising the light is green and you are free now to go ahead.

The broken-flashing lights (metaphor drawn from encountering broken flashing-orange traffic lights just prior to the intersection where I observed the “closer to blue than green lights”) are both a warning that things have to change and an effort to draw attention to the fact that you can decide that you are free to go ahead rather than wait for permission.

The lights “flashing in time” also represent a warning about living a life of conformity rather than following your own heart together with the “broken lights” representing other people, who have stalled in a life of bitterness, unable to move forward.

3rd Chorus: Recognising the journey through darkness has reached an end and now you can see the green light that allows you to move forward, even if you’re alone on that journey and not able to save everyone.

The resolve is that life has it’s losses which mount as you get older and the lesson is to take time to mourn and acknowledge the grief rather than suppress the feelings and become bitter. Only then can you continue to celebrate what you care about and not shut down your feelings and life-force for fear of loss.

The song has an upbeat yet melancholic feel, which I think is a central theme in what I do. Some earlier reviewers used “wistful” to describe my music. I looked it up and discovered that it basically means being happy and sad at the same time. It’s an explorers theme I guess, having to say goodbye so you can find the new.

lyrics


2. Closer To Blue Than Green



It was a simple life, we lived without a care

I could never tell you then and now it's neither here nor there

It’s neither here nor there, it's somewhere between
A shade or two closer to blue than green 



Closer to blue than green, closer to blue than green 

It’s a shade or two closer to blue than green



I still remember you there drenched in warm sunlight 

Winter days got shorter here and darker than the night 

Darker than the night, short, cold and mean 

Another shade or two closer to blue than green 



Closer to blue than green, closer to blue than green 

Another shade or two closer to blue than green 



There's a kind of ancient beat that keeps me in this line

I can see the broken lights all flashing in time 

All flashing in time and now I know what they mean 

They are closer to blue than green 



Closer to blue than green, closer to blue than green 

They are closer to blue than green 


credits

from Southern Cross Northern Skies, released February 8, 2016

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Rory Faithfield Dublin, Ireland

Performing solo with acoustic guitar, harmonicas and a loop station, Rory has mesmerised audiences and critics alike. Bruce Elder stated, "Faithfield inhabits the same rich musical world as Christy Moore, Luka Bloom and Glen Hansard. His songs are wistful, romantic, deeply felt, beautifully crafted and sung with a voice that pours sincerity and emotion over every line and note”. ... more

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