Weeping
I knew a man who lived in fear
It was huge, it was angry, it was drawing near
Behind his house, a secret place
Was the shadow of the demon he could never face.
He built a wall of steel and flame
And men with guns, to keep it tame
Then standing back, he made it plain
That the nightmare would never ever rise again
But the fear and the fire and the guns remain.
It doesn't matter now
It's over anyhow
He tells the world that it's sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasn't roaring, it was weeping
It wasn't roaring, it was weeping.
SAX SOLO - Basil Coetzee
And then one day the neighbours came
They were curious to know about the smoke and flame
They stood around outside the wall
But of course there was nothing to be
heard at all
"My friends", he said, "We've reached our goal
The threat is under firm control
As long as peace and order reign
I'll be damned if I can see a reason to explain
Why the fear and the fire and the guns remain."
It doesn't matter now
It's over anyhow
He tells the world that it's sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasn't roaring, it was weeping
It wasn't roaring, it was weeping.
SAX
It doesn't matter now
It's over anyhow
He tells the world that it's sleeping
But as the night came round
I heard its lonely sound
It wasn't roaring, it was weeping
It wasn't roaring, it was weeping.
Composed by: Heymann/ Fox/ Cohen/ Cohen
Recorded and released by Bright Blue in 1987. One of South Africa's greatest
songs... includes instrumental references to 'Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrica'.
Thanks to Stephen Segerman.
'Weeping' is listed as one of the 1001 South African Songs You Must Hear Before You Go Deaf and was voted the South African Song of the Century.
Where to find it:
- Every Now And Then – The Best So Far… 1984-2001 (2001) Universal, CDSRBL286 (146) (CD)
- The Rising Tide (1988) EMI, EMCJ (L) 4063771 (Vinyl)
- Various Artists – The Best of SA Pop Volume 2 (1994) GMP, CDGMPD 40486 (CD)
