The Sacrifice

One last thought about the Al Stewart concert Saturday, and then I’ll hush about it!  After the concert, during a conversation with Al, a man asked him if he always opened his performances with House of Clocks.  Al said “That’s a very good question!” and then explained why he does. This is heavily paraphrased, from memory. This is NOT a direct quote so don’t view it as such.

When I first come out on stage, people are too focused on how I look. They aren’t paying attention to the music yet.  So I have to have a ‘sacrifice’ song to give them a chance to get used to me.  House of Clocks gets sacrificed.  Then, once they’ve gotten over the fact that I’m old, I’ve lost most of my hair, and they’re done analyzing what I’m wearing… then they can hear the music.

What I take from this is a lesson: If you’re too focused on how someone looks, if you judge on appearance and aging factors that NO one can change and will eventually affect us all, you’ll not hear their personal song.  Don’t miss the treasures of deeper music by getting lost in the shallow waters of judging the exterior!

And furthermore, I refuse to let House of Clocks be sacrificed.  Enjoy.

House Of Clocks

I once had a qilded clock
Constructed in la Belle Epoque
The hour hand broke, now it won’t turn back
So long, so long, so long

I once had a sundial too
But green and wild my garden grew
The undergrowth obscured the view
So long, so long, so long

Not a word could make her stay
The East wind blows the sun away
Oh I lost her on St. Swithin’s day
Oh why?

I grew up in a house of clocks
And late at night I’d sometimes walk
Listening to their rhythmic talk
So long, so long, so long

Clocks that sand in ringing chimes
To take the measure of the times
Clocks that spoke in wordless rhymes,
So long, so long , so long

Not a word could make her stay
The wine is spilt and flows away
I lost her on St. Swithin’s day
Oh why?