I know fact from fiction

In ‘The Glorious Dead’ (from the album Thrum), between each sentence : there is just enough time left, to build an idea in your head. I see here a master songsmith at work. Because it offers you so many layers in a verse. Let me explain how it enters my mind with, with what I find, the strongest words in this song, perhaps on this album.

I know fact from fiction,
Hearing this sentence, I get an unmistakable critic to the leaders who are selling every inconvenient truth as fiction, and each desired fiction as truth. Off Course Trump in front of them all. You hear an anger in the line, it’s statement against these people.  The line is followed by

know they are the same
And now I’m confused. I expect an explanation, and I know it will be there in the next line.

two sides of believing
And here we arrive at a huge and complex situation in today’s society. It exposes a difficult question : What is truth ? (BTW a question also occurring later on the album in ‘Now and Never’) When we approach it, as our view upon the world, you can not deny there is no 1 truth, everyone has his own. How you look at the world, with everything that has shaped your live, is a very personal thing.
But let me pick a specific situation in the world : Climate change. There is scientific evidence enough that it is happening. Now that’s a truth. But we notice that it is not enough to act on it. You have those who believe, and those who don’t. I can imagine it is much easier to disbelieve, because then there is nothing to act on, so for your own peace of mind, you can turn a blind eye. But climate change is an evolution effecting us all, so we need to act with the full population.
What’s at stake ? Does this earth’s future is one where humans will be a part of, or will we disappear ? It’s scary to even think about it, but we must !

I know fact from fiction,
know they are the same
two sides of believing

in the singing of God’s name
Now another sentence in, and we are facing another challenge in this world. Our approach to religions we are unfamiliar with. But if we broaden the horizon, and use the term 'God's name' as a metaphore for anything sacred to us, wether it is religion, culture or other rules, ways of live,.... we are opening up this song to every challenge we are facing.

that knows itself in hunger,
These are the things that feed our view on everything,  they are a part of who we are.

the never-ending fight
It are all strugglings existing for so many centuries. And it doesn’t look like we will find peace in them.

the kiss that lives between us
Let us not forget that aside from these differences, there can be a connection between us.

where the dark keeps all the light
But we hardly see that, because we only look at the differences.



8 lines, but they made me think about our entire universe.....


I know fact from fiction,
know they are the same—
two sides of believing
in the singing of God’s name;
that knows itself in hunger
the never-ending fight—
the kiss that lives between us
where the dark keeps all the light 



click to read my entire musings on 'Thrum'.