One of Carolyn’s dreams was to go to Africa, and she did go in the early 70’s and rendezvous’d with her off again/on again lover Keith in what sounded to me like a wonderfully romantic tryst. But when I spoke to each of them after they returned, their tone was somber and they each spoke of disappointment and disillusionment (if there’s any difference between those two things). Since I was in love with Carolyn and would have relished meeting up with her anywhere, even in Queens, I didn’t really get it. Maybe that’s why she preferred him to me. The song title of course leads people to think of the Benny Goodman classic – talk about disappointment. And some of my friends who were avid followers of Willow II told me they would always skip over this song on the Willow II cassette. Sigh. But I love it, I love the lyric, and it totally nails what I was thinking and feeling at the time. Lenny Pogan suggested the reggae beat.
Lyrics
Sing, Sing, Sing
Lost between two far off islands
Where you both escaped and sought here
You who’ve walked upon the water, now falter
And sink upon the sand
Staring from tropical jungles
Eyes intense, yet features mild
Restlessly you bear the child
Who, though wild
Is father to the man
Where is the night, where is the night
Where is the night that covered you so well before
Where is the light, where is the light
Where is the light of lovers you’ve been searching for
You have been shown that being alone
Is not the path that sets you free
Without love is wilderness enough
Perhaps your peace will come from harmony
Just sing, sing, sing brother
Oh, can’t you hear the music
Know your voice and use it, you’ll find
She is listening
Just lift your heart and sing, sing, sing, my brother
You cannot rise above song
Your life is but a love song
You must sing, sing, sing
Lost between two distant mountains
Each one pointing to the sun
If you’re wondering is your traveling done, well, it’s just begun
And you are forced to climb
Though you’ve tired of introspection
Something’s gone and you must replace it
and all these words are certainly wasted, once you’ve tasted The fear of time
Where are the years, where are the years
Where are the years you’ve built your present dreams upon
Where are the tears, where are the tears
Where are the tears one cries when all one’s dreams are gone
There is no pain that’s quite the same
As waking up and letting go
And though you find that love has made him blind
You still can shake him up, you still can let him know
Just open up and sing, sing, sing, sister
Can’t you hear the rhythm
Once you’re singing with him you’ll find
The music’s everything
Just lift you heart and sing, sing, sing, my sister
You cannot rise above song
Your life is but a love song
You must sing, sing, sing
You must sing, sing, sing.