Silver Seas (Nocturne - Demo) | RESTORED | (With lyrics + analysis)
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- Опубликовано: 31 мар 2021
- Demo of "Nocturne" off of Billy's 1971 album Cold Spring Harbor. This song could be a continuation of Billy's suicide note as seen in "Tomorrow Is Today" on the same album. This song has never officially been released, but has been restored with the efforts of many individuals.
The following is a theory on what the lyrics to this song might mean:
When it rains-(In the falling of the rain, rain represents love. Love, like rain, is unexpected and in Joel’s opinion, the source of all life. However, I think in the context of this song, rain represents the sad time Joel is going through. )
I watch the window
Golden Dreams-(He looks out the window, dreaming of times he was happy, or perhaps when he would be happy in the future.)
Wash down the willow- (In most literature, Willow trees represent hope. In this line, Joel is speaking of his dreams washing down the Willow. All of his hope is washed away, into “Silverseas”
Where are my Mardi Gras memories?- (In this line, Joel refers to times when he is happy. He is asking “where did the times when he was happy go?”
Under Silverseas- (This is Joel’s response to his question in the previous line. He says that his happy times are now drowned under silverseas. Silverseas most likely refers to the ocean when it rains, sometimes appearing as a silver color. This would then mean that his happy times have been drowned by my sorrow, represented by the rain.)
Long cold nights
Change my reflection - (Here Joel is talking of the way his outlook on life has been changed by the long, sad nights that he also refers to in Tomorrow is Today. “Still I'm waiting for the morning
But it feels so far away” He is tired of these long nights, and just wants his life to end so he doesn’t have to wait anymore.)
Unsung songs
Show my direction (This line is a big question mark. Was this song always meant to be an “unsung song”? What other unsung songs could there also be. Another unreleased song called “Only a Man” has a similar sad tone to this song. In Only a Man, Joel sings of all the pain in his life. This line directly references these songs he hasn’t sung to the rest of the world, because they are too painful for others to hear. These “unsung songs” are showing his gradual drop into depression, and suicide.)
Where are my make believe victories?
Under silverseas- (this line, similar to earlier in the song refers back to his happiness being drowned by sorrow. He asks himself where are all of the goals he thought he would have reached in life by now. They too, have been drowned by sorrow and pain.)
Ships pass over my head
Purple and blue, yellow and red (These ships represent the other people he sees in his life. Passing right over him as he drowns in his own misery. The repetition of different colors could refer to the different types of people passing over Joel. He sees people of many different personalities and upbringings passing over him, sinking him further into Silverseas.
White sails catching the breeze
Sailing on silverseas ( This line refers to these people passing over Billy Joel. Driven by “white sail” which could tell that Billy Joel believes these people are driven by a perfect, happy life.)
Ships pass over my head
Purple and blue, yellow and red- (See above)
White sails catching the breeze
Sailing on silverseas- (See above)
Once I lived
You might remember (In this line he indicates that this song, indeed is supposed to be written to someone. The person it is written to is likely the same person as in Tomorrow is Today. He says that there was a time when he lived and he, likely, was happy. He believes that the person he is addressing may remember the time Joel was happy.)
Born in May- (Might represent the month Joel was born in)
Died in September (This line shows the lifespan of Joel’s happiness. From the time he was born, May 9th, to September. This raises the question, what happened in September? It could be that this was the month that Billy Joel attempted suicide. However, in my opinion, this would be the month Elizabeth Weber decided to leave Joel. Up to this point in Joel’s life, Elizabeth was his source of joy. This is backed up by the song, “She’s Got a Way” in which Joel writes of how Elizabeth lifts him up when he is down. The day Elizabeth left is the day Billy Joel’s happiness died.)
Where are my carousel fantasies?
Under silverseas (This last line is once again showing that Joel’s dreams, happiness, and love have all been drowned by Silverseas.)
Credit goes to: Cold Spring Harbor Project - I and a few people have been working on remastering the original files from Billy Joel's debut in 1971, Cold Spring Harbor. Next will come remasters for Billy's previous work, The Hassles, Attila, The Lost Souls, and demos from the early 70s, circa Cold Spring Harbor-Piano Man sessions. We also discuss his lesser known music/life. If you love Billy Joel's deeper tracks, this is the server for you!
Join the Discord for updates: / discord
Terrific, absolutely terrific.
I got goosebumps at this. Thank you for uploading.
Totally fabulous! Cold Spring Harbour is such a fantastic album 😀Been a diehard fan for over 42 years and counting!
Cold Spring Harbor is a tremendous Billy Joel album and my favorite for a variety of reasons. I first heard it when I was a young teenager and by the time I was graduating high school it had become my favorite album ever. That was 25 years ago and it's still one of my go-to albums when I need to hear some great music.
Absolutely amazing. Thank you very much for the analysis in the description. Very much appreciated. So deep and moving.
When it rains
I have to admit, this analysis made me, well, change my reflection on these lyrics. I always found them a little hokey, which is why, I assumed, he dropped them. But there's a brilliance to how he expresses a lot in short poetic phrases.
No homo but what a handsome man
Another I have never heard.Great tunes that should be redone today. Tweak it a little. I like the melody.
Love the analysis. Great iob