Following yesterday's Massive Attack song Teardrop, sung by Elizabeth Fraser, another work of soaring power and passion, and also tragic portent, by the man with whom she had a brief but close relationship. Buckley, son of Tim, who he only met once, wrote this song in the early 1990s in collaboration with Gary Lucas who had laid down the instrumental. It became the title track on Buckley's 1994 album, and the only studio LP released, but it's tempting to post the whole thing. Buckley's lyrics are about leaving a girlfriend behind in LA as he departs for New York, but of course the words, pertaining to death too, carry extra weight with his accidental drowning in Memphis in 1997. But his legacy, and all short career remains with that extraordinary expression, vocal range and guitar playing.
There's the moon asking to stay
Long enough for the clouds to fly me away
Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid, afraid to die.
My fading voice sings of love
But she cries to the clicking of time, oh, time
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire.
And she weeps on my arm
Walking to the bright lights in sorrow
Oh drink a bit of wine we both might go tomorrow
Oh my love.
And the rain is falling and I believe my time has come
It reminds me of the pain I might leave, leave behind
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire.
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire
And I feel them drown my name
So easy to know and forget with this kiss
I'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow
Wait in the fire, wait in the fire, oh oh yea oh oh oh yeah
Wait, wait, wait in the fire, wait in the fire
Wait in the fire, wait …
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