This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Standing in a forest gazing at the sun
Looking at the trees but there's not even one
See a rippling stream that smiles and then goes by
Run to feel its comfort but the water's dry.
I see her face and run to take her hand
Why she's never there I just don't understand
The trumpets sound my whole world crumbles down
Visions of angels all around
Dance in the sky.
Leaving me here
Forever goodbye.
As the leaves will crumble so will fall my love
For the fragile beauty of our lives must fade
Though I once remember echoes of my youth
Now I sense no past, no love that ends in love
Take this dream the stars have filled with light
As the blossom glides like snowflakes from the trees
In vengeance to a god no-one can reach
Visions of angels all around
Dance in the sky.
Leaving me here
Forever goodbye.
Ice is moving and the world's begun to freeze
See the sunlight stopped and deadned by the breeze
Minds are empty bodies more insensitive
Some believe that when they die they really live
I believe there never is an end
God gave up the world its people long ago
Why she's never there I still don't understand
Visions of angels all around
Dance in the sky.
Leaving me here
Forever goodbye.
Looking at the trees but there's not even one
See a rippling stream that smiles and then goes by
Run to feel its comfort but the water's dry.
I see her face and run to take her hand
Why she's never there I just don't understand
The trumpets sound my whole world crumbles down
Visions of angels all around
Dance in the sky.
Leaving me here
Forever goodbye.
As the leaves will crumble so will fall my love
For the fragile beauty of our lives must fade
Though I once remember echoes of my youth
Now I sense no past, no love that ends in love
Take this dream the stars have filled with light
As the blossom glides like snowflakes from the trees
In vengeance to a god no-one can reach
Visions of angels all around
Dance in the sky.
Leaving me here
Forever goodbye.
Ice is moving and the world's begun to freeze
See the sunlight stopped and deadned by the breeze
Minds are empty bodies more insensitive
Some believe that when they die they really live
I believe there never is an end
God gave up the world its people long ago
Why she's never there I still don't understand
Visions of angels all around
Dance in the sky.
Leaving me here
Forever goodbye.
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae
Visions of Angels Lyrics as written by Peter Gabriel Anthony Banks
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Anthony Phillips wrote the song. I've seen sources that said he had feelings for Pete's then girlfriend and later wife Jill Moore, but the song was actually written during the making of "From Genesis To Revelation" when Ant was still with his old girlfriend Lucy Burge, who he now claims was very much into Pete and sort of took him on as a second best. Yet Mike said in his book that when Ant and Lucy split, he'd never seen anyone take a breakup so badly. It's a bit like "Layla" in a way.
Lyrics were written Anthony Phillips. Apparently, and this is just a rumour though seems quite possible. Phillips was bessoted with Gabriel's wife and had a problem dealing with it because of the band situation. Hence..."Visions of angles all around dance in the sky leaving me here forever goodbye"
The song recognizes some female, apparently God, is not with us, and has given up on the world. Also, that all pleasures of the world have been lost "water's dry", "no past, no love".
It is as if this song was about the apocalypse or hell. That is because everything in this song is from a dream, but not joy can be received.
timbo.h's version would be awesome for some reason. i don't know why :D
Maybe it's about dying, and you see visions of angels. Beautiful lyrics.
Anthony Phillips wrote the song. I've seen sources that said he had feelings for Pete's then girlfriend and later wife Jill Moore, but the song was actually written during the making of "From Genesis To Revelation" when Ant was still with his old girlfriend Lucy Burge, who he now claims was very much into Pete and sort of took him on as a second best. Yet Mike said in his book that when Ant and Lucy split, he'd never seen anyone take a breakup so badly. It's a bit like "Layla" in a way.