Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
My song for you this evening,
It's not to make you sad,
Nor for adding to the sorrows
Of our troubled northern land.
But lately I've been thinking,
And it just won't leave my mind,
I'll tell you of two friends one time,
Who were both good friends of mine.
Now Isaac he was Protestant
and Sean was Catholic-born,
But it never made a difference,
For the friendship it was strong.
And sometimes in the evening,
When we heard the sound of drums,
We said it won't divide us;
We will always be as one.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of the people ran together.
It was on a Sunday morning
When the awful news came round;
Another killing had been done,
Just outside Newry town.
We knew that Isaac danced up there,
We knew he liked the band,
But when we heard that he was dead
We just couldn't understand.
Now fear it filled the countryside;
There was fear in every home,
When late at night a car came
Prowling round the Ryan road.
A Catholic would be killed tonight
To even up the score,
Oh Christ, it's young MacDonald
They've taken from the door.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of a people ran together.
Isaac was my friend he cried,
He begged them with his tears,
But centuries of hatred
Have ears that do not hear.
An eye for an eye,
Was all that filled their minds,
And another eye for another eye,
Til everyone is blind.
Now, I don't know what the moral is,
Or where this song should end,
But I wonder just how many wars
Are fought between good friends.
And those who give the orders
Are not the ones to die;
It's Scott and young MacDonald
And the likes of you and I.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of the people ran together.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of the people ran together.
It's not to make you sad,
Nor for adding to the sorrows
Of our troubled northern land.
But lately I've been thinking,
And it just won't leave my mind,
I'll tell you of two friends one time,
Who were both good friends of mine.
Now Isaac he was Protestant
and Sean was Catholic-born,
But it never made a difference,
For the friendship it was strong.
And sometimes in the evening,
When we heard the sound of drums,
We said it won't divide us;
We will always be as one.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of the people ran together.
It was on a Sunday morning
When the awful news came round;
Another killing had been done,
Just outside Newry town.
We knew that Isaac danced up there,
We knew he liked the band,
But when we heard that he was dead
We just couldn't understand.
Now fear it filled the countryside;
There was fear in every home,
When late at night a car came
Prowling round the Ryan road.
A Catholic would be killed tonight
To even up the score,
Oh Christ, it's young MacDonald
They've taken from the door.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of a people ran together.
Isaac was my friend he cried,
He begged them with his tears,
But centuries of hatred
Have ears that do not hear.
An eye for an eye,
Was all that filled their minds,
And another eye for another eye,
Til everyone is blind.
Now, I don't know what the moral is,
Or where this song should end,
But I wonder just how many wars
Are fought between good friends.
And those who give the orders
Are not the ones to die;
It's Scott and young MacDonald
And the likes of you and I.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of the people ran together.
There were roses, roses, roses,
And the tears of the people ran together.
Lyrics submitted by lady_midnight
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
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I have to admit the first time I heard this song I curled up on my kitchen floor and cried profusely for at least 30 minutes straight. This is an extremely emotional and powerful song.
I know it as recorded by Tommy Sands, and later by Robbie O'Connell. Tommy Sands is the composer.
Apparently the song is based on a true incident in Ireland in 1974. The two subjects of this song were both friends of Sands.
For anyone not aware, the killings in this song were part of the "troubles" in Northern Ireland, a Protestant vs. Catholic, Irish vs. British low level war that lasted for decades.
But it certainly applies to many wars that have been fought over the centuries - in particular, civil wars, in which good friends may indeed end up fighting each other (or even brothers or cousins).
The roses metaphor ... roses are often laid on a casket at a funeral, so the song at this point is describing the tragic sadness of both Catholics and Protestants as they see more and more of their people laid to rest in the war.
Their tears running together ... he's suggesting that we're all the same on the inside, wars are caused by artificial walls created by institutions. The sorrow of one side of the war is matched, or shared, by the sorrow of the other side. We're all just people, after all.
It is tragic there isn't more of this song's sentiment felt throughout the world today (particularly in the Middle East)
this song is heartbreaking.
For all our sakes people on this Island have to Cop on. Be you Unionist or Nationalist what does it matter.