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Empty Pages Lyrics
Found someone who can comfort me, but there are always exceptions
And she's good at appearing sane, but I just want you to know
She's the one makes me feel so good when everything is against me
Picks me up when I'm feeling down, so I've got something to show
Staring at empty pages, centered 'round the same plot
Staring at empty pages, flowing along in the ages
Often lost and forgotten, the vagueness and the mud
I've been thinking I'm working too hard, but I've got something to show
And she's good at appearing sane, but I just want you to know
Picks me up when I'm feeling down, so I've got something to show
Staring at empty pages, flowing along in the ages
I've been thinking I'm working too hard, but I've got something to show
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I always wondered what this song was about. I assumed it was about Winwood having trouble finishing (or starting) writing a song and "staring at empty pages." And that he associated this feeling with girlfriend troubles. It's a plea for people to be patient and understanding- "but I just want you to know." I know Capaldi had a hand in writing this song as well, but this is mainly Winwood's song: terrific Hammond B3 and electric piano playing, incomparable blue-eyed soul vocal. Winwood has to be one of the most underrated talents of the British '60s/'70s pop scene. When he wrote this song, he had already made a competent but obscure Birmingham R & B band, the Spencer Davis Group (with his own older brother Muff on bass), into British Invasion stars, started and led Traffic through three albums even dealing with the constant arrivals and departures of Dave Mason in the band, and been through the brief, troubled, but brilliant "supergroup" collaboration of Blind Faith by the time he recorded John Barleycorn Must Die- and he was all of 22 years old!!! JBMD if I remember right was supposed to be a solo album (and Winwood plays all the guitar, bass, keyboard, and harmonica parts on the album, as well as doing most of the lead vocals) but Winwood ended up collaborating with old Traffic cohorts Capaldi (drums and some vocals) and Chris Wood (flute and saxes) and so it became Traffic's fourth studio album instead, and Winwood wouldn't release his first "official" solo album until 1977 at the ripe old age of 29.
@mbrachman I saw steve and his daughter play a show at the tower thater in Upper Darby Pa about 5 years ago. He’s still an absolutely amazing talent and multi instrumentalist with a diverse portfolio catalog of songs spanning over 30 years. Absolutely agree he’s one of the best talents to come out of the era. His daughter is beautiful and also had a great voice
@mbrachman I saw steve and his daughter play a show at the tower thater in Upper Darby Pa about 5 years ago. He’s still an absolutely amazing talent and multi instrumentalist with a diverse portfolio catalog of songs spanning over 30 years. Absolutely agree he’s one of the best talents to come out of the era. His daughter is beautiful and also had a great voice
i love how nobody ever comments on the good songs, lol
seriously!
I heard this song again after a long time, and was struck by that fantastic bullet.
I was curious--and I'm notoriously bad and making out the lyrics in rock'n'roll--so I came here for the lyrics. And I was disappointed.
This is a great example of a song that has a fantasic sonic feel but lyrics that seem to fall flat.
The electric piano solo is an excellent example of R&B, and of course that "Staring at Empty Pages" bullet grabs the heartstrings.
But the lyrics seem rambling and desultory; sort of like bad high school poetry. Traffic lyrics really could soar, so it felt like a bit of a letdown to find this.