Yellow walls that shine like silver
Dark green windows
Stare never closed
From yellow walls that shine like silver
Through the hands I choose to hold
Painting nightlight
In searching questions
Cannot catch the shadow
That is me
Running naked
And unmentioned
Through the death
Of a saltless sea
No one knows me
In the morning
No one sees me go walking by
And if I listen while no one answers
The winds can only echo a goodbye
While through your windows
And through your walls
I see you made of crystal light
I see you running and never moving
I see you waiting for my knife
Through yellow walls that shine like silver
Dark green windows
Stare never closed
Through yellow walls that shine like silver
Through the hands I choose to hold
Dark green windows
Stare never closed
From yellow walls that shine like silver
Through the hands I choose to hold
Painting nightlight
In searching questions
Cannot catch the shadow
That is me
Running naked
And unmentioned
Through the death
Of a saltless sea
No one knows me
In the morning
No one sees me go walking by
And if I listen while no one answers
The winds can only echo a goodbye
While through your windows
And through your walls
I see you made of crystal light
I see you running and never moving
I see you waiting for my knife
Through yellow walls that shine like silver
Dark green windows
Stare never closed
Through yellow walls that shine like silver
Through the hands I choose to hold
Lyrics submitted by aggiedo
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He's singing about the fact that no one knows him; "No one knows me-...-The winds can only echo a goodbye", which is horrifically sad because it is so true. At least artists like Nick Drake are finally receiving the critical acclaim they deserve, Jackson is unfortunately forever going to be under the radar.
15 of his closest friends, virtually all of them including his girlfriend Marlene died in that fire. The school furnace exploded. He spent months in the hospital afterwards as he suffered burns to 50% of his body. He had recurring dreams of the horrendous event The "Yellow Walls" was a reference to the school walls from inside, lit by the fire behind him. The second verse refers to the fact he "died" in that fire in a way his normal life ended. All his friends dead.
The third verse again says he felt completely alone after losing everyone he loved.
The fourth verse shows how he felt the guilt of the survivor, he lived but they all died. This caused him deep psychological problems which he ultimately had all his tragic life.
The last line of the last verse clearly says all of his friends (the hands he chooses to hold) died in that fire. How could anyone recover from that experience? This song lays his soul bare.
He later received 110,500 USD compensation from the insurance company with which he sailed to England and then Spain as he says in "Blues run the Game" which is autobiographical too. He married and had a child who died of Cystic Fibrosis which broke the marriage. He sadly died homeless and penniless. Possibly the saddest life which I ever heard about.
All we have left of this great man is his songs.