Rome on Fire

As posted by Frank Spinath at seabound.de:

"Rome On Fire" was written in a hospital. I needed surgery after I tore a ligament, and it was a quite distressing time: 10 days and NOTHING to do. I had just returned from a trip around the world, so the contrast was pronounced: White walls, the clock wouldn't move, time stood still. This is reflected in the beginning of the first verse. Gradually, I started to think about the past. Not as if this was an unusual thought for me: I used to cling to the past, glorifying what had been (lost), at least treasuring the good things and covering most of the bad. But this time the process went deeper...

I started to feel that I had actually changed so drastically over time that I had become someone else. At that very moment I had an image in my mind of a curious child, happy, and without the burden of responsibility. A child with so much trust, curiousity, and a self-centered view that his world would NEVER stop turning that it hurt intensely to witness the contrast to my present situation. Who had I become? How was I supposed to feel about myself? I started to grow a very deep suspicion that something had gone wrong... That's what the rest of the first verse is about.

In a way, the chorus is a dialog between the two persons who are reflecting my past and present self. We tried to strengthen this sensation though the use of different vocal effects for the different parts. It is definitely about self-reflection. It's kind of strange to imagine parts of you arguing with each other inside your mind but I didn't think it was too weird. You don't necessarily have to be diagnosed as a multiple personality to compartmentalize.

Writing these words, I can sense the disturbance I felt when I wrote the lyrics once again. Can you become a totally different person? Completely lose faith? Or gain a certain quality you never had? Can these persons, in extreme, hate one another? I think it is possible. Check out old photographs and remember how pure you were and who you wanted to become...

I love the image of footsteps in the sand which signal that something went wrong. First of all, there is the close proximity to the sea which is a perfect stage for the "play of your life". However, the "footprints" image was inspired by a religious story I read a while ago: A religious man who has gone through very bad times in his life is arguing with God. In this conversation the man is referring to his life which is reflected in footsteps in the sand. Along the way the footprints of two persons are visible: the man's very own and the footprints God left accompanying him. Suddenly, the man notices that when times got really rough in his life there's only one pair of footprints in the sand, and he becomes angry with God saying: "See, you promised me to be with me all my life - but in times of trouble you abandoned me", and he points at the single pair of footprints he sees. God gives him the following answer: "You know that I love you and that I have promised to be with you all your life. You see - in those times when things got rough and really you needed my company, I carried you."