Cloud Of Unknowing

I think this song is hopeful, to the point where its painful for the person, or to use a better word is full of longing and aching. he longs for something he can never have, or that maybe, he is holdig onto the slim hope that he will find it, but as the days go by he is actually getting farther and farther away from it. time is passing, and he feels like he's sinking. people have said on this page that's it's about love, and I agree, but it isn't limited to that in my opinion. longing for someone to love you, to be with them or to get a loved one that you lost back again, are amount many possible themes. or maybe he wants time back. 'all the days are forgetting, they've gone out with the tide.' that verse has a lot of meaning. it just makes me all sad when I listen to it. because this guys life seems so empty, extremely painful, and like he's holding on to hopes that are hurting him. maybe even grieving him. his life is slipping away, and he knows that it is.

for me, I think of 2D gazing out over the horizon on the plastic beach, where he is trapped, feeling alone and with a sense of melancholy. maybe he's sad about life, maybe he misses noodle. but we all miss noodle :'( I know sounds corny, like really corny, but for me this scene that I picture in my head when I hear this song has an incredible amount of sadness accompanied by it. there are so many sad things that've happened to 2D...maybe he's depressed. poor guy.

made me teary on more than one occasion :'( but what can I say? its an amazing song, by an amazing band, with deep, deep meaning that I can sort of relate to. one of the best on plastic beach.

I'm not religious, but i think this is an attempt of a soliloquy from god 'i was here from the very start'

This song is about love, in my opinion.

"On the cloud of unknowing My world seems open Every satellite up here is wanting But I was here from the very start Trying to find a way to your heart"

Not knowing how a person feels about you, you're open to what everything or everyone says about that person, or everything that happens with that person.

There are people around you doing their own thing with love, but you were there for the person you love/like first, no one else.

"All the days are forgetting They've gone out with the tide Lost at sea somewhere, waiting Like setting suns at the rodeo Trying to find someone you'll never know"

Each day that passes that you don't know how that person feels, the day is just forgotten, or wasted. And out to sea they go, because if you find out (Like setting suns at the rodeo) those days will still be waiting for you. But the chance of you finding out, is slim. It's like trying to find someone you'll never know.

"Oh, sinking love On the cloud of unknowing Every satellite up here is wanting Waiting to see what the morning brings May bring sunshine on its wings"

Still not knowing, that 'sinking' feeling of not knowing if a person loves you back. People still dealing with all of their own love problems, but your mind is focused on yours and yours only. The truth, the 'morning', is what we wait for, and we can only hope it's a beautiful truth. 'May bring sunshine on its wings.'

:) Just my interpretation.

Every satellite up here is wanting

I think that lyric is "Every Satellite up here is watching"

""I was in there for an hour going crazy about love and politics, getting it off my chest", said Womack."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_Beach#Recording

Hmm, I actually think this song has almost the same meaning as Every Planet We Reach Is Dead. War and love, Bobby Womack is in war and is lost out at sea and just wants to die or go home to his love. I never noticed this until the visual video came out.

sorry i literally just joined the site to post my thoughts on this song, so i haven't quite worked out how this all works! that wasn't meant to be a reply sorry

the lyric book says it's "set of light", not "satellite"

Official lyrics from the iTunes LP:

On the cloud of unknowing My world seems open Every set of light up here is watching But I was here from the very start Trying to find a way to your heart

Oh, the days of forgetting They've gone out with the tide Lost at sea somewhere, waiting Like setting suns at the rodeo Trying to find someone you never know

Oh, sinking love on the cloud of unknowing Every set of light up here is watching Waiting to see what the morning brings May bring sunshine on its wings

I'm going with "satellite" personally. F--- the lyric book. Next, try to tell me that Lady Gaga's just saying "p-p-p-poker face."

I like how we're hearing Womack again on this. It's as if he's the same voice we heard while visiting the Stylo...this weary old hermit whose been dwelling in space, above the Plastic Beach this whole time (maybe IN A SATELLITE, thankyouverymuch) ...wanting to see his love, his humanity restored, but all he's seen has been tragic...a whole world turned to plastic.

During our journey through the Plastic Beach, he's been trying to reach us...to tell us...to find a way to our hearts...but maybe we never really noticed.

Man! What a good damn song!