Ashes Are Burning Lyrics
Roads leading everywhere
Come with me now and show how you care
Cross on the paths that they lay
Breath of the past the earths yesterday
That the past is still turning
Circles sway echo yesterday
Ashes burning ashes burning
Silver the way to find
Walking the shadows, there in our mind
Leaving the mist of time
Fingers are holding fragments of mine
That the past is still turning
Circles sway echo yesterday
Ashes burning ashes burning
They glow below and above
Your sins you won't remember
And all you'll find there is love
Ashes are burning brightly
The smoke can be seen from afar
So now you're seeing how far
Ashes are burning the way
Ashes are burning the way
This song is about remembering the past. It's not a past that is recalled in the normal sense, but it is a living past. The ashes (the past) are burning (living). Whether or not this past is in the mind or in the real world is up to the listener to decide.
The song writer appears to believe that remembering the past in this living sense enables the rememberer to, not necessarily rectify the past as it happened, but to reconcile the past with him/herself. A person may improperly remember an event, or feel guilt or shame about something that may have occured, but by properly recalling the event the rememberer in enabled to free oneself from this burdon and find peace. 'Your sins you won't remember, and all you'll find there is love.'
Very good song. I'd recommend it to someone with a tragic, perhaps illusory past.
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. I just feel so complete after listening to it. Annie Haslam has one of the best voices, period (I’ve heard she had formal opera training). It just commands your attention. Check out that second “ashes are burning away.” Still gives me chills. Anyway, the instruments sound fantastic here, too. Specifically, the organ and piano during that instrumental break. Sheesh! I never thought a prog rock song would evoke so much emotion in me.