Trevor Rabin

I Can't Look Away

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I Can't Look Away Lyrics

I was waiting
For the moment
I was hoping
For the moment

I can see a city burn on the horizon
Sudden darkness fills the sky and hides the day
Though the fires have set me free
From the clouds that cover me
I can't look away
I can't look away

I have climbed the valley side and scaled the mountains
Though my freedom's still one thousand miles away
Yet, I'm frozen in mid-stride
By this yearning deep inside
I can't look away
I can't look away

I was waiting
For the moment
Then I heard the angels scream
Heard the angels scream

Cloaked in arms of war, I've come to look for you
For until they've seen, there is no other way
Through the flames that set me free
And the clouds that cover me
I won't look away
Won't look away
I won't look away
I won't look away

Submitted by

songmeanings On Feb 06, 2012

I Didn't Think It Would Last

Missing You

In Your Wildest Dreams

Sorrow (Your Heart)

Promises

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SongMeanings

Submitter

2012-02-06 15:40:48

1 Meaning

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by yeshie

12y ago

This is a song about South African apartheid.

Trevor Rabin is from South Africa, and is white. If you don't know, apartheid was South Africa's version of segregation- except a little worse.

Trevor's parents actively opposed apartheid, even though they benefited from it. Their feelings definitely rubbed off on their son. This ethnic advantage he had is reflected in the lines: "Though the fires have set me free / from the clouds that cover me".

However, he notes the his freedom lies a thousand miles away (maybe referring to the UK, who South Africa had recently broke off from), and "yet I'm frozen in mid-stride by this yearning deep inside." infers he can exercise his freedom to leave and have a better life at anytime he wishes, but he can't when he sees how bad certain people are treated in his home country. That is the meaning of the line "I can't look away": he feels that he has to do something. That line eventually makes a inspiring transition to "I WON'T look away."

It's a wonderfully written song with a great performance on guitars and vocals. It's a shame there are no other comments.

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