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Suspended in Gaffa Lyrics
Out in the garden
There's half of a heaven
And we're only bluffing
We're not ones for busting through walls
But they've told us
Unless we can prove
That we're doing it
We can't have it all
He's gonna wangle
A way to get out of it
She's an excuse
And a witness who'll talk when he's called
But they've told us
Unless we can prove
That we're doing it
We can't have it all
We can't have it all
"I caught a glimpse of a god, all shining and bright..."
Suddenly my feet are feet of mud
It all goes slo-mo
I don't know why I'm crying
Am I suspended in Gaffa?
Not until I'm ready for you,
Not until I'm ready for you
Can I have it all
I try to get nearer
But as it gets clearer
There's something appears in the way
It's a plank in me eye
With a camel
Who's trying to get through it
Am I doing it?
Can I have it all now?
I pull out the plank and say
"Thank you for yanking me back to the fact that there's always something to distract..."
But sometimes it's hard
To know if I'm doing it right
Can I have it all?
Can I have it all now?
We can't have it all
"We all have a dream...maybe..."
Suddenly my feet are feet of mud
It all goes slo-mo
I don't know why I'm crying
Am I suspended in Gaffa?
Not until I'm ready for you,
Not until I'm ready for you
Can I have it all
I won't open boxes
That I am told not to
I'm not a Pandora
I'm much more like
That girl in the mirror between you and me
She don't stand a chance of getting anywhere at all
Not anywhere at all
No, not a thing
She can't have it all
"Mother, where are the angels? I'm scared of the changes"
Suddenly my feet are feet of mud
It all goes slo-mo
I don't know why I'm crying
Am I suspended in Gaffa?
Not until I'm ready for you
Not until I'm ready for you
Can I have it all
There's half of a heaven
And we're only bluffing
We're not ones for busting through walls
Unless we can prove
That we're doing it
We can't have it all
A way to get out of it
She's an excuse
And a witness who'll talk when he's called
Unless we can prove
That we're doing it
We can't have it all
We can't have it all
It all goes slo-mo
I don't know why I'm crying
Am I suspended in Gaffa?
Not until I'm ready for you,
Not until I'm ready for you
Can I have it all
But as it gets clearer
There's something appears in the way
It's a plank in me eye
Who's trying to get through it
Am I doing it?
Can I have it all now?
"Thank you for yanking me back to the fact that there's always something to distract..."
To know if I'm doing it right
Can I have it all?
Can I have it all now?
We can't have it all
It all goes slo-mo
I don't know why I'm crying
Am I suspended in Gaffa?
Not until I'm ready for you,
Not until I'm ready for you
Can I have it all
That I am told not to
I'm not a Pandora
I'm much more like
That girl in the mirror between you and me
She don't stand a chance of getting anywhere at all
Not anywhere at all
No, not a thing
She can't have it all
It all goes slo-mo
I don't know why I'm crying
Am I suspended in Gaffa?
Not until I'm ready for you
Not until I'm ready for you
Can I have it all
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
Gaffa is Katespeak for gaffer tape--duct tape to Americans, but the image isn't supposed to evoke being "stuck," as Kate makes clear: "The idea of the song is that of being given a glimpse of 'God' - something that we dearly want - but being told that unless we work for it, we will never see it again, and even then, we might not be worthy of it. Of course, everybody wants the reward without the toil, so people try to find a way out of the hard work, still hoping to claim the prize, but such is not the case. The choruses are meant to express the feeling of entering timelessness as you become ready for the experience, but only when you are ready."
It's very funny.. I'm not a catholic at all, nor a christian of even religious. I'm an atheist transsexual... and the song meant the world for me. Even though Kate never meant it like that... Maybe that's the power of a good song: that you can project your own fears and sorrows into it... My lines were: I'm not a Pandora I'm much morc like That girl in the mirror, Between you and me She don't stand a chance of Getting anywhere at all,
"That girl in the mirror / between you and me / she don't stand a chance of getting anywhere at all"
"That girl in the mirror / between you and me / she don't stand a chance of getting anywhere at all"
This is such a powerful line of poetry, with many layers of meaning. Just one of Kate's lyrics that has continued to resonate with me over the years.
This is such a powerful line of poetry, with many layers of meaning. Just one of Kate's lyrics that has continued to resonate with me over the years.
I love your reply. I love that you have taken ownership of this song and made it your own. I have done this with many songs. I think / hope that is what song writers wish. That someone will link to a common experience and then relate to their song in their own way. That their song is relative to everyone. I truly hope you are finding more than fears and sorrow.
I love your reply. I love that you have taken ownership of this song and made it your own. I have done this with many songs. I think / hope that is what song writers wish. That someone will link to a common experience and then relate to their song in their own way. That their song is relative to everyone. I truly hope you are finding more than fears and sorrow.
"Ah, my daughter, do not fear. You will not fail, however he may assail you. There is also Love in the world"
"Ah, my daughter, do not fear. You will not fail, however he may assail you. There is also Love in the world"
@fatatookay i listened to this song for the first time a few weeks after my egg cracked 5 years ago and it had a similar effect on me at the time
@fatatookay i listened to this song for the first time a few weeks after my egg cracked 5 years ago and it had a similar effect on me at the time
This song communicates perfectly the frustration we all feel at some time in our lives when our pursuits fail to come to fruition, or at least not quickly enough, we find ourselves asking "can I have it all now?"
Suddenly my feet are feet of mud. It all goes slo-mo. I don't know why I'm crying. Am I suspended in Gaffa?
As a result that self-doubt begins to creep in:
That girl in the mirror. Between you and me She don't stand a chance of getting anywhere at all.
It's not all doom and gloom though, as we are gently reminded that it will happen but "not until i'm ready for you". I have taken to singing this line to my very ambitious artist boyfriend who at times feels like he is wading through mud in the pursuit of his dream.
This song is hitting a real emotional chord for me right now. To me this song is about having the hope of a better life dangled in front of you, and wanting and trying desperately to create that peaceful existence.
On a personal note, this relates to my current experiences undertaking a treatment program for a mental disorder. We are told that there is a lot of hope for recovery, but we need to practice the skills regularly in order to achieve this; ". . . unless we can prove that we're doing it, we can't have it all."
"But sometimes it's hard to know if I'm doing it right. Can I have it all? Can I have it all now?" These lyrics reflect my own self-sabotaging thoughts and feelings, and my struggle to accept that these changes will take time and trust in the process.
The reference to feeling stuck and despairing at times also resonates with me.
Ultimately, I feel that Kate is suggesting that reaching a desirable state of being requires both letting go, and taking responsibility.
For me, the meaning of this song is similar to that of "All We Ever Look For"--see comments. However, it seems here that Kate's search here is for something more specific like the path to the Beatific Vision. Of course, I'm reading into this greatly; but that is part of the fun of listening to Kate's work. I remember reading once an interview in which Kate mentioned something about this song and the experience that one might have of looking up at the clouds and seeing God peeping through--"I thought I caught a glimpse of God all shiny and bright..." Also, this is one of my favorite Kate videos--who else would wear a straight-jacket/fencing outfit, dance around in a wind-tossed stable, and drift into outer space all in one promo? She's barking mad and brilliant! IMHO...
I was once told that this song was about Kate's relationship with her mother who died. I'm not sure if this is true, because to me it doesn't even sound like the song was written from personal experience. And to quote the person who commented before me, she is indeed "barking mad and brilliant" and i've always thought that! I can't decide whether this song has intense deep meanings or whether she is just singing about...tape.
To me this is about not getting into a relationship fully, and all the excuses you might have for this. Held back by mud and gaffa.
"Have it all" meaning fully into a relation, was my thought.
I've always seen this song as being about trying to be the best that you can be and working hard, but always being beaten by someone else, and it's this feeling of frustration that leads to feeling like you're stuck.
Ra Ra Riot's version sucks. This song is a masterpiece.
Kate Bush - Suspended in Gaffa (Houba Houba Show 1982) YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5z87kgH4FU
Fantastic! Absolutely Fantastic... :o)