It's a song that each of us must make sense of in our own way, which is something I love about Karnivool's lyrics - they allow that space. For me, Change Part 1 was about reflection - in the original, an older man being interviewed by a child in English can just be heard in the background, and the lyrics suggest reflection on the way things were. It feels like Change Part 2 is a call to action and part of the purpose of the voice speaking in terms of Sound is to challenge us to think about our world in different ways - is gthe way things are the way they have to be?
The song profoundly moves me because of experiences I have had with Indigenous peoples and their search for self-advancement, self-actualisation, self realisation ... Musically, the song commences with a profoundly tribal sound, including the didgeridoo. So when I hear the haunting chant of "Hello, Hollow, Halo" I think of all the well-meaning, well-intentioned efforts by non-Indigenous peoples to improve the lot of Indigenous peoples, and so often, so little comes of it - it's like, "here come those whitefellas again with their broken promises".
Other lyrics that suggest the same futility and wasted effort:
"Lay here, Maybe the damage has been done. As we float away like embers, Beneath the fire still it burns
And I don't, I don't know why, Question who we are and then we die"
And again, futility if the following words are seen as an Indigenous reflection on non-Indigenous efforts to help
"When we collide, Some say goodbye, Some say the words, Leaving no resolve"
But finally, I hear hope in the final verse:
"There's a break in the wall, You can feel it, It's letting us all escape
So people tell me you need A waking day, to fall asleep
Light your way, find your place - in here"
My belief is that the break in the wall in terms of the future for Indigenous peoples is that things need to be done differently from the way they have been - Indigenous peooples need to "light your way" and non-Indigenous people need to support them to do it. Most politicians won't agree - but then look at the policies designed to improve things over the past 100 years, and ask who put those policies in place?
It's a profoundly moving song for me and I deeply appreciate it.
I think it's one great big cynical look at Kevin Rudd's apology. "Hello hollow halo"
I think it's one great big cynical look at Kevin Rudd's apology. "Hello hollow halo"
The apology itself meant nothing, it is an act that in itself means nothing, the only thing that matters really is how we as a people and as a nation move forward.
The apology itself meant nothing, it is an act that in itself means nothing, the only thing that matters really is how we as a people and as a nation move forward.
"What a way to lay this burden down
What a way to see this sorrow
What a way to see no tragedy
And all this leads to nothing"
"What a way to lay this burden down
What a way to see this sorrow
What a way to see no tragedy
And all this leads to nothing"
But maybe none of that matters at all, because as one of the world's great economists once said, in the long...
But maybe none of that matters at all, because as one of the world's great economists once said, in the long run we are all dead anyway.
"Question who we are and then we die
I guess I'll see you when it ends
I'll see you round the bend
My sober sorry friend"
But I could all be wrong, which means pretty much that we would all be wrong! If it wasn't for the didgeridoo we would most likely have come to very different conclusions, however it may very well be part of the song for this very reason. I think that like Tool, Karnivool doesn't chuck things into its music just for the sake of it.
In any case, one of the great songs on one of the great albums in Australian music history, but one that will most likely never be recognised as such because its lack of commercial appeal, and resultant lack of commercial success.
Anyway I just voted for it in Triple J's Hottest 100!
It's a song that each of us must make sense of in our own way, which is something I love about Karnivool's lyrics - they allow that space. For me, Change Part 1 was about reflection - in the original, an older man being interviewed by a child in English can just be heard in the background, and the lyrics suggest reflection on the way things were. It feels like Change Part 2 is a call to action and part of the purpose of the voice speaking in terms of Sound is to challenge us to think about our world in different ways - is gthe way things are the way they have to be?
The song profoundly moves me because of experiences I have had with Indigenous peoples and their search for self-advancement, self-actualisation, self realisation ... Musically, the song commences with a profoundly tribal sound, including the didgeridoo. So when I hear the haunting chant of "Hello, Hollow, Halo" I think of all the well-meaning, well-intentioned efforts by non-Indigenous peoples to improve the lot of Indigenous peoples, and so often, so little comes of it - it's like, "here come those whitefellas again with their broken promises".
Other lyrics that suggest the same futility and wasted effort:
"Lay here, Maybe the damage has been done. As we float away like embers, Beneath the fire still it burns And I don't, I don't know why, Question who we are and then we die"
And again, futility if the following words are seen as an Indigenous reflection on non-Indigenous efforts to help
"When we collide, Some say goodbye, Some say the words, Leaving no resolve"
But finally, I hear hope in the final verse:
"There's a break in the wall, You can feel it, It's letting us all escape So people tell me you need A waking day, to fall asleep Light your way, find your place - in here"
My belief is that the break in the wall in terms of the future for Indigenous peoples is that things need to be done differently from the way they have been - Indigenous peooples need to "light your way" and non-Indigenous people need to support them to do it. Most politicians won't agree - but then look at the policies designed to improve things over the past 100 years, and ask who put those policies in place?
It's a profoundly moving song for me and I deeply appreciate it.
I think it's one great big cynical look at Kevin Rudd's apology. "Hello hollow halo"
I think it's one great big cynical look at Kevin Rudd's apology. "Hello hollow halo"
The apology itself meant nothing, it is an act that in itself means nothing, the only thing that matters really is how we as a people and as a nation move forward.
The apology itself meant nothing, it is an act that in itself means nothing, the only thing that matters really is how we as a people and as a nation move forward.
"What a way to lay this burden down What a way to see this sorrow What a way to see no tragedy And all this leads to nothing"
"What a way to lay this burden down What a way to see this sorrow What a way to see no tragedy And all this leads to nothing"
But maybe none of that matters at all, because as one of the world's great economists once said, in the long...
But maybe none of that matters at all, because as one of the world's great economists once said, in the long run we are all dead anyway.
"Question who we are and then we die I guess I'll see you when it ends I'll see you round the bend My sober sorry friend"
But I could all be wrong, which means pretty much that we would all be wrong! If it wasn't for the didgeridoo we would most likely have come to very different conclusions, however it may very well be part of the song for this very reason. I think that like Tool, Karnivool doesn't chuck things into its music just for the sake of it.
In any case, one of the great songs on one of the great albums in Australian music history, but one that will most likely never be recognised as such because its lack of commercial appeal, and resultant lack of commercial success.
Anyway I just voted for it in Triple J's Hottest 100!