This song is autobiographical in a very sad way. Jackson C. Frank was severely burnt by a fire at his school.
15 of his closest friends, virtually all of them including his girlfriend Marlene died in that fire. The school furnace exploded. He spent months in the hospital afterwards as he suffered burns to 50% of his body. He had recurring dreams of the horrendous event The "Yellow Walls" was a reference to the school walls from inside, lit by the fire behind him. The second verse refers to the fact he "died" in that fire in a way his normal life ended. All his friends dead.
The third verse again says he felt completely alone after losing everyone he loved.
The fourth verse shows how he felt the guilt of the survivor, he lived but they all died. This caused him deep psychological problems which he ultimately had all his tragic life.
The last line of the last verse clearly says all of his friends (the hands he chooses to hold) died in that fire. How could anyone recover from that experience? This song lays his soul bare.
He later received 110,500 USD compensation from the insurance company with which he sailed to England and then Spain as he says in "Blues run the Game" which is autobiographical too. He married and had a child who died of Cystic Fibrosis which broke the marriage. He sadly died homeless and penniless. Possibly the saddest life which I ever heard about.
This song is autobiographical in a very sad way. Jackson C. Frank was severely burnt by a fire at his school.
15 of his closest friends, virtually all of them including his girlfriend Marlene died in that fire. The school furnace exploded. He spent months in the hospital afterwards as he suffered burns to 50% of his body. He had recurring dreams of the horrendous event The "Yellow Walls" was a reference to the school walls from inside, lit by the fire behind him. The second verse refers to the fact he "died" in that fire in a way his normal life ended. All his friends dead.
The third verse again says he felt completely alone after losing everyone he loved.
The fourth verse shows how he felt the guilt of the survivor, he lived but they all died. This caused him deep psychological problems which he ultimately had all his tragic life.
The last line of the last verse clearly says all of his friends (the hands he chooses to hold) died in that fire. How could anyone recover from that experience? This song lays his soul bare.
He later received 110,500 USD compensation from the insurance company with which he sailed to England and then Spain as he says in "Blues run the Game" which is autobiographical too. He married and had a child who died of Cystic Fibrosis which broke the marriage. He sadly died homeless and penniless. Possibly the saddest life which I ever heard about.
All we have left of this great man is his songs.