Seven Stones

The lyric is about superstition and cynicism. It's human nature to look for associations between events and the superstitious will find links where logically, none can exist. The repeated line "the changes of no consequence will pick up the reins from nowhere" simply warns against letting "signs" (changes of no consequence) guide you (pick up the reins). The bitter old man exploits the gullibility of those who take his stories of luck at face value and assume he has the wisdom to advise. In fact his wisdom is only that some things ARE just chance. Quite a bleak lyric really, but a great song.

Anyhow, a stone flung up by a passing car struck my windshield this morning. Didn't break it! I wouldn't normally, but I'm off to buy a lottery ticket. I mean, today's obviously my lucky day. Right?

Oh, and a tinker is one from seventeenth or eighteenth century England who repairs things, like kettles and pots, made of metal. I refer you to the legend of Sir John Barleycorn by Robert Burns and the lyrics of the eponymous song by Traffic. "And the tinker he can't mend kettle or pots, without a little barleycorn".

Could Tinker be a name? Anyways, what I gather from this brilliant song is that life is unpredictable, seemingly by chance, but it will work out in the end.

In the first verse, it seems that the man is going through a rough time in his life, a "storm". He takes a walk and sits under a tree to think about his life. When he clears away the leaves, there are 7 stones. Thinking something like "what have I to lose?", he goes to the 7th house where he lives and meets a friend to help him through his problems.

The old man is possibly the captain in verse 2. He sees a seagull and follows it, not knowing that he narrowly avoids crashing.

In verse 3, the old man has learned that life should not be taken so seriously, but at the same time, it should not be taken too lightly.

In verse 4 a young farmer comes to the old man, assuming the old man can help him with farming. Before seeing if the old man really knows anything, he gives him money. The old man smiles and walks away.

The Torrey Canyon was a supertanker capable of carrying a cargo of 120,000 tons of crude oil, which was shipwrecked off the western coast of Cornwall, England in March 1967 causing an environmental disaster. On 18 March 1967, owing to a navigational error, the Torrey Canyon oil tanker struck Pollard's Rock on Seven Stones reef between the Cornish mainland and the Scilly Isles. An inquiry in Liberia, where the ship was registered, found Shipmaster Pastrengo Rugiati was to blame, because he took a shortcut to save time in getting to Milford Haven.

In the second verse, I think the captain turns the boat and avoids crashing into the rock. When he sees the gull he knows there must be land somewhere near, thats why "He asks not why".

The rhyme they repeat is And the changes of no consequence will pick up the reins from nowhere. Meaning if you don't derive consequences of what is happening to you and don't do something about it, the reins of your fate/life will be picked from nowhere. I think its about knowing consciously where you're going and what your aim is. Otherwise life will just lead you from one disaster to another

I perceive the "old man" to be Fate, or some external force (a very cynical one, rather often) that guides the folly or men. Fate has taught the sailors to pay attention to where the seagull flies, as this portends of rocks below the water's surface in the near distance. Fate (perhaps to some, God) can also be cruel. The "farmer", acting on good faith, provides cash to the "old man" with the expectation that the old man will provide a benevolent service. In the farmer's case, however, the old man takes the money and leaves the farmer "wild".

Someone help me out. Is there a historical reference to "Seven Stones"? Seven certainly is a significant number in the Bible, especially as pertains to the subject of prophecy, but I know of nothing which ties seven stones directly or indirectly into relevance as regards these accounts of the fickle nature of an often malevolent and often, as well, beneficent "old man". Help me out if you have insights that might lead us to a clue! Thanks, fellow Genesisters and brothers!

I think this is a clever song that lampoons superstitious people who read to much in to things, signs, symbols, horoscopes. Even people who interpret meanings in the bible to suit their own agendas (777 being more divine than 666). The songs lyrics are gibberish, a very clever Parody,

I think I can explain the lyrics for "Seven Stones". \n\nThe "seven stones" refers to an ancient Hindu game that is over 5000 years old. Its reference here is that the object of the game is to stack seven stones using seven stone stackers and by stacking the stones the game is in harmony. However, there is an additional player (opponent) whose goal is to strike down the stack of stones with a ball leaving them strewn on the ground (out of harmony). The opponent then tries to strike each of the stackers with the ball thus eliminating them from the game. \n\nGenesis\' reference to this game is that the "Old Man" spends his life creating dis-harmony in the world. \n\n"Tinker alone in a storm" may be a reference to the Great Flood and Noah since this account occurs in Genesis 7. It could refer to Noah alone after the great flood. (the word "Tinker" is interesting if you reference one of its definitions as "to improve something to no useful effect.) This may mean that Noah saving mankind was a useless endeavor since his survival was meant to be a new beginning for mankind without his wickedness. Clearly mankind has reverted back to his original flawed character. \n\nThe "seventh house" in astrological terms, symbolizes harmony in the heavens and cooperation and harmony between people. I believe that when Genesis indicates that only a single friend was in the "seventh house" that the world was in disorder. \n\nIf there are no consequences from the changes in life, if you pick up the reigns after they have been left by another, you will go nowhere except where you already have been. \n\n"Sailors, in peril on the sea,\nAmongst the waves a rock looms nearer, and not yet seen.\nThey see a gull\nFlying by.\nThe Captain turns the boat and he asks not why.\nAnd the changes of no consequence will pick up the reins from nowhere.\nNowhere."\n\nThis is very clear. the "Sailors" are in peril on the sea because they see a sea gull fly close to their ship which would mean that they are very close to land. However, the Captain has just realized and perhaps too late that they are off course and heading straight for the "seven stones reef" of the Scilly Isles which was a death trap for ships before proper navigation. Hundreds of ships and thousands of sailors perished there. A ships Captain would realize that by the time you identified the rock outcrop, it was already too late. \n\nSo, the Old Man derives pleasure from turmoil and pain from joy. Which is why when the Old Man says he can tell the inexperienced farmer how best to plant his crops (for a fee), he walks away laughing as he clinches the farmers money in his hand and tells him nothing. \n\nThis would be my interpretation of the lyrics.

Easily one of the most underrated and forgotten classical Genesis tunes. Listen to it. You won't be disappointed.