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Falling from the Sky
(3:58)
Writing/Recording
Initially concieved as a song envisioning a perfect world, the song's meaning became much more complex during the recording sessions of Midnight Skies. Although Falling from the Sky seems like a love song on first listen, it's ideas that even a perfect world has flaws, and can exist only in one's mind, becomes increasingly noticable over time. The evolution from the original concepts to the more detailed album version was a slow process; Quillington went through many drafts of the song, and reportedly almost gave up on the song several times.
Each song has a meaning seperate from the album, as well as a place on the album's storyline as a whole; this song is no different. Problems with Pluto sets up the narrator's state of mind; he believes that the world is an incredibly flawed place. Falling from the Sky shows the narrator using his dreams as an escape from the normal world. In this song, he has a lucid dream, and creates his own version of paradise. He tries to convince himself that he'll be able to stay forever, but slowly comes to the realization that he'll eventually wake up.
Recording this song took almost as long as the writing. While the song was always going to be on the 'Dream' side of the album, Falling from the Sky was percieved as a song with drums, bass, and guitar. Frustrated by how long it was taking to finish the song, and the fact that he couldn't come up with a suitable guitar riff for the song, Quillington convinced Matt to back out of the song, and asked Greg to play glockenspiel. Falling from the Sky marks the first time that Quillington plays no instrument, Greg doesn't play drums, and Matt isn't in the song at all.
The live version of this song is closer to the original concept; it has the same lyrics, but involves all members, and has no glockenspiel.
Song Description/Lyrics
The song is extremely simple; it is driven by a simple glockenspiel riff for the entire song. The sound is very sad, almost mournful, even though the lyrics are (initially) somewhat happy. Sounds of the beach can softly be heard in the background the entire time; waves splashing against the shore, birds chirping, etc. Eric's singing throughout the song is very gentle and sincere-sounding. After the final lines are sung, the glockenspiel cuts out, and sounds of children playing on the beach are heard. Slowly, all voices are cut out. The only sound remaining is a song playing on a radio. The song cuts and skips, creating a very eerie sound. Then that, too, is cut out, leaving only silence for several seconds.
See the water flowing free, stretched across all that can be
We’ll stay here forever
Beauty lies in harmony, something in abundance here
We’ll stay here forever, where the stars are falling from the sky
All the endless days and nights, lying on a beach of gold
Nothing will be lost
Seagulls cry and the wind blows, all without a cloud in sight
Nothing will be lost, yet nothing will be gained
I'll live forever in this perfect light
See the water flowing free, stretched across all that can be
We'll stay here forever
Seagulls cry and the wind blows, all without a cloud in sight
Nothing will be lost, yet nothing will be gained
Deep down, I know
I can't live forever"The song was originally just me trying to rip off John Lennon's 'Imagine', but the ideas behind it just became so much more cosmic. It's hard to play it live, because I have to pour so much emotion into the words for it to actually work. It sounds so effortless when you hear this song, but it was a serious pain in the ass to make. Despite all the difficulties making it, I still consider this song to be my favorite on the 'Dream' part of Midnight Skies."
-Eric Quillington |
Kid Anything- Indie/Britpop/Shoegaze; influenced by Sigur Ros, XXYYXX, Kanye West, Blur, Oasis (Bringing together an eclectic group of influences, Ulysses' songs are sung with carefree abandon by Nick Junk) Kurt Ulysses - Songwriter, Guitarist, Backup Vocalist Nick Junk - Vocals, Mojo Infinite- Alternative/Experimental Rock; influenced by Muse, Radiohead, and The Beatles (Known best for their experimental music and their frontman's eccentric behavior, the band disbanded after Eric Quillington's death to pursue solo careers or, in Matt Robert's case, peace of mind. Infinite released four albums over the course of their career; Blue Nebula, Midnight Skies, Insomnia, and Dancing about Architecture.) Eric Quillington (Deceased) - Lead Vocals, Lead Guitar, Piano, Primary Lyricist Matt Roberts - Bass Greg Oldson - Drums, Backup Vocals, Secondary Lyricist Amelia Florentine - Keyboards, Piano, Lyricist, Backup Vocals "When asked 'how do you write?' I invariably answer, 'one word at a time', and this answer is invariably dismissed. But that's all it is. It sounds too simple to be true, but consider the Great Wall of China, if you will: one stone at a time, man. That's all. One stone at a time. But I've read you can see that motherfucker from space without a telescope." - Stephen King |
