Come talk to me
I love this song. I frequently talk about how I dig Peter Gabriel; this song grew on me. I have a live performance DVD where Peter duets with his daughter, and they grasp hands firmly as they come in close for the end, face to face. It’s one of those songs that demands my attention.
No, no dramatics happened tonight. These are just things I think about, how I maintain direction. I swerve sometimes, but I seem to swing back and forth enough to I keep my general heading.
It resonates pretty powerfully with me because I feel like there are countless events, externally and internally, that are made so damned complicated because we’re so busy interpreting other people and making assumptions about their expectations, we don’t ask. It happens so often, one person misses the mark, the other gets the wrong idea, and pretty soon a wonderful relationship (of whatever kind) is spiraling out of control.
I don’t want that, for me. I don’t want to be proud and right – I want to be humble, and to know the truth about others and myself, as much as one can. No one wants to be abused or taken advantage of, and that fear keeps us all apart, keeps us from asking questions. There is much more bravery in being humble than in being proud; all I’ve got left in my pride are the words, “I was right” which I can chant to myself as often as I like. Better to be able to say, “I might have made a mistake.”
I’m known for enjoying a good argument, and I often can’t resist trying to explain why I did something foolish or selfish or contrary to logic. But there’s no defense to someone else’s pain – right or wrong, they hurt. How can you justify that away?
The words “I did not come to steal” mean something that’s hard to define, but so important to the song. Come, sit here next to me, and I will speak from my heart, and I will listen to yours, and we will grow closer.
In search of you, I feel my way, though the slowest heaving night
Whatever fear invents, I swear it make no sense
I reach through the border fence
Come down, come talk to me
In the swirling, curling storm of desire unuttered words hold fast
With reptile tongue, the lightning lashes towers built to last
Darkness creeps in like a thief and offers no relief
Why are you shaking like a leaf
Come on, come talk to me
Ah please talk to me
Won’t you please talk to me
We can unlock this misery
Come on, come talk to me
{Chorus 1:}
I did not come to steal
This all is so unreal
Can’t you show me how you feel now
Come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me [x2]
The earthly power sucks shadowed milk from sleepy tears undone
From nippled skin as smooth as silk the bugles blown as one
You lie there with your eyes half closed like there’s no-one there at all
There’s a tension pulling on your face
Come on, come talk to me
Won’t you please talk to me
If you’d just talk to me
Unblock this misery
If you’d only talk to me
{Chorus 2:}
Don’t you ever change your mind
Now your future’s so defined
And you act so deaf and blind
[And you act so deaf so blind]
Come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me [x2]
I can imagine the moment
Breaking out through the silence
All the things that we both might say
And the heart it will not be denied
‘Til we’re both on the same damn side
All the barriers blown away
I said please talk to me
Won’t you please come talk to me
Just like it used to be
Come on, come talk to me
I did not come to steal
This all is so unreal
Can you show me how you feel now
Come on, come talk to me
Come talk to me [x2]
I said please talk to me
If you’d just talk to me
Unblock this misery
If you’d only talk to me
[Chorus 2]
(Font too light? I use a black text background)
It resonates pretty powerfully with me because I feel like there are countless events, externally and internally, that are made so damned complicated because we’re so busy interpreting other people and making assumptions about their expectations, we don’t ask. It happens so often, one person misses the mark, the other gets the wrong idea, and pretty soon a wonderful relationship (of whatever kind) is spiraling out of control.
I don’t want that, for me. I don’t want to be proud and right – I want to be humble, and to know the truth about others and myself, as much as one can. No one wants to be abused or taken advantage of, and that fear keeps us all apart, keeps us from asking questions. There is much more bravery in being humble than in being proud; all I’ve got left in my pride are the words, “I was right” which I can chant to myself as often as I like. Better to be able to say, “I might have made a mistake.”
Learning the lesson to let go of “being right” was one of the best things I ever did for me. It was also one of the harder ones to do. *grin*
My dear Scott, this motivation in you is part of why I love you so much. I look forward to continuing to be humble, seek truth, unmask assumptions, ask questions, and grow closer with you!
Knowing that being right isn’t always the best thing to be is a huge thing.
I have a copy of “In your eyes” laced with dialogue from Say Anything, has to be my favourite track ever.
Peter Gabriel is probably my favorite all-time artist. I don’t listen to him all the time, but when I do, the songs still have an emotional impact.
This song also grew on me…a couple years ago, when I finally decided to listen to the whole album “Shaking the Tree Live”. In it, he sings this duet with Paula Cole, and it is so passionate. I’m glad you posted this…the song is a good one for fall, and I will add it to my mix:-)
Funny? This song came on (well, the Paula Cole version, from the Shaking the Tree tour), just as I got to your post. I love love love this song. Also, The blood of Eden.
I worship Peter Gabriel-I have loved him since the age of 17, and I am now 31…that is almost half my life. I have 6 CD’s, 9 music tapes, and 4 VHS cassette video tapes of his work. One of the best nights of my life was seeing PG live at the Tweeter Center about three years ago.
And yet, somehow, I don’t have this song on my Ipod. Eerie.