Sunday, August 28, 2011

Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

A well played song  by the group Traffic with Steve Winwood's signature vocals, with a few lines of confusing lyrics that are associated with a nuclear apocalypse.

The high heeled boys can be associated with the change in times: specific to the song, the new popularity of the Glam Rock bands.  It is the first verse has been taken to be a reference to nuclear missile warfare, but fits very well with the noise levels generated by the new glam bands (T-Rex, et al) that were threatening to displacd older style groups such as Traffic

It also has connotations of the drug culture of the day with cocaine being the girl, and heroin the boy.  Boy + Girl = Speedball.  The gun that makes no noise would be a syringe.

In retrospect it is rather versatile song: 

You follow the crowds to the new glimmering bright lights.  There is a moment of hesitation, but the cast-off, the price to be paid are ignored.  As the car is ready to slam into the rocks at the bottom of the cliff, you question whether you went the right way.  At the bursting fireball consumes you, you curse the people who gave you such lousy directions….. Ok, the last part I added.

I flipped the order of the last two verses.


If you see something that looks like a star
and it's shooting up out of the ground
and your head is spinning from a loud guitar.
And you just can't escape from the sound
don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
We were children once, playing with toys.

xxxxxxxxxx

If I gave you everything that I own
and asked for nothing in return
Would you do the same for me, as I would for you?
Or take me for a ride
and strip me of everything, including my pride
But spirit is something that no one destroys

xxxxxxxxxx

If you had just a minute to breathe
and they granted you one final wish
would you ask for something, like another chance.
Or something similar as this
don't worry too much, it'll happen to you
as sure as your sorrows are joys.

Refrain

And the thing that disturbs you is only the sound
of the low spark of high-heeled boys.

The percentage you're paying is too high priced
while you're living beyond all your means.
And the man in the suit has just bought a new car
from the profit he's made on your dreams.
But today you just swear that the man was shot dead
by a gun that didn't make any noise.
But it wasn't the bullet that laid him to rest
was the low spark of high-heeled boys.



Video Link2 (Steve Winwood more recently)

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