Suddenly Silent

By Chris Devine

Phoenix, 1991. Driving around with Ivan Drever (formerly of Wolfstone). He stopped talking at one point, abruptly lost in thought. "You're suddenly silent," I said. "Suddenly silent! That'd make a good song," he said. He never wrote it so I did. It even sounds a little like an Ivan song. A friend once told me he knew exactly what I meant by this song. That's the highest compliment I can receive.

Words pour out like the waters descending,
Carry me on a tide that's unending,
But I can't see what you should be to me.
So take a look at the heart on my sleeve.
You're my friend if that's what you believe,
But I don't know if time will show that you're right.

And I asked you what you want from me,
And I asked you what you think I should be,
Don't we want to be free?
And you were suddenly silent.

Days alone in the terrible city,
Swimming on waves of self-pity,
And I was lost, I was tempest-tossed, alone.
Please carry me from the water tonight,
And show me the city of lights,
Then open my eyes, my ears likewise, to learn.

And I asked you what you want from me,
And I asked you what you think I should be,
Don't we want to be free?
And you were suddenly lost in the dream, lost in the night,
Lost in the dream and startled by the sight,
Lost in the thought, held by the guilt,
Lost inside of the fortress you built.

And I asked you what you want from me,
And I asked you what you think I should be,
Don't we want to be free?
And you were suddenly silent,
Suddenly silent, suddenly silent,
Suddenly ...