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Released in 1997

He awoke startled - Crystal Ship

Written by Paul McCartney


Album This song officially appears on the Standing Stone Official album.

Timeline This song was officially released in 1997

Timeline This song was written, or began to be written, in 1994, when Paul McCartney was 52 years old)

Master album

Related sessions

This song was recorded during the following studio sessions:


Lyrics

In sparking imperfection.

Tingling delights of air's fresh rush

Collide with grey cloud solitude

On desolate hazy morning shore

The first person singular wanted

He didn't know what.


Clapping flash of lightning

Illuminates far flat lines

Velvet wind on dark horizon

Sea of glass

Then there was a melody

Made like a memory. A sprinkling of bells

He sought the source.


Salt sea breezes quickened

A shift of silver lifted mist.

A crystal ship slipped and shone in sunlight.

Seduced he swam

To stand on deck

Wind spoke

And sucked the boat to sea

Soon land was left a world behind

As crystal bow fell onto swells:

Narcitic memory,

Untroubled troughs.


A withered wind's whisper scratched the deck.

Shivering elegance slivered in splinters,

Dissolved in dark as sun spat out.

Breathless lament in dissonant air

Chasms cough up chasms

Spun in wheels of black fog.

Hope so hard to float it sank.


Until a crack of blinding light broke through

and hauled the boat along a slinging slipway,

towards a dear blue sky.

And as before clear music lead the way.


White birds silent over crystal bow.

The vessel sped through beads of spray

That slapped his happy face; and filled his soul

With glory song.

His nostrils snorted blasts of ocean air.

"In thanks for my survival

I'll put up a monument of stone

Where I put in."


*Lyrics taken from the whole of Movement II - He Awoke Startled

Officially appears on

Live performances

He awoke startled - Crystal Ship” has been played in 30 concerts.

Latest concerts where “He awoke startled - Crystal Ship” has been played


Going further

Paul McCartney: Music Is Ideas. The Stories Behind the Songs (Vol. 2) 1990-2012

This new book by Luca Perasi traces Paul McCartney's post-Beatles output from 1990 to 2012 in the form of 250 song entries, filled with details about the recordings, stories behind the sessions and musical analysis. His pop albums, his forays into classical and avant-garde music, his penchant for covering old standards: a complete book to discover how these languages cross-pollinate and influence each other.

The second volume in a series that has established itself as a unique guide to take the reader on a journey into the astonishing creativity of Paul McCartney.

Read our exclusive interview with Luca Perasi

Buy on Amazon

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