“Solsbury Hill” is the debut solo single
of English musician Peter Gabriel.
He wrote the song about a spiritual experience
atop Little Solsbury Hill in Somerset, England. 1
Climbing up on
Solsbury Hill
I could see the city light
Wind was blowing,
time stood still
Eagle flew out of the night
He was something to observe
Came in close,
I heard a voice
frame of reference (physics)
A set of axes which enable an observer to measure the position and motion of all bodies in some system relative to the reference frame. 3
Standing, stretching
every nerve
I had to listen had no choice
I did not believe the information
frame of reference (philosophy)
A set of assumptions, ideas and standards that form a viewpoint from which philosophical, religious and other ideas may be evaluated. 4
Just had to
trust imagination
My heart going
boom, boom, boom
Son, he said,
grab your things
I’ve come to take you home
imagination
The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness. 5
To keep in silence I resigned
My friends would think I was a nut
When illusion spin her net
I’m never where I want to be
And liberty she pirouette
When I think that I am free
Gabriel has said of the song’s meaning,
“It’s about being prepared to lose what you have
for what you might get …
It’s about letting go.” 7
Notes & References:
- Wikipedia contributors. (2023, April 16). Solsbury Hill (song). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 01:16, April 24, 2023, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Solsbury_Hill_(song)&oldid=1150178803
↩︎ - Melchizedek and the Mystery of Fire (PDF) – Manly P. Hall
https://archive.org/details/melchizedek-and-the-mystery-of-fire-manly-p-hall
↩︎ - frame of reference
(physics) A set of axes which enable an observer to measure the position and motion of all bodies in some system relative to the reference frame.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/frame_of_reference
↩︎ - frame of reference
A set of assumptions, ideas and standards that form a viewpoint from which philosophical, religious and other ideas may be evaluated.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/frame_of_reference
↩︎ - imagination
The ability to confront and deal with reality by using the creative power of the mind; resourcefulness.
https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=imagination
↩︎ - The Underground History of American Education
↩︎ - Without Frontiers: The Life & Music of Peter Gabriel By Daryl Easlea
↩︎ - Secret Symbolism in Occult Art
↩︎
Songs:
Tom Petty – Learning to Fly
Peter Gabriel – In Your Eyes
Coldplay – Speed of Sound
Lord Huron – Ends of the Earth
Peter Gabriel – Solsbury Hill
Sometimes this philosophy has been hidden from the public and at other times it has been placed in plain view- though always in such a way as to remain unrecognized by outsiders.
Mark Booth
Oh, there’s a river that winds on forever
I’m gonna see where it leads
Lord Huron
Ends of the Earth