“Sliding” is easily divisible into two sections with fundamentally different orientations. That’s true whether your focus is directed lyrically, instrumentally or vocally. The video adds a visual dimension to the difference.
The orientation shift is most noticeable in the lyrics. For the first section, the song reflects a mental anguish and an uncertainty (a “swithering”):
“I can feel it all sliding away from me
And I can feel it all sliding
It’s getting hard to breathe
My head’s below the sea”
In comparison, the post-shift lyrics declare “I’m doing well, can’t you tell that I’m over the worst.” The orientation change is telegraphed by the instrumental support. Shortly after the 3:50 mark, the sound of strings enters as a short downtempo passage ends. Vocally, the song switches from being driven by the lead singer (Roddy Hart) to placing the emphasis on group vocals. Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire have the luxury of including six members with the ability to contribute to the vocals.
In the video, the first section involves images that travel outward from the person’s (Roddy) eye. At 3:50, the direction reverses. Interestingly, the song ends with a spiral staircase being rotated, withdrawn, and re-dimensioned to fit the eye.
Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire are based in Glasgow, Scotland. The members of the band are Roddy Hart (vocals, guitars, piano), Scott Clark (bass, vocals), Scott Mackay (drums), John Martin (guitars, vocals), Geoff Martyn (piano, organ, vocals), Gordon Turner (guitars, keys, vocals), and Andy Lucas (keys, vocals).
“Sliding” by Roddy Hart & The Lonesome Fire
The “Swithering” album
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