“Blinded” by John Lawrie & The Welcome Strangers – A Song Review

     After the guitar hook is set, a voice enters with a depth and timbre ideal for the theme song of the next cinematic Western. From the start until the finish, “Blinded” has a compelling energy that leads a listener to the mistaken impression that it is an upbeat song. It’s uptempo, but not upbeat.

     “Blinded” is about suffering a loss due to intentional inattentiveness. That is, the lyrics center on the idea of slowly losing something (a dream, a relationship, a purpose) due to actively ignoring the problems. The song from John Lawrie & The Welcome Strangers succinctly and eloquently defines the cause as “Head in the sand is a poor way to give a damn.”

     John Lawrie & The Welcome Strangers are based in Sydney, Australia. The members are John Lawrie (vocals, guitar, synth), Connor Rust (drums), Sean Niven (bass), and Brad Spencer (guitar). The band’s sound is described as “an eclectic blend of Indie Rock, Shogaze and the Blues; drawing from Springsteen to Slowdive - this is what happens when a guy gets his mates together to play some tunes.”

       "Blinded" by John Lawrie & The Welcome Strangers

    

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JohnLawrieTWS/

Bandcamp: https://johnlawrietws.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Blinded” by John Lawrie & The Welcome Strangers

I wish I could tell you I told you so

But I can't quite say that I'd always known

I was blinded

I was blinded

Can I pull the wool back over my eyes?

Trade my slice of paradise for a nine to five?

I don't mind it

I don't mind it

Looking for the dream I used to stoke

Think it fell through the hole in the back of my soul

I can't find it

I can't find it

And hiding the decay is keeping me sane

I've got a one-way ticket that's wrecking my brain

Now don't remind me

Oh don't remind me

Time goes on

And everything fades away

Time goes on

And everything fades away

Head in the sand is a poor way to give a damn

Denying the heat whilst shrouded in flames

Let the fire burn up all but my name

I don't like it

I never liked it

And hiding the decay is keeping me sane

I've got a one-way ticket that's wrecking my brain

Now don't remind me

Oh don't remind me

Time goes on

And everything fades away

Time goes on

And everything fades away

Head in the sand is a poor way to give a damn

I wish I could tell you I told you so

But I can't quite say that I'd always known

I was blinded

I was blinded

And hiding the decay is keeping me sane

I've got a one-way ticket that's wrecking my brain

Now don't remind me

Don't remind me

I don't mind it

I don't mind it