The killer lives inside me: I can feel him move.
Sometimes he's lightly sleeping in the quiet of his room,
But then his eyes will rise and stare through mine,
He'll speak my words and slice my mind inside.

The killer lives.

The angels live inside me: I can feel them smile,
Their presence strokes and soothes the tempest in my mind
And their love can heal the wounds that I have wrought.
They watch me as I go to fall, well, I know I shall be caught,

For the angels live.

How can I be free?
How can I get help?
Am I really me?
Am I someone else?

But stalking in my cloisters hang the acolytes of gloom
And Death's Head throws his cloak onto the corner of my room and I am doomed,
But laughing in my courtyard play the pranksters of my youth
And solemn, waiting Old Man in the gables of the roof, he tells me truth

And I, too, live inside me and very often don't know who I am,
I know, I'm not a hero, I hope that I'm not damned
I'm just a man, and killers, angels, all are these,
Dictators, saviors, refugees
In war and peace
As long as Man lives

I'm just a man, and killers, angels, all are these,
Dictators, saviors, refugees



Lyrics submitted by inpraiseoffolly

Track duration: 10:25

"Man-Erg" as written by Peter Hammill

Lyrics © CARLIN AMERICA INC, WINDSWEPT HOLDINGS LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Man-Erg song meanings
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3 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:It's about the presence of good and bad in everyone. Note that it's not just Good = Angel, Bad = Killer. There is fear of death, pesimism and the acceptance of growing old.

    Hammill is always clever with lyrical images. Here he remains unusually clear. I take that to be because of the big universal theme.

    Also - I can't help but feel that Robbie William's Angels would have been better if they had heard this first!
    Flag PBAon June 16, 2012   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:I think this is about the many faces of a person's personality.
    Flag 3rd_Uncleon April 17, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this is about the many faces of a person's personality.
    Flag 3rd_Uncleon April 17, 2008   Link

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