It was a theme she had
on a scheme he had
told in a foreign land
to take life on earth
to the second birth
and the man was in command
it was a flight on the wings
of a young girls dreams
that flew too far away
and we could make the monster live again
oh hands move and heart beat on
now life will return in this electric storm
a prophecy for a fantasy
the curse of a vivid mind
don't push too far
your dreams are china in your hand
don't wish to hard
because they may come true
and you can't help them
you don't know what you might
have set upon yourself
china in your hand
come from greed
never born of the seed
took life from a barren hand
on eyes wide
like a child in the form of man
a story told
a mind of his own
an omen for our time
we take a flight on the wings of fantasy
then you push too far
and make your dreams reality
yeah china in your hand
but they're only dreams
and you shouldn't push too far



Lyrics submitted by stacibug

Track duration: 03:42


China In Your Hand song meanings
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12 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:For me, China in your hand is about a dictatorial leader involved in a global power struggle in a dystopian futuristic world where humans have been enslaved by a totalitarian robot government. Western Europe and North America have been devastated by a 100 year conflict against the robots and the real power on the planet has shifted to the Eastern continents, where the remaining human settlements are. Already we see the possible signs of this future in our world today. In this song, T'Pau are addressing the remaining humans, urging them to fight against the "monster" of robot tyranny and start a revolutionary rebellion from China, which remains "in the hand" of human beings.
    Flag Polidorion April 28, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Well researched and, I reckon (I've not heard Ms Decker's own explanation) spot on. Except that I always thought: 'It was a theme she had on a scheme he had' referred to Mary Shelly's response to the game they were playing. Historically, there was a party held at a remote foreign castle (referenced in the song) and in attendance were the Shelleys, one Dr Polidori and Lord Byron. He challenegd them all to write a horror story to suite the setting. Polidori wrote The Vampyre (worth a read!) and no-one else managed anything good (ironic since the others were famous poets!), except Mary concieved the fabulous Frankenstein story and it also ended up published (I found it hard going, but utlimately worth reading). So the scheme he had was the story-writing and the foreign land refers to where she wrote it, not to the story itself. Just my thoughts...
    Flag TheKeeperon June 09, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's about Frankenstein as mentioned above - Carol Decker said in an interview once that the inspiration for the song was watching a documentary about the author and story of Frankenstein... I had to study the novel in a Uni seminar last year and we brainstormed modern Frankenstein references, and I thought of this and nobody believed my theory, so I went away and painstakingly researched the song just to prove a point and found I was right!


    It was a theme she had [Mary Shelley the author] on a scheme he had [Doctor Frankenstein], told in a foreign land [it's set in Switzerland, England and Scotland]

    to take life on earth to the second birth, and the man was in command [create life - make a creature/man]

    it was a flight on the wings of a young girls dreams that flew too far away, and we could make the monster live again [It was Shelley's fantasy, based on the original myth of Prometheus]

    oh hands move and heart beat on - now life will return in this electric storm [it's a thunderstorm which sparks the equipment that brings Frankenstein's monster to life]

    a prophecy for a fantasy, the curse of a vivid mind [it was a fantasy and not even remotely possible to create a life at the time in which the book was written, but it turned out to be partly true, with cloning developments etc]

    don't push too far, your dreams are china in your hand; don't wish to hard because they may come true and you can't help them; you don't know what you might have set upon yourself; china in your hand [imagining or dreaming of something could lead to it happening and it might not always be good]

    come from greed, never born of the seed, took life from a barren hand [Dr Frankenstein wanted fame and recognition from his scientist peers, his 'child' wasn't conceived the usual way, and seemed to come from nothing]

    on eyes wide like a child in the form of man, a story told, a mind of his own, an omen for our time [Frankenstein 'fathers' the monster but it begins life as a grown man]

    we take a flight on the wings of fantasy, then you push too far and make your dreams reality, yeah china in your hand, but they're only dreams and you shouldn't push too far [fantasy is one thing, but we should be careful not to make it a reality as Dr Frankenstein did?]

    Not sure exactly what the moral of the story is but I have a feeling Carol Decker would be anti-GM and against cloning. Maybe it's just 'don't get carried away by dreams, they're just dreams?
    Flag lucyb85on July 21, 2005   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:Apie - "life on earth to the second birth and the man was in command" "now life will return in this electric storm" "come from greed, never born of seed"

    If that's not Frankenstein I don't know what is (by the way, forget the Brannagh De Niro rubbish - read the book)
    Flag NHSMonkeyon June 02, 2005   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:btw, keyboard player runs a music shop now, we didnt just randomly go to him and buy guitar strings:-)
    Flag durham-redon April 15, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:great song, :-) just wanted to say that me and my friend used to buy our guitar strings off the keyboard player of t'pau.hes a cool dude:-) METAL

    and my mom used to go to school with carol decker....hey its a claim to fame:-D
    Flag durham-redon April 15, 2005   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:The Frankenstein comments I made are actually very true Apie. I followed T'pau religiously and Carol Decker herself has several times mentioned what China is all about.

    If you watch Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (94') you'll understand it more I guess.
    Flag drumajoon February 16, 2005   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:i loooove this song and her voice is amazing i agree with teh comments its all about your dreams and how you shoudl treat them with care and not push for them to come true too hard for it might not be what you really really want. although the whole frankenstein thing is a bit too wacky for me to believe how did you get frankenstein from a girl singing about dreams??
    Flag Apieon February 08, 2005   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:This song is the song that first introduced me to real music and got me into drumming too!

    The song is actually about Frankenstein...if you read the lyrics it will all add up. Great song writing by Carol Decker I hassen to add.
    Flag drumajoon May 19, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think part of it is about Jesus coming back to earth ie being reborn "to take life on earth to the second birth"

    The other theme is sometimes you wish for something and it comes true. But it doesnt turn out as you expect and gets way out of your controll. The dream turns into a nightmare.
    Flag Onlineon June 30, 2003   Link

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