Wind-Up

I can readily agree with all or parts of all of the previous comments. As a once-faithful Christian who "lost my religion" last year, this song was very much on my mind throughout the long process of evaluation, wondering, doubt & determination.

I'm not completely sure that Ian Anderson was even giving God his props here when you listen to the whole album (remember those?). However, he sure condemns the lot of those who bend & interpret God, Christ & religion according to their whims & fancy. You have to remember the awful suffering still a part of the British institutional memory that was caused by the pairing of power & religion throughout the medieval period & the supposed "Renaissance" of mankind's understanding of his universe & existence. What wanton ignorance & corruption!

For some reason, the whole composition always came back to me over the years since hearing it in my youth the year it was released. I was still young trying to tow the line that was fed to me innocently enough by my parents & those who loved me. I was conscious also that the depth & emotion of Ian's writing reflected someone who had already "done the thinking" that I was yet incapable of doing for myself. I can't believe it took some 40+ years to pay attention & give in.

The lyric that grabs me the most after all these years is the assertion that "I'd rather look around me -- compose a better song / 'Cause that's the honest measure of my worth..." as a frank statement of whose responsibility it is to get what they will from this life rather than to blame or to put it in the hands of others.

"Do not go gentle into that good night..." (Dylan Thomas), Indeed!!