Once again I state that the following is merely a translation of what was written ages ago. My views may have developed since then, my knowledge deepened... Still in the process of translating. Sorry it's taking so long, folks, but we're getting there ;)

Original date of publishing: 5. 1. 2011

No more excuses, no more delays, we need to move on. Welcome in 2011 which is going to be a very exciting year for all TT fans :) And you can, by the humble means of me, be a part of it! No, I’m still not over it, still a mad thatter. So here is the second half of The Circus album including three musical treats for you :) Enjoy! I had some poll questions to ask, but in the end they didn’t make it to the article… Maybe next time. or maybe not at all… :D Anyway, let’s dig in to it. Let's begin where we left off last time.


 

7. How Did It Come To This – Here The Circus presents us with one of those rare gems: a song with Jason on the lead vocal. And judging by how wordy it is, I’d say he has had a fair share of influence on the lyrics as well :) There is so many words and they are beautifully (and craftily) arranged into a sort of astonishment, sigh and wonder about what has happened with the world and the people… Musically it is nothing of a sigh though :)

8. Up All Night – second single of the album. Climbed up to no. 14 in the Chart. We’ve had it here before, at the very beginning. What’s worth saying is that in concerts it’s a part of the band set, where they are a real band, actually playing real musical instruments and all :)

9. What Is Love – a very beautiful thing! Surprisingly, right…? :D It’s Howard singing the lead and as you can see, the song asks the question: “What is Love”. Well what would you expect from popular artists? In the end it does find some kind of an answer… Me, I like to take a song and re-interpret it for myself, translate it into my own context: As if it’s me asking God what love is? And then I come to the conclusion that only Him, who is Love, can save me, only He can heal broken hearts and only He can show me what real Love is.

I give you a video from the bonus disc of The Circus Live DVD. a live acoustic version from the Abbey Road Studios :)

Is it a truth?
Or is it a fear?
Is it a rose to for my valentine?
What is love?

Is it only words
I'm trying to find?
Or is it the way that we're feeling now?
What is love?

If love is truth, then let it break my heart.
If love is fear, lead me to the dark.
If love is a game, I'm playing all my cards.
What is love?

A pain or a cure?
A science of faith?
A reason to fall to your knees and die?
What is love?

Only you can save me now.
Only you can heal me now.
Only you can show me now,
what is love.

 

10. You – This one took its time before I got to like it… And I still think that I… haven’t understood it properly yet. I like it, but it feels like there is more it than what I see, like I need to deepen my perception of it, understand it more somehow … One thing that (unfortunately) keeps drawing my ears’ attention is a line that is used in… *(the following information is of no importance) I’m The Man, which is a song from a TV mini-series called Britannia High. The music to the series was written by certain Mr Gary Barlow (and a team of other songwriters). (Btw, I had known this series ages before I discovered TT. and I didn’t understand why everybody was so excited about a Gary Barlow involved in the song writing. like, who’s that? :D :D ) *

11. Hold Up A Light – this, on the other hand, is the very opposite case. I’ve liked it since the first notes of the first listen. It’s just a super amazing song!!! Pure energy, hope, optimism, strength, love,… There’s much more in it, but it’s so strong that I can’t even absorb all of it while listening (and singing :) By the by, as the last single of the album, it was released a year later, in December 2009 – in promotion of the live album from the tour. The official video was live footage from the concert. The video is fantastic, spine-tingling and everything… but as it’s in the end of the show, it would give away a lot of things that I want to write about in the future. So I’ll keep that for later and I’ll give you an “unlive” video with all sorts of pictures :D and lyrics on the top ;)

And I would like to dedicate this beautiful song to my faithful reader Hana, who has made me the happiest person on the New Years Eve!!! and it’s her birthday today. So Happy Birthday, Hana !!!

12. Here – this one took a while as well. It’s very interesting… I’m not sure if I would ever play it on its own, but it fits perfectly well to the end of the album. At the moment, I don’t know what more to say. There’s something about it reminding me of the Beatles…

*bonus track: 13. She Said – weeeell, what do you think, it’s Hana’s birthday, shall we play the bonus track? :) It’s so amazingly unlike all of their other songs… and it’s so dancy that it gets you up from the chair. So please, listen, get up and dance :) this is the way it is on the album:

God save the Queen, God save Take That and God save all of you!