2nd time in as many days - a song hits me...

Wow.

I just bought Herbie Hancock's new album. He has always been one of my musical heroes but in the jazz arena. His latest, "possibilities" is all collaborations with other artists doing a blend of covers and new material.

The song that grabbed me was "Hush Hush Hush". I knew it sounded vaguely familiar but this version was with Annie Lennox singing. Annie, FYI, is another one of my inspirations. In reading the liner notes it said this song was by Paula Cole... yes, Paula Cole. I dug back through my CD collection and found her album with this song on it - long since forgotton. For those who never really listened to Paula, she is a lyrics powerhouse - writing heavy songs with guts - but this one escaped me back in 1997. No surprise then, that the reason this struck me were the words themselves - and Annie drove them home. It's about a dying man's last hours in the arms of his father - a gay man with AIDS - and having hidden his sexuality until the very, very end.

In listening to Paula's version...bam... another slap. Peter Gabriel sung on it, too. I forgot that Paula was Peter's prime backup singer.

Thank goodness there are forward thinking musicians in this world. Bless you Paula... and Herbie, Annie and Peter.

Here it is:

Hush, Hush, Hush

Long white arms
Losing their strength and form
Sixty year man on twenty year old skin
Skeleton, your eyes have lost their warmth
Look to your father for some support

CHORUS:

Hush hush hush
Says your daddy's touch
Sleep sleep sleep
Says the hundredth sheep
Peace peace peace
May you go in peace

Cruel joke you waited so long to show
The one that you wanted wasn't a girl
All your life you kept it hidden inside
Now when you step
You stumble
You die

CHORUS

Oh maybe next time
You'll be Henry the VIII
Wake up tomorrow, Alexander the Great
Open your eyes in a new life again
Oh maybe next time
You'll be given a chance

Hush hush hush
Hush hush hush
Hush hush hush
Hush hush hush
Hush...