- Album This song officially appears on the Standing Stone Official album.
- Timeline This song has been written (or started being written) in 1994 (Paul McCartney was 52 years old)
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Mar 03 & 04, 1997
"Standing Stone" recording sessions
Apr 30, May 01 & May 02, 1997
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Lyrics
In sparking imperfection.
Tingling delights of air's fresh rush
Collide with grey cloud solitude
On desolate hazy morning shore
The first person singular wanted
He didn't know what.
Clapping flash of lightning
Illuminates far flat lines
Velvet wind on dark horizon
Sea of glass
Then there was a melody
Made like a memory. A sprinkling of bells
He sought the source.
Salt sea breezes quickened
A shift of silver lifted mist.
A crystal ship slipped and shone in sunlight.
Seduced he swam
To stand on deck
Wind spoke
And sucked the boat to sea
Soon land was left a world behind
As crystal bow fell onto swells:
Narcitic memory,
Untroubled troughs.
A withered wind's whisper scratched the deck.
Shivering elegance slivered in splinters,
Dissolved in dark as sun spat out.
Breathless lament in dissonant air
Chasms cough up chasms
Spun in wheels of black fog.
Hope so hard to float it sank.
Until a crack of blinding light broke through
and hauled the boat along a slinging slipway,
towards a dear blue sky.
And as before clear music lead the way.
White birds silent over crystal bow.
The vessel sped through beads of spray
That slapped his happy face; and filled his soul
With glory song.
His nostrils snorted blasts of ocean air.
"In thanks for my survival
I'll put up a monument of stone
Where I put in."
*Lyrics taken from the whole of Movement II - He Awoke Startled
Officially appears on
Official album • Released in 1997
3:58 • Classical version • A • Contemplativo
- Paul McCartney :
- Executive producer
- Eddie Klein :
- Technical engineer
- Performed by :
- London Symphony Orchestra • London Symphony Chorus
- Keith Smith :
- Technical engineer
- John Kurlander :
- Balance engineer
- John Fraser :
- Producer
- Lawrence Foster :
- Conductor
- Richard Rodney Bennett :
- Musical associate
- Janice Graham :
- Orchestra leader
- Stephen Westrop :
- Chorusmaster
- Simon Kiln :
- Editor
- David Matthews :
- Musical associate
- John Harle :
- Musical associate
- Steve Lodder :
- Musical associate
- Session Recording:
- Mar 03 & 04, 1997
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
- Session Recording:
- Apr 30, May 01 & May 02, 1997
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road
Live performances
“He awoke startled - Meditation” has been played in 30 concerts.
Latest concerts where He awoke startled - Meditation has been played
Berlin • Philharmonie • Germany
Jun 28, 2008 • Part of Standing Stone
Beechworth • Mayday Hills Oval • Australia
Jan 19, 2008 • Part of Standing Stone
Helsinki • Finlandia Hall • Finland
Mar 10, 2005 • Part of Standing Stone
Tel Aviv • Mann Auditorium • Israel
Nov 01, 2002 • Part of Standing Stone
Jun 29, 2002 • Part of Standing Stone
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