Midlake
Album: The Courage of Others
Release Date: 2010
USA
Tim Smith talks about Acts of Man
It’s a fairly simple song about beauty in nature and life in general but also a hint of the reality of man’s inhumanity toward man. Wanting to cling to what is good, what is life-giving, while wishing no part in that which destroys. That’s the basic idea, I suppose.
The overall feel was inspired greatly by Fairport Convention’s “Fotheringay”. It was on heavy rotation in those days, check it out if you’ve not. “Acts of Man” was written on acoustic guitar with the g-string tuned down a half-step, I believe. That tuning is pretty ridiculous but for some reason my guitar was tuned that way for a time. The riff/chords came first with the lyrics following later, usual path for me.
“I think it came towards the end of those two years and we all felt good about it. It was an easy choice for the album opener.”
tim smith, midlake (1999-2012)
It took us about two years to make “The Courage of Others” (the album in which this song resides). They were difficult years. We were learning a lot but it was slow going to achieve what I had in my head. However, “Acts of Man” came quickly. Quicker than any song from our first three albums. Just one week. For us, that was amazing! Monumental! Not having to work tirelessly on it for another month or more was something very rare for us. A well needed gift. I think it came towards the end of those two years and we all felt good about it. It was an easy choice for the album opener.
Lyrics: Acts of Man
If all that grows starts to fade, starts to falter
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wait
Let all that run through the fields through the quiet,
Go on with their, own with their own hidden ways
When all newness of gold travels far from
Where it had once been,
Born like the earth over years
And when the acts of man
‘Cause the ground to break open
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wait
Great are the sounds of all that live
And all that man can hold
If all that grows starts to fade, starts to falter
Oh, let me inside, let me inside, not to wait
Great are the sounds of all that live
And all that man can hold
Great are the sounds of all that live
That live
Tracklist: The Courage of Others
1. “Acts of Man”
2. “Winter Dies”
3. “Small Mountain”
4. “Core of Nature”
5. “Fortune”
6. “Rulers, Ruling All Things”
7. “Children of the Grounds”
8. “Bring Down”
9. “The Horn”
10. “The Courage of Others”
11. “In the Ground”
