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The Iceberg Model

by John Watts

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1.
I WAS MARKING TIME. THE DOUBTERS LOOKED UNCERTAIN AS IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS SEEMED IMPROBABLE. THE FACES TURNED AWAY AND ULTIMATUMS TOOK THE PLACE OF EARLIER DISCUSSIONS THAT YOU HAD WITH ME. I DON'T NEED YOUR INTERFERENCE. I CAN'T THINK IN SINGUIAR FORMULA. LEAVE ME ALONE. LEAVE ME ALONE. STANDARD REPLIES WERE THE SOLE RESPONSE FROM A STRUCTURE THAT'S INFLEXIBLE. I AM NOT SURPRISED BUT YOU CAN'T EXPECT ANY GRATITUDE NOW I'VE COME BACK AGAIN. I DON'T NEED YOUR INTERFERENCE. IN A SINGLE DAY THE BARRIERS OF BEAUROCRACY WERE BROKEN DOWN. AND YOU'VE CHANGED YOUR TUNE AND NOW EVERYONE'S PREPARED TO SAY HELLO AGAIN. I DON'T NEED YOUR INTERFERENCE.
2.
VIEWED FROM A DISTANCE THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG. IT'S CONFIDENCE. . IT'S JUST NOT WORKING. WHY IS IT SO OUIET NOW? AND FACED WITH A MADE UP PARADE OF DOLLS IT'S OBVIOUS IT'S NOT WORTH FIGHTING THE CANDLE KEEPS ON BURNING DOWN. I'M A MAN IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SKIN. CAUTIOUS MANOEWRES. TOO MUCH RESTRAINT. THE CENSOR WON'T BE HARD TO HANDLE BUT I AM INESCAPABLE. STAND BY THE MIRROR SURVEY THE VIEW IDENTIFY A STRANGE REFLECTION AND WATCH THE IMAGE MULTIPLY. I'M THE MAN IN SOMEONE ELSE'S SKIN.
3.
NEARLY FELL DOWN A BASEMENT FLOOR AS I WEAVED MY WAY THROUGH THE WELL DRESSED CROWDS IN SEARCH OF YOU. I TOOK HOPE FROM THE SAXOPHONE THOUGH HER MOUTH GREW COLD SHE STILL BLEW OUT A SYMPHONY. . . THE SCENE IS FAMILIAR. I LOOK AGAIN. WHEN I CAME HERE WITH YOU BEFORE IT WAS DIFFERENT. I SAW BEAUTY IN THIS WASTED LAND I SMELT ROSES IN THE UNDERGROUND I SAW A FUTURE WHEN YOU WERE AROUND. BUT NOW IT'S OVER. THROUGH THE DARKNESS I CALLED YOUR NAME AS THE FRIENDLY FACES MODE THEIR WAY T0 SEE THE GAME. SOMEONE STOPPED ME AND ASKED THE WAY I SHRUGGED AND SMILED BUT SHE GLARED AT ME IMPATIENTLY. THE AMERCAN WAITRESS STILL KNOWS YOUR NAME WHEN I CAME HERE WITH YOU BEFORE IT WAS DIFFERENT. I SAW BEAUTY IN THIS WASTED LAND I SMELT ROSES IN THE UNDERGROUND I SAW A FUTURE WHEN YOU WERE AROUND BUT NOW IT'S OVER. YOU'LL ALWAYS HAUNT ME.
4.
I KNOW YOU WON'T BE WAITING CALL IT INTUITION. YOU DON'T DECIEVE ME WITH A SHOW OF FALSE AFFECTION. I'M NOT SURPRISED... I SAW IT COMING BUT I STILL THINK YOU'RE WRONG. NOW I WANT THIS STRAIGHT DON'T AVOID MY EYES TELL ME FACE TO FACE THAT I HAVE NO CHOICE IT SEEMS THE LEAST THAT YOU CAN DO. I WAS IN LOVE WITH YÊU I WAS IN LOVE WITH YOU I SEE YOU HAVE DECIDED I JUST WANT CONFIRMATION. NO TEARS HAVE EVER LED TO EASIER SOLUTIONS. YOUR COFFEE'S COLD... THEY'LL SOON COLLECT ME SO I NEED TO KNOW. NOW I WANT THIS STRAIGHT DON'T AVOID MY EYES.
5.
THE LAST FEW DAYS HAVE TAKEN A HEAVY TOLL. I SPIT TWICE AND STARE AT THE PORCELAIN BOWL. I WAS WOKEN UP THIS MORNING BY THE RADIO ALARM AND FOUND THAT I HAD LOST THE CIRCULATION IN MY ARM. THE NEIGHBOURS' GIRLS PLAY CHOPSTICKS THROUGH THE WALL. NO CHANCE WHAT CHANCE HAVE I? TO CHANGE THINGS WHY SHOULD I TRY? IT'S DANGEROUS IT'S TURNING S0UR. WHAT EVERYONE WANTS IS MONEY AND POWER. WHAT EVERYONE WANTS IS MONEY AND POWER. A DEMONSTRATION A QUARTER OF A MILLION STRONG. I RUB MY EYES I KNOW THAT I SHOULD HAVE GONE. I LOOK INTO THE MIRROR I THINK I'VE GOT A CHILL I'LL GO DOWN TO THE SURGERY NOT FEELING VERY WELL. THE NATIONAL NEWS STILL MANAGED TO PLAY IT DOWN. NO CHANCE I HEAR THE DOOR AND REACH OUT TO FIND A TOWEL I HAVE TO GO THERE'S NOBODY ELSE AROUND. I STAND THERE IN THE DOORWAY I KNOW I DON'T LOOK GOOD IT'S ONLY MEN DELIVERING ANOTHER LOAD OF WOOD OUR LEADER STILL WANTS BLOOD IN HER FINEST HOUR. NO CHANCE WHAT EVERYONE WANTS IS MONEY AND POWER.
6.
GRANT ME ONE REQUEST LET ME SEE HER. I IMAGINE THAT IT'S HARD FOR HER WHEN SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHY. I HAVE NEVER TOLD HER ALL THE SECRETS I HIDE. I HAVE WAITED T00 LONG. IF I COME HOME IF I COME HOME AGAIN. WE MUST GO ON THERE'S NO MORE TIME TO SAY WE CAN'T PUT THE RECORD STRAIGHT NOW. RELEASE MY HANDS I WON'T BREAK FREE. I ONLY NEED A MOMENT TO EXPLAIN. S0 PLEASE LET GO OF ME. I NEED HALF AN HOUR BEFORE YOU LEAD ME AWAY. HAVE I WAITED TOO LONG? IF I COME HOME
7.
YOU FUNCTION LIKE A TAPE MACHINE THAT DRIVES ME UP THE WALL. SPIT YOUR MESSAGE OUT I'M TIRED OF LlSTENING. WHEN YOU TRY TO ANSWER ME YOU SOON RUN OUT OF WORDS SO OUR COMMUNICATION IS SUPERFICIAL. MAYDAY OH MAYDAY CONFUSION ON THE LINE. MAYDAY OH MAYDAY I'M STILL NOT GETTING THROUGH. MAYDAY OH MAYDAY KEEP TRYING. YOUR INTENTIONS MAY BE GOOD BUT PLEASE DON'T INTERFERE. YOU DEMONSTRATE A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING. AND AS THE EMPTY WORDS BOUNCE BACK FROM THE CORNERS OF THE ROOM I WONDER IF YOU'VE NOTICED SOMETHING IS MISSING. MAYDAY OH MAYDAY YOll'RE JUST A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY. WHO'S PAID TO PUT ME IN A CATEGORY. THIS CONVERSATION IS UPSETTING ME.
8.
AIRTIGHT CONTAINERS DON'T HEAR WHEN I CALL YOU'RE ALL SO KEEN TO SEE ME CONFINED. IF YOU BRING ME A MIRROR I COULDN'T LOOK IN IT NOW I'D SEE THE ANGRY PERSON INSIDE. TIME WILL TEAR ME AWAY FROM YOU. TIME WILL TEAR ME AWAY FROM YOU. WOLVES IN WHITE CLOTHING COME OUT WHEN YOU CALL AND STAND THERE WAITING FOR ME TO FALL DOWN. AT THE FIRST HINT OF WEAKNESS THEY'LL LAUGH IN MY FACE YOU'VE NO IDEA WHAT REALLY GOES ON. TIME WILL TEAR ME AWAY FROM YOU. TIME WILL TEAR ME AWAY FROM YOU. I'VE LOST PATIENCE WITH YOUR SCHEMING AND YOU'RE KEEPING ME AWAKE AT NIGHT. I THINK IT'S BEST IF YOU WOULD DO US ALL A FAVOUR AND CO-OPERATE. TOKEN RESISTENCE IS WASTING YOUR TIME I'VE LEARNT THE ONLY WAY TO SURVIVE. MENAGERIE MAKERS DON'T COUNT ON SUCCESS I'VE TOLD YOU IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.
9.
THE LIGHT CREEPS IN THROUGH THE BROKEN GLASS IN THE SLEEPING WARD. FINNEGAN'S VOICE IS AN ENDLESS WHINE THROUGH A HARDBOARD BARRICADE. I THROW A CIGARETTE TO MAKE HIM QUIETEN DOWN. AND I SEARCH FOR THAT PHOTO OF YOU. AND YOUR FACE IS A SYMBOL. A PLACE TO REMEMBER. YOUR FACE IS A SYMBOL FOR ME NOW. RADIO BLARES. THERE IS NOT MUCH TIME. AND THE CHILDREN PLAY YOU UP. BUSES AND TRAINS ON COMMUTER LINES THROUGH THE CONDENSATION. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING NOW AND I FOLLOW YOU IN YOUR ROUTINE. AND YOUR FACE IS A SYMBOL. AND YOUR EYES MAKE ME STRONG AGAIN I CAN LOOK AT THE WORLD FULL OF CONFIDENCE.
10.
"ONLY ONE TENTH OF THE MASS OF THE ICEBERG IS VISIBLE ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE WATER... THE VAST MAJORITY BEING HIDDEN UNDERNEATH." THIS PHENOMENON IS NOT RESTRICTED TO ICEBERGS. "THE ICEBERG MODEL" IS A LOOK INSIDE THE HEAD OF A MAN WHO, ON THE SURFACE IS CONFINED IN A RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT, AND YET POSSESSES IMMENSE POTENTIAL WITHIN HIS MIND. IT SHOWS HOW EVENTUALLY THE EXTERNAL PRESSURES BECOME SO GREAT THAT THEY THROW HIS INTERNAL THOUGHT WORLD INTO CHAOS.

credits

released January 1, 1983

John Watts
lead vocals, guitar, synthesizer, piano, producer
Dick Adland
drums, percussion, backing vocals
Brian Brummitt
alto saxophone, backing vocals
Denis Haines
piano, synthesizer
Paul Speare
tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
David Purdye
bass, backing vocals
Jim Paterson
trombone, backing vocals
Mick Donnelly
tenor saxophone

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Fischer-Z Brighton, UK

John Watts’ 42-year career has included 20 albums and over 3000 concerts and festivals worldwide. 2017 saw the release of ‘Building Bridges’ and thanks to its success, Fischer-Z played to crowds reminiscent of the 79' - 82' hay day. 2019 saw the release of their critically acclaimed album 'Swimming In Thunderstorm'. 2020 bring much much more! Stay tuned... ... more

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