On the Border Lyrics
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
The wind whips up the waves so loud
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
Turns the rifles into silver on the border
[Verse 1]
On my wall the colours of the maps are running
From Africa the winds they talk of changes coming
The torches flare up in the night
The hand that sets the farms alight
Has spread the word to those who're waiting on the border
[Verse 2]
In the village where I grew up
Nothing seems the same
Still you never see the change from day to day
And no-one notices the customs slip away
[Verse 3]
Late last night the rain was knocking on my window
I moved across the darkened room and in the lampglow
I thought I saw down in the street
The spirit of the century
Telling us that we're all standing on the border
In the islands where I grew up
Nothing seems the same
It's just the patterns that remain
An empty shell
But there's a strangeness in the air you feel too well
[Chorus]
The fishing boats go out across the evening water
Smuggling guns and arms across the Spanish border
The wind whips up the waves so loud
The ghost moon sails among the clouds
Turns the rifles into silver on the border
[Outro]
On the border
On the border
On the border
About
“The song itself was about several things. The first verse was about the Basque separatist movement in Spain and the second was about the crisis going on in the country known then as Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe.” – Al Stewart
Al then explains the story behind the Spanish guitar solo. He says that Alan Parsons recommended it due to the fact that the song was set on the border between France and Spain. Luckily Peter White, primarily a piano player, knew how to play Spanish guitar, took Al’s cheap Spanish guitar and played the solo that appears on the record.
This information and quote was extracted from the Year of the Cat: 45th Anniversary Deluxe Edition box set book written by Mark Powell and from track No. 12 of the 2001 release of the “Year of the Cat” album, titled, “Song on the Radio”.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.On the Border
- 3.Midas Shadow
