Y ?    Y ?    Y ?

Twas in the winter of 1982, with an assemblage of drums borrowed from the local boys' brigade band & a home recording set-up inherited from the Arteks & the Marmite Babies, & held together with sellotape & shoelaces, that secret recordings were made and overdubbed, resulted in the January 1983 release of the Separation Circle's first ever collection of songs, joyfully entitled "Y? Y? Y?".  Oh, I almost forgot: for the final song, there was a drum machine (they were still relatively new-fangled back then) borrowed from legendary Southampton duo, Intermisson Zone (Dave Thompson - formerly of Arteks fame - and Brynn Petty).

Reflections - on life & my place in the universe

Sunlight - being taken aback by the joy & hope which the sight of a certain somebody can somehow trigger within me

Transient - the life of a butterfly...... the same theme as 'Reflections' with a different slant

Light Years - unrequited love, the pain of separation & waiting, then realisation & acceptance

A Heaven of Your Own - after all these years, I can finally admit that the theme here was in part inspired by Abba's "Fernando". More separation pains but in very differerent circumstances.

That's Life! - and I repeat myself (repeatedly). The themes of both 'Light Years' and 'A Heaven of Your Own' are revisited here, but with a different slant.

Recorded December 1982-January 1983.

All instruments - Ed Hooke

Thanks to:

Dave Thompson & Brynn Petty for inspiration for music on "Transient", and for the loan of 'Evol', the drum machine.

Geoff Nuzum for inspiration for words of "Reflections"

The Girl from Neuro Theatre for a similar job on "Sunlight"

ARC Electronics (Southampton) for advice and economical equipment supply.

All songs © 1983 Ed Hooke.

Reflections
words & music by Ed Hooke, June 1982   -   © Ed Hooke 1982
based on thoughts arising in a conversation with Geoff N

Looking in the mirror, size and shape.
The mirror's small and it makes me look big.
I step outside.  It's a big world.  I'm not big after all.
Distorted perspective, 'cause I'm always present, wherever I go.
I'm the centre of my universe.
I'm always where I am
and places don't exist for me if I'm not there.
Am I anywhere?
Who am I and why am I here?
Maybe I'll never know.

Someone once said that "No man is an island"
but physical distance is as close as two people can get
and you cannot get inside somebody else's mind.
Perhaps we won't know any answers till,
or even when, we're dead.
(die die die die) Yeah it's this death thing once again.
(die die die die) It's a fact of life.
(die die die die) a point of no return, but much debate
Heaven, hell, reincarnate?
Some say you just terminate
and they might all be wrong
all along.

 Limited by my shell - I call it my body.
It's a large part of what I am in the minds of others
and it goes wrong and it gets tired
and it wears out as it gets old
and all my time seems to be spent headaching
and worrying about it.
Always body - never mind!
A reflection on mankind.
A word that rhymes is hard to find
and I'm going off at a tangent.
There must be something there
but how am I supposed to look for it?
and where? 

Sunlight
words & music by Ed Hooke, 1982   -   © Ed Hooke 1982
to 'the Girl from Neuro-Theatre', Wessex Neurological Centre, Southampton General Hospital 1981-2

Monday morning once again.
All over the country people get up for work
when they'd rather stay in bed.

Five or six more days to go
until the next weekly escape
of money-blowing fun and games.

But you are different.
You're smiling
despite life's worries.
Shining brighter
- you're like sunlight.
Keep pouring down on me.

Apathy rules in this town
- elected by an overwhelming majority
- ninety percent.

Perhaps it isn't too surprising.
For many it's as much as they can do
to maintain their own existence.

Transient
words & music by Ed Hooke, 1982   -   © Ed Hooke 1982

Caterpillars are pretty ugly creatures
- blatant parasites as well
but when the time comes, they go to sleep
and when they wake, they've changed into butterflies
- things of beauty
- around the hedgerows
- for the summer.

But when they shrivel up and die
no-one seems to notice these victims of the Autumn (clearout).
An unenvisaged future - their minds filled up with their own beauty.
There will be more of them next year.

Around in circles.
Around a star, we go.

Here today, tomorrow gone from my transient existence.

Light Years                                             
words & music by Ed Hooke, 1982   -   © Ed Hooke 1982
inspired in part by a song of the same name by Comsat Angels

I was hoping to speak with you
but you were too busy to see me.
I wanted to tell you it's over.
Here I sit
in the dark
waiting for the dawn.

You and I are light years apart
- different, not right or wrong
but I still don't understand how we seemed so close.
It's all finished.
That's the end.
But doubtless, at some point in the future, we'll be together once more
- once more.

A Heaven of Your Own
words & music by Ed Hooke, January 1983   -   © Ed Hooke 1983
as "That's Life!", written about my move to London from Southampton

 At last, the struggle's over
and so I rest here
in these parks of green
in Summer sunshine.
We worked so hard to get here
and everything should be OK
but there's something missing.........
What happened to you?

Something we always wanted
is now achieved
& it's a time for celebration.
Joy and laughter
are tinged with sadness
by the memory of the sacrifices we made.

Silence in darkened rooms.
Whispers and secret plans.
Sharing a common spirit.
We used to be afraid
but now I'm not so certain
about the price we paid.

The final move - to win or lose
- rushing onwards - no return.
No time for doubt.
 No looking back.
To do or die!
- something like that.

My life continues.
I'm sure you'd want me to enjoy this promised land that we used to dream of.
Alone, it's not the same.
Is it just wishful thinking
to hope you're in a heaven of your own?

That's Life!                                              
words & music by Ed Hooke, January 1983   -   © Ed Hooke 1983
as "A Heaven of Your Own", written about my impending move to London from Southampton

Waiting here
for so much time for something to come.
I've finally realised.........  there's nothing coming.
That's life!
There's nothing coming!  There's nothing coming!
Nothing coming, nothing coming - but I'm learning all the time.

Relying on others
- wasting so much time.
At last I've sussed out - you've got to do it yourself.
Well that's life!
No more will I say "take me with you, take me with you".
No more "take me with you, take me with you".
Hey, I'm learning all the time.

Well, goodbye.
I can't stay any longer in this place.
I've got to find out where I belong.
Well, that's life!
I may tumble.  My dreams may crumble
but at least I'm trying.
I may tumble.  My dreams may crumble
but I'm learning all the time.
I may tumble.  My dreams may crumble
but I'm learning all the time.
Well, that's life!