"When a Blind Man Cries" is a song by British rock band Deep Purple, originally only available as the B-side of the single "Never Before", released in 1972. It was recorded during the Machine Head sessions in December 1971.
This song is parallel song with "Smoke On The Water," both songs are about the fire in the Casino at Montreux and more generally about the mission the band was on. that mission was to record an album during a short break from touring. In the song "When a blind man Cries" the second verse evokes the place where the members set up after they were forced to relocate:
"Had a friend once in a room - Had a good time but it ended much too soon - In a cold month in that room - We found a reason for the things we had to do."
This room was actually a corridor in Montreux's Grand Hotel and had the shape of a T. Instruments were set up to occupy all the corners and to create a more comfortable atmosphere, they replaced light bulbs with red ones.
The live version of "When a Blind Man Cries" begins with Barber's Adagio for strings which is played by Jon Lord. If you haven't heard that version, you really are missing out on a musical masterpiece. The lyrics are haunting and seem to get into your soul.
This song is essentially about loneliness. The lyrics of this song are self evident. They are about blind man and his loneliness. The song can be taken as speaking about actual physical blindness or metaphorically. Both can be recognised and fit with the powerful lyrics. There are some links here with "Child in time". The overarching symbol and theme is that of isolation and loneliness at the cruelty of the world.
"If you're leaving close the door.
I'm not expecting people anymore.
Hear me grieving, I'm lying on the floor.
Whether I'm drunk or dead I really aint too sure.
I'm a blind man, I'm a blind man and my world is pale.
When a blind man cries, lord, you know there aint no sadder tale.
Had a friend once in a room,
Had a good time but it ended much too soon.
In a cold month in that room
We found a reason for the things we had to do.
I'm a blind man, I'm a blind man, now my room is cold.
When a blind man cries, lord, you know he feels it from his soul"
Essentially this song is in genre of songs that would be considered "The Heart of the Blues" It's like many other Blue's songs or spirituals that voice a story of disadvantage finally having to come to terms with discrimination, or despair at the hands of others."When a Blind Man Cries" tells a story of the blues (Loneliness and despair) felt by a disadvantaged person brought - finally - to tears. Like many other blues songs it voices pain in a particular way, abandonment, despair, and some deep, dark soulful spirituality that goes hand in hand with the circumstances that are lived in.
In the old book we find the Blue's metaphor in numerous places. People of the book are in the place of the "Blues" for all sorts of reasons some self inflicted like King David who committed adultery and was guilty of plotting murder - (Reference) Psalm 51 charts his own "When a blind man cries"
Psalm 51
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight;so you are right in your verdictand justified when you judge.5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6 Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Saviour, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15 Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.
18 May it please you to prosper Zion, to build up the walls of Jerusalem.19 Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
David's story is a essentially a story of blindness. Blinded of Morality and Power. This kind of blindness is of the spirit and soul. David's blindness is when he has the power but no accountability. There are other stories of blindness in the Bible that are not self inflicted. The blind man who is called Bartimaeus in Mark 10 is an account of physical blindness.
Mark 10:46 -52
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David,have mercy on me!”
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
When we encounter blindness in the Bible we are entering a story of the blues. Blindness in the scripture is often a story that is deep and dark. The story of physical blindness in the scripture is used as metaphor for blindness of the soul, the heart, the emotions it is portrayed as finding one's self in a place where you cannot see the way out.
For David in Psalm 51 the way out was to repent of what he had done. For Bartimaeus in Mark 10 , Jesus healed him. The other accounts blindness in the Bible are about not being able to see the way ahead. Darkness and light are used as companion themes to spiritual blindness and seeing. Blindness in the Gospels is a way of the gospel writers stating that Jesus was not recognised.
Whatever the blindness in the Bible, there is often a deep feeling of being abandoned attached to it. The "Blindness" stories are about outcast people who do not recognise what path is in front of them and that they often choose the wrong path.
Luke 4:18
When a blind man cries is a metaphor for some of the darkest moments in life. It may be simplistic but Jesus comes to bring light and recovery of sight to those who are blind in more ways than one.“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
No comments:
Post a Comment