Routine

Album: Hand. Cannot. Erase. (2015)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Running 8:58, this song tells the heart-rending story of a woman who has lost her family. With the house now empty, she finds solace in the routine chores that keep her occupied - she even cooks meals for the people who are no longer there. In our interview with Steven Wilson, he explained: "We don't all suffer that kind of loss in our lives, but I think we all have to an extent where we use routine - the daily grind, the Groundhog Day thing, if you'd like - to sometimes ignore the bigger questions. 'What am I doing in my life? Am I happy? Am I happy at my job? Am I happy in my relationship? Is my life going where I want it to go?'"

    The Porcupine Tree frontman added: "I'm no exception to that, so I have times where I also question, and I need to force myself to question those things, rather than just going through the everyday motions. So I suspect the idea came from a personal perspective. But at some point, it developed into this story of this very tragic figure - this housewife using her routine to ignore something that was almost too difficult for her to confront and to bear."
  • The Israeli singer Ninet Tayeb did the female vocals on this one.
  • The video was directed by Jess Cope and made using stop-action animation. In the visual, we learn that the woman lost her husband and two sons in a school shooting. Wilson played the video on his Hand. Cannot. Erase. tour before releasing it online. Cope also did videos for Wilson's songs "Drive Home" and "The Raven that Refused to Sing."
  • The Hand. Cannot. Erase. album is based on a concept Wilson developed after seeing a news story about Joyce Carol Vincent, a British woman who was dead for two years before anyone noticed. This song fits the theme of a person living on the periphery.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Colin Hay

Colin HaySongwriter Interviews

Established as a redoubtable singer-songwriter, the Men At Work frontman explains how religion, sobriety and Jack Nicholson play into his songwriting.

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music Scene

Sub Pop Founder Bruce Pavitt On How To Create A Music SceneSong Writing

With $50 and a glue stick, Bruce Pavitt created Sub Pop, a fanzine-turned-label that gave the world Nirvana and grunge. He explains how motivated individuals can shift culture.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

P.F. Sloan

P.F. SloanSongwriter Interviews

P.F. was a teenager writing hits and playing on tracks for Jan & Dean when he wrote a #1 hit that got him blackballed.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.