Welcome to George’s blog. I play keyboards in the Alice Syndrome, and I’m also very interested in psychology, spirituality and self-transcendence. Groovhead tends to write all our lyrics, which always touch on subjects that hit deep into my interests.
Lyrics I submit to the lord of the universe Wherever you are, death will overtake you Give glad tidings to those who patiently proceed By the token of time through the ages – Islamic break – Vie with one another, in good works Wherever you are, death will overtake you I submit to the lord of the universe Give glad tidings to those who patiently proceed Who so interveneth, in a good cause – Islamic break – Wherever you are, death will overtake you I submit to the lord of the universe I submit to the lord of the universe
Though you are in towers raised high
Vie with one another, in good works
By the token of time through the ages
Vie with one another, in good works
Verify, man is in lust
Except that which have faith
And do righteous things
And join together, in mutual teachings of truth
And of patience
And of constancy
Give glad tidings to those who patiently proceed
Though you are in towers raised high
Vie with one another, in good works
Shall have the reward thereof
And who so interveneth in an evil cause</span>
Will bear the consequences thereof
By the token of time through the ages
Though you are in towers raised high
The lyrics for our song, Flies, are inspired by the Islamic faith and the Quran. The lyrics include several verses that are either direct quotations or paraphrases from the Quran, such as “Wherever you are, death will overtake you / Though you are in towers raised high” (Quran 4:78), “Vie with one another, in good works” (Quran 5:48), “By the token of time through the ages / Verify, man is in lust / Except that which have faith / and do righteous things / and join together, in mutual teachings of truth / and of patience / and of constancy” (Quran 103:1-3), and “Who so interveneth, in a good cause / shall have the reward thereof / And who so interveneth in an evil cause, / will bear the consequences thereof” (Quran 4:85) (Ali, 2002). These verses suggest a theme of moral accountability, divine judgment, and human struggle in the face of temptation and evil.
At this point, we have a quote from Groovhead, which explains the thinking behind the track:
“the track flies was written a few years ago against the backdrop of a surging wave of islamaphobia and the demonisation of muslims both here in the uk,and globally .The words are taken directly from the Quran , in an attempt to show Islam not as the rabid death cult as it has been portrayed , but rather as a religion based on love , compassion ,and respect ,however , as with all religions (yes , american christian right wing fundamentalists ,were looking at you )words written in good faith and love are so easily corrupted and twisted tothemost evil of ends .This song is not pro islam song ,nor a pro muslim song , rather it is an anti anti muslim song.It is beyond horrendous that this song seems sadly more relevant now with the demonisation and dehumanisation of the palestinian people,whohave endured 75 years of aparthied ,56 years of theloss of their homeland through illegal israeli settlements , a 16 year blockade of gaza , and the ongoing genocide that has left upto 20,000 dead , and rising , the majority of which are women and children , .the alice syndrome rejects all and any religion that cannot respect the most basic human rights of others , and uses the words of their faith and dogma to suppress the rights of others to live in peace , with dignity and respect ,,,, from the river to the sea ,,,,,” groovhead
The song is a provocative and challenging piece of art that explores the themes of mortality, morality, faith, and action from an Islamic perspective. We use verses from the Quran to convey a message and to invite the listeners to reflect on their own beliefs and deeds.
The song begins and ends with the phrase “I submit to the lord of the universe”, which is a declaration of faith and surrender to God’s will. The song then contrasts the inevitability of death with the urgency of doing good works, as instructed by the Quran.
The song also emphasizes the importance of having faith, doing righteous things, and joining together in mutual teachings of truth, patience, and constancy. These are the qualities that distinguish the believers from those who are in lust, or who follow their own desires without regard for God’s guidance. The song also warns against intervening in evil causes, as this will result in negative consequences, while intervening in good causes will bring rewards.
The song Flies is a creative and courageous expression of Islamic values and principles, as well as a critique of the contemporary world that often neglects or opposes them. We use the Quran as a source of inspiration, as well as a tool for communication and education.
References
Ali, A. Y. (2002). The meaning of the Holy Quran. Beltsville: Amana Publications.
