“Galileo Galilei was a remarkable man and this song explores his final days. Specifically I tried to approach the concept of a man having a genuine crisis of faith in an objective manner. History speaks for itself in that religion, and the leaders which perpetrate its great deceit, were (and continue to be) proven wrong. However, contrary to popular belief, Galileo was not treated especially badly; he was not crucified or burned at the stake, but placed under house arrest which, as punishments handed out by the Church go, is pretty mild. Like Darwin a few centuries afterwards, Galileo was a “man of god” but simply observed things in nature that were contrary to the Church’s official position – so much so that some would call him a heretic. I finish with “blind faith is the biggest sin of all” which has appeared in several sets of lyrics I have written because I believe it is quite fundamental. Although it is an easy target sometimes, we should not ridicule those of faith because, as even the most devout Atheist admits, there is a logical source (even evolutionary need) for faith in that we are born reliant on a “higher power” for comfort and wisdom (in practical terms this is usually our parents, but naturally extends to the Sun and Earth). At its most pure level I will assert that faith is harmless or even helpful. It is the twisted manipulation of faith by the priest who seeks to be your mouthpiece to god which is the problem. So whatever you believe (or not); religion is bad. Period.” ~ Jono

“Running Out of Daylight”

Music by The Living Fields
Lyrics by Jon Higgs

Looking back on my life
With clear conscience, can I face my God?

Joy of discovery in the science of motion
See the parallel between music and the physical
Nature is mathematical

“Philosophy is written in this grand book, the Universe
It is written in the language of mathematics, and its characters
are triangles, circles, and other geometric figures.

All heavenly bodies should circle the Earth but yet that is not what I observe

Father, why am I faced with such a test
My faith in the Word, it falters!
Unchanging perfection of the Heavens
I now know this is the greatest lieÉ..of all time
The truth is Copernican

Father, you set the Earth on its foundations
The Roman Inquisition cripples new thought
Heresy, then condemned to house arrest
Your Bible: “The Sun rises, returns to place”
It can never be moved, and yet it moves!

I wonder if history will remember me
Or if progress sinks back into the abyss
The truth does not disprove my Lord but glorifies His great majesty

Crisis of faith reconciled
I am at peace in my mind
For I know my stars and moons are always there, each as it should be in the sky

My work will live beyond the walls of death
Not just the sentiments of an old man
Set the early principles of relativity
To form the basis of future scientific theory

Rushing to finish another work
Find that the light fades but night has not come
A first sign of punishment from the Divine?
But, resolute, I know they were wrong
Clothed in the facts, I know they were wrong!
Venus was proof, evident truth, cast man’s word to the four winds, gone
All they are taught, challenged by what I’ve seen from observation

But now I’m running out of daylight
A cruel turn that steals my eyesight
Running out of daylight

As the night draws on I near the end and ponder if at last I will rest in peace

Running out of daylight
Cruel turn that steals my eyesight
Running out of daylight
Product of my time

Now as a cloak is pulled over my life
Contemplate my place in the Plan
Contribution to the Art

Running out of daylight
Cruel turn that steals my eyesight
Running out of daylight
Ahead of my time

And as I face my God
Stand in Judgement as all men will
Even with all vision gone
I see blind faith is the biggest sin of all.

 
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