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The song Twice In A Lifetime on 1000 Hands – Chapter One contains the lyric, “Singers seem to find too many problems, never answers”. I can’t speak for Jon Anderson, of course, but my own interpretation of this lyric is that it is very autobiographical. And it is also a blueprint for this album. To me, this is more than an album, it’s a map for a way of life which perhaps lies in the future, but hopefully can happen right now too. ~If we choose~. It’s not a call to arms, it’s a call to peace and a call to love. It’s a call to appreciation of the gift of life. And again, I feel that 1000 Hands – Chapter One is much more than an album, perhaps it’s Jon’s gift to all of us, present and future.
The album opens with a beautiful song called Now, which is spread across the entire album in three parts. This is an artistic device which works wonderfully and gives the album a very natural sense of cohesiveness. Much of the album, I believe, was inspired by Jon’s beloved wife Jane, and one song is a beautiful duet sung by the two of them called I Found Myself. I would say that each song on the album is actually a style of music all its own, yet incorporating many influences at the same time. For example, the song Makes Me Happy begins with a techno sounding bass line which soon breaks into chords on a ukulele. It doesn’t really do justice to the songs to try to categorize the influences, but you’ll hear them. And I also hear not so much the musical influence, but more the spiritual influence of Bob Marley.
On to the parts that most people talk about, and that’s the cast of Jon’s friends and musicians he admires who appear on this record. The quality as well as the quantity of these folks is very impressive and I suggest you Wiki it, if you are interested. However, I will mention two who really stand out for me. The first is the flute playing of Ian Anderson. You don’t have to look at the liner notes to recognize his distinctive style on Activate! It features Ian’s signature vibrato and is just so nicely done and fitting. The second is the solo that Jean Luc Ponty plays on the title track, 1000 Hands (Come Up). Good musicians can solo over chord changes, but only a handful of great ones can paint masterpieces over them. That’s Jean Luc in my opinion. The solo he plays on this beautiful song has the harmonic sophistication and creative beauty of Miles or Coltrane.
I have both the vinyl and digital versions of the album, and I love both. The album is very well recorded, and that really comes through on my big, fancy home system on vinyl. For instance, the Zap Mama background vocals have a defined space behind the rest of the recording. And the multiple tracks of Jon’s vocals on Where Does Music Come From? (WDMCF) sound incredible. I read that Jon says he hears something new in the album each time he listens to it, and that has been my experience as well, particularly on a system which can really dissect it. But the digital version is honestly just as much fun to listen to. It’s all I play in my car these days.
The theme of the album, expressed in the words, the melodies, and the spirit conveyed in Jon’s voice, is one of love, family, and the joy of life. I was honestly shocked by the positive effect this album had on me, and I can’t emphasize enough that this was quite welcome! I found that it very quickly would brush away all of the poison which has been slowly killing my spirit. Our world, and particularly our country, has become an endless firehose of poison. Poison which has been dividing our country, our families, our friendships, our workplaces, our schools, everything. Like cancer. Worse even than the pandemic, at least from my perspective. This album reminds me of my true values again. That it’s okay to value love, our spouses and children, a beautiful day, and just life itself. That maybe sounds a bit abstract or naive, but I think if you listen a couple of times to it, you’ll see what I mean. I hope that it will work the same magic on you, and I’m confident that it will!
Again, I can’t speak for Jon’s intentions, but I interpret the song First Born Leaders to recognize that the generation of the 1960’s was the first generation to decide that it’s right to be about peace and about love. This is the way of the future, because that’s how life is supposed to be. This generation and the ones who follow can lead the whole world in this direction for the first time! ~If we only choose to~. So, Jon, please sign me up! I want to be a First Born Leader every day for the rest of my life! Who’s with me?
So do yourself a favor and buy 1000 Hands – Chapter One, and listen to it a lot. It really is much more than just an album. It’s a pointer to a way of life which has the power to change your life for the better as an individual. It’s also the only way of the future for all of us, if we are to ultimately survive as a civilization. But it can be the way of the present too, if you want it to be. It might end up being the best thing you’ve ever done in your life. What do you have to lose? Love is the answer, hate is the cancer. Thank you, Jon! I love you! Thank you for this beautiful gift!
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