Frank Turner - Silent Key Lyrics
On the 28th of January 1986 Christa McAuliffe
Gazed in horror as the O-rings failed,
And she died, and she died, and she died.
For the next agonising two minutes and forty-five long seconds
"I'm alive, I'm alive, I'm alive".
It came as some surprise to realise that
As she lost everything
The world was revealed in a transmission so real
That she understood everything:
You're still alive.
Four thousand nautical miles as the crow flies away
A home-made ham radio in the loft of a Hampshire family home
And so the four year old amateur operator thus became
The only person to hear Christa's last desperate communique:
"We're alive, we're alive, we're alive".
It came as some surprise to realise
While he didn't catch everything,
The world was revealed in a transmission so real
That he understood everything:
You're still alive.
And Christa said:
"The darkness up above
Led me on like unrequited love,
While all the things I need
Were down here in the deep blue sea."
At four years old I heard the truth on my radio,
So now I keep a moment's silence for my Silent Key.
Other Lyrics by Artist
- Frank Turner - Least Of All Young Caroline
- Frank Turner - The Angel Islington
- Frank Turner - Dan's Song
- Frank Turner - Born To Run
- Frank Turner - Broken Piano (Demo)
- Frank Turner - The Ballad Of Me And My Friends
- Frank Turner - The Way I Tend To Be
- Frank Turner - Tell Tale Signs
- Frank Turner - Plain Sailing Weather
- Frank Turner - Keira
- Frank Turner - The Corner
- Frank Turner - Live And Let Die
- Frank Turner - Get Better
- Frank Turner - The Next Storm
- Frank Turner - Mittens
- Frank Turner - Old Flames
- Frank Turner - Song For Josh
- Frank Turner - Silent Key
Rand Lyrics
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Frank Turner Silent Key Comments
I like the old version better
I really like this version, because what it lacks in power it more than makes up for in emotion. This quieter, acoustic version makes certain lines in the song hit harder than it did in the original. This album as a whole speaks to me, and I hope to see more like this!
This version is so much better than the original. Great album!
Man this new album speaks to me.Keep it up Frank.♡
This version is so good
Christa McAuliffe : Brilliant 🙏🙌
I love the majority of Frank's work but I really don't care for this version. To me it loses all of the emotion and power we have heard him give to this piece in the past. Especially in his solo acoustic version of Silent Key, you can almost feel the fear and the pain that the astronaut felt. But through it all is this very powerful sense of hope and defiance. If the events had really happened that way then you could easily see McAuliffe fighting for every last moment of life even in the face of certain death. And she would have done it with wisdom, grace and strength. His previously release versions (and in concert) are raw and powerful and makes you feel. They give the sense of the power a woman can have; even in the darkest of times.
On the other hand, this version sounds like a sweetened up cover made for a children's lullaby cover album. No power, no edge, no desperation, no strength; just .... sweet and nice and soft. If that's your thing then great. It is not mine.
In the end, I am taking a pass on most of this album. Songs about women don't have to lack power or be covered in sticky sweet arrangements. Just like men, women can be strong and invoke powerful emotions for the amazing things they have accomplished. I have not heard an arrangement on this album that makes me feel anything close to that. I applaud Frank for the attempt, and for doing something outside of his zone, but I look forward to his next album already.
Randy Keeling Totally fair assessment! I prefer the original version of the song too. Keep in mind that this isn’t the only time he’s softened a past song in a new release, though. Remember Songbook? I haven’t listened to No Man’s Land yet, but hopefully the content of the lyrics can outweigh their delivery, as they often do in Frank’s less intense songs.
I do think there's something to be said about songs that are telling a story to be slower it let's you understand and digest the lyrics better
very sad song washed up :O
only song that is a bit of a let down
I adore this version 💕
Loving this version of the song, and loving the latest album! I just saw that you're coming to Dallas too! I moved here just in time!