Waiting For My Real Life to Begin

Colin James Hay (born 29 June 1953) is a Scottish-Australian musician, who made his mark during the 1980s as lead vocalist of the Australian band Men at Work, and later as a solo artist. Colin is married to singer Cecilia Noël, who often provides backup vocals at his shows.

This song reminds me of the human condition; it is pure poetry and echoes the state of our frail existence. Somehow, in the future our ‘real’ life will kick in when some thing or event takes place. Buddha taught that past, future and present life do not exist, there is just what might be called ‘moment’ life. Dogen Zenji once said, ‘we have the ability to wake up 84,000 times per second.” Colin’s ballad is warm and soothing yet resonates with the longing that we all have experienced at some point in our lives. If we are waiting for something, then we are missing the moments that make up our lives. This is where everything is as it is; this is life unfolding by itself where we can engage it with openness and honesty and a willingness to just see how it will occur. The witness in the song then says, “Be still, my love open up your heart, let the light shine in.” This is our true self presenting an opportunity to take hold of one Dogen’s 1/84,000^th of a second and just be. Yet our habit energy takes us to say, “Don't you understand? I already have a plan, I'm waiting for my real life to begin.” We slip in and out of the dialog often until we realize that each and every moment, “I can see a very long way.”

Waiting For My Real Life to Begin       

Any minute now, my ship is coming in

I'll keep checking the horizon

And I'll stand on the bow

And feel the waves come crashing

Come crashing down, down, down on me

And you said, “Be still, my love

Open up your heart

Let the light shine in”

Don't you understand?

I already have a plan

I'm waiting for my real life to begin

When I awoke today suddenly nothing happened

But in my dreams I slew the dragon

And down this beaten path

And up this cobbled lane

I'm walking in my own footsteps once again

And you say, “Just be here now

Forget about the past

Your mask is wearing thin”

Let me throw one more dice

I know that I can win

I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Any minute now, my ship is coming in

I'll keep checking the horizon

And I'll check my machine

There's sure to be that call

It's gonna happen soon, soon, oh so very soon

It's just that times are lean

And you say, “Be still, my love

Open up your heart

Let the light shine in”

Don't you understand?

I already have a plan

I'm waiting for my real life to begin

Hey heyeyeyeyey

Hey yeeeeeee

Hey heyeyeyeyey

Eeh eeh eeh eeh eh x5

On a clear day

I can see, see for a long way

On a clear day

I can see, see a very long way

© Colin Hay