Steve Taylor – Escher’s World

Do you ever feel that this entire world is backwards and upside down? That’s because, according to Steve Taylor, we’re living in Escher’s World.

M. C. Escher has been my favorite artist since I was about eight years old when I first saw one of his drawings, and so was thrilled when Steve Taylor came out with his song, “Escher’s World.” Escher’s art and this song both encapsulate everything I think and feel about this world, and about life in general. Everything appears normal, but on closer inspection, up is down, down is out, out is in, stairways circle back to where you’ve been.

But thankfully, this is the way we are supposed to feel about this world. Things are not right. All is not as it should be. And as I pointed out in Steve Taylor’s songs about “Baby Doe” and “Lifeboat” evil is declared good and good as evil. This world is upside down! But, as Steve Taylor says here, the remake is on it’s way.

By the way, this piece is one of those performed while Steve Taylor was part of the band, Chagall Guevara, which is the “band” he mentions in “Sock Heaven.”

Lyrics:

Through the passing strange I fell,
To the wide-eyed opposite.
My agenda was hidden well,
Now I don’t know where I left it.

I woke up in Escher’s World today.
My mother said it was okay.

Up’s down, down is out, out is in.
Stairways circle back to where you’ve been.
Time falls, water crawls, are you listening?

Did you ever chase your tail
Through a maze of exit doors?
I have seen the light my braille.
I have blazed the road before us.

We’re walking in Escher’s World again,
Rise up you nimble-minded men.

Birds roar, lions soar, sheep are cruel,
Snails pace, papers chase, midgets rule,
Stuffed shirts, status hurts, we ain’t fooling.

Let the sequels have their day,
The remake’s on its way.

We’re living in Escher’s world it seems,
We’re wide awake within our dreams.

Socks hop, lemons drop, butter flies,
Tough wimps, sadoshrimps, mojos rise,
Pips squeak, widows peek, are you surprised?

Ah, living in Escher’s world.

We’re living in Escher’s world it seems,
We’re wide awake within our dreams.

Birds roar, lions soar, sheep are cruel,
Snails pace, papers chase, midgets rule,
Stuffed shirts, Ethel Mertz, we ain’t fooling.

Socks hop, lemons drop, butter flies,
Tough wimps, sadoshrimps, mojos rise,
Pips squeak, widows peek, are you surprised?

Up’s down, down is out, out is in.
Time falls, water crawls, are you listenin’?
Stairways circle back to where you’ve been.
Stairways circle back to where you’ve been.
Stairways circle back to where you’ve been.