(previously in Program Twelve: Novas 2.7)
(previously in story time: Novas 5.1)
BEGIN PROGRAM TWELVE MODULE TWO.
Look, the door is open, step into the space provided there…
Novas 2.8: The Door Is Open Wide
01 Sky – Toccata (1980, England/Australia)
Instrumental
It is 1986, on the corporate Satellite, in cyberspace. Using the power of true love, software, and rock and roll, Susan has won her first round in the final fight against SYSTEM, but she and Jack aren’t free yet.
02 Pentangle – Light Flight (1969, England) SUSAN (SUPERUSER MODE)
Let's get away you say, find a better place Miles and miles away from the city's race Look around for someone lying in the sunshine marking time hear the sighs close your eyes Ba da ba do da, da da ba do da da Stepping from cloud to cloud, crossing years of light Visit the frosty star, turn a backward flight Soaring realms of visions never find the meaning hidden there moving fast it won't last Ba da ba do da, da da ba do da da Time passes all too soon, how it rushes by Now a thousand moons are about to die No time to reflect on what the time was spent on far away dreamers fade Ba da ba do da, da da ba do da da Strange visions pass me by Winging swiftly out of sight Over the water Ahhhh, ahhhh Swirling the waters rise up above my head Gone are the curling mists, how they all have fled Look, the door is open step into the space provided there di o da Ba da ba do da, da da ba do da da
Susan transcended the Simulation to crack the servers but the effort cost her greatly. She falls back out of the control plane into user mode.
Probably a song about an acid trip, I mean it was 1969.
“Light Flight” is often referred to as the theme tune to the 1969 BBC series “Take Three Girls“, which is and isn’t true. The show’s theme tune has the same melody but completely different lyrics.
03 Mainframe – Talk To Me (1983, England) JACK
Blinding illusion So much stranger than before It's feeding my confusion And I fear there could be more Can you talk to me? Or do I stand here alone? (Wait, relax, sit down and listen to me) So can you talk to me? Or do I stand here alone? (Wait, relax, sit down and listen to me) And from the silent room Shadows danced in human form (Not just a number You have nothing to fear because nothing is wrong) Am I dreaming? Clear the mind and vision strong Can you talk to me? Or do I stand here alone? (Wait, relax, sit down and listen to me) So can you talk to me? Or do I stand here alone? (Wait, relax, sit down and listen to me) I wonder if they're thinking? Could I read a thought so clear? (Please open your mind We've been waiting so long) There's just the sound of breathing But every word I can hear Can you talk to me? Or do I stand here Can you talk to me? Or do I stand here Can you talk to me? Or do I stand here alone? Charles One missing The shop is open XVIP2
Jack doesn’t yet remember that he and Susan have broken the Simulation twice before.
A callback to Novas 5.4.
“Talk To Me”, along with “Radio (Will Bring Me Home)” and “The Room Part 2” were all singles released alongside Mainframe’s 1983 concept album “Tenants of the Lattice-Work” and seem to be part of its story, which unfortunately has never been written up. “Talk To Me” has a little fame in the 8-bit retrocomputing scene for coming with an executable program on data track for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum – along with, apparently, alternative versions for the BBC Model B and Dragon.
04 Sheila and B. Devotion – Tender Silence of the Night (1979, France) SUSAN (STILL LOGGED IN)
Tender silence of the night fingers are entwined searching desperately for sleep sleep I cannot find Tender silence of the night drifting through my mind Memories return to me slowly I unwind Peace of silver butterflies soft upon my skin sunless day grows to an end moonless night begins Tender silence of the night covering my sighs shadows seem to disappear love has touched my cries my cries Heat of seven summer suns chasing all my qualms tender silence of the night take me in your arms your arms Flying high on silver wings love has touched me deep maybe I will rest a while in the land of sleep of sleep Tender silence of the night covering my sighs shadows sift and disappear love has touched my cries my cries my cries my cries Heat of seven summer suns chasing all my qualms tender silence of the night take me in your arms Flying high on silver wings love has touched me deep maybe I will rest a while in the land of sleep of sleep Tender silence of the night love has touched me deep Tender silence of the night love has touched me deep Tender silence of the night love has touched me deep
An exhausted Susan decides to rest with Jack in user mode for a while. The Simulation can make all your dreams come true, and surely a few moments won’t hurt…
I think I remember encountering this wonderful little techno-disco oddity in the 1980s, but it could have been the early 90s. It really is a gem.
05 Brad Fiedel – Terminator 2 Main Title (1991, USA)
Instrumental
SYSTEM regathers its shattered forces.
I picked the T2 version because it just sounds a bit nicer than the 1984 original.
06 Tears For Fears – Mad World (1983, England) JACK (STILL LOGGED IN)
All around me are familiar faces Worn out places Worn out faces Bright and early for their daily races Going nowhere Going nowhere Their tears are filling up their glasses No expression No expression Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow No tomorrow No tomorrow And I find it kinda funny I find it kinda sad The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had I find it hard to tell you Cause I find it hard to take When people run in circles it's a very very Mad world Mad world Mad world Mad world Children waiting for the day they feel good Happy birthday Happy birthday Made to feel the way that every child should Sit and listen Sit and listen Went to school and I was very nervous No one knew me No one knew me Hello teach tell me what's my lesson Look right through me Look right through me And I find it kinda funny I find it kinda sad The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had I find it hard to tell you Cause I find it hard to take When people run in circles it's a very very Mad world Mad world Mad world Mad world And I find it kinda funny I find it kinda sad The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had I find it hard to tell you Cause I find it hard to take When people run in circles it's a very very Mad world Mad world Halargian world Mad world
Jack and Susan dream of a normal life together. But something feels missing.
I suppose since “Mad World” was the first hit for Tears For Fears in the actual 1982 it must have been fairly popular, but I don’t remember it in my ears nearly as much as 1985’s “Everybody Wants To Rule The World“. (Which I now figure must have been their ‘Nineteen Eighty Four song’, and also a reasonable pass at Bond theme.) Like everyone else, it was the 2001 acoustic Gary Jules / Michael Andrews version from Donnie Darko that caught my attention. I never was entirely a Fears fan because of all that fakey synth clanging metal… but here, the clanging metal is exactly the right sound.
07 Drinking Electricity – Subliminal (1981, England) SUSAN/SYSTEM
Shiny cars Brighter clothes Eat more food Save with us Shop with care You should look good Don't you see You can't escape today Disregard The things they have to say You must compete You must attract The pressure's on You can't turn back You must watch this You must hear that No time to think No time to act Sub - lim - in - al Sweet perfume More mascara Your kitchen clean Control your hair Your floors will shine Drink just this Don't you see You can't escape today Disregard The things they have to say You must compete You must attract The pressure's on You can't turn back You must watch this You must hear that No time to think No time to act Sub - lim - in - al Business aisle Fresher bread Looks so clean Smoke my brand An instant snack Insure your life Don't you see You can't escape today Disregard The things they have to say You must compete You must attract The pressure's on You can't turn back You must watch this You must hear that No time to think No time to act Sub - lim - in - al Sub - lim - in - al Sub - lim - in - al Sub - lim - in - al
Susan has now completely forgotten that she had a life before the Satellite.
We’ve seen Drinking Electricity before.
08 Jefferson Starship – Stranger (1981, USA) SUSAN AND A SHADOW OF SKYWATCH
Raindrops falling Winter feels so gloomy Hear a knock upon my door Stranger calling Eyes that look like mine Said you know I've called before What is veiled now soon will be shown Come walk with me through the unknown Familiar stranger Should I know your name? Did we meet sometime ago? I feel uncertain Shadows whisper to me now Sudden wind begins to blow What is veiled now soon will be shown Come walk with me through the unknown Stranger Darkened doorways Strangest things can happen Don't know who you're talking to Find yourself When lightning strikes you now You could be looking back at you What is veiled now soon will be shown Come walk with me through the unknown What is veiled now soon will be shown Come walk with me through the unknown Stranger Familiar stranger Should I know your name? Did we meet sometime ago? Are you someone I should know? Did we meet sometime ago?
Susan finally begins to understand that she and Jack have been here before.
Why yes I kind of do have a thing for 1980s Grace Slick, as it turns out.
Yes, after so many first meetings, she really ought to know his name by now.
It wasn’t quite intentional, but a happy accident; “Darkened doorways” might be a callback to Depeche Mode.
09 Russ Ballard – In To The Light (2006, England) JACK AND SKYWATCH SHADOW
The door of the cell is open The door of the cell is open The door of the cell is open The door of the cell is open Clinging to my fingertips just every night and day For a refuge from the ghost inside This crying, waiting, yearning, longing for a sanctuary But I know that from myself I cannot hide This plane of darkness Has been my house, my home But through the years, except for tears I've lived there all alone In to the light In to the light From the dark in to the light I've been searching for the light to find a way When in my head something said What are you searching for? Just turn around you'll see an open door You can walk from the dark in to the light In this bad confusion the maze inside my head It's been my cell but I'll break down the wall And there's a peace that's coming and it's not so far away Letting go of love has been the price I've paid I've been clinging to the bars for a glimpse of light outside When if I'd only turn around the door is open wide In to the light In to the light From the dark in to the light I've been searching for the light to find a way When in my head something said What are you searching for? Just turn around you'll see an open door You can walk from the dark in to the light It's as though we were prisoners straining at the bars for the light and looking for the glimpse of light we see out there and wondering how we can get out towards it when actually the door of the cell is open behind us if only we would turn around we could walk out into the street The door of the cell is open The door of the cell is open The door of the cell is open The door of the cell is open In to the light In to the light From the dark in to the light I've been searching for the light to find a way When in my head something said What are you searching for? Just turn around you'll see an open door You can walk from the dark in to the light Wake up Wake up Wake up Wake up Wake up
As Susan fades from Simulation, Jack comes to the realisation that there really is something beyond his world.
A callback to “Voices“.
10 Annie Crummer – See What Love Can Do (1992, New Zealand) SUSAN (WAKING ALONE)
When the world starts to fall apart Look deep within, within your lonely heart Do your best my friend Try and understand It's only you Pull yourself through When you tell your story Make sure the story's right Every little single word is true See what love can do See what love can do See what love can do See what love can do Well the words are in the music And music is a song The world would be so happy If we'd all just get along All just get along Yeah wanna see A smile on every face Oh yeah So when we tell the story Make sure the story's right Every little single word is true See what love can do See what love can do See what love can do See what love can do Oh yeah Ohhhh So when we tell the story Make sure the story's right Yeah, might have pulled the message through See what love can do See what love can do See what love can do See what love can do
Susan wakes, alone. She can’t save Jack from SYSTEM. It’s up to him now.
The original was in 1985 by Eric Clapton, but Annie Crummer’s 1992 cover will always be the true version of this song for me.
The reggae makes it, I guess, a callback to “Unconditional Love“.