Parmenides

by Empty City Squares

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about

I’ve often dived into the past when I’ve wanted to look forward, and found much solace in the study of classical antiquity. I recently began an immersion in philosophy which brought me to Parmenides the pre-sophist (and pre-Socratic) philosopher. His views on what is being, what is real, and what is perceived to be real, profoundly struck me with a message that is as timeless as the very ontology it professes.

lyrics

Parmenides
By J. Fotiadis

V1
I was in a room and bathed in candlelight
All alone, I thought, and lost my appetite
Conversations I imagined pressed my luck
Revelations hit and left me thunderstruck

REFRAIN
What’s that I see?
An Apogee
And its all in my head
Yes its all in my head

He said whatever is, is
and what is not, can’t be
So said Parmenides

And So he said to me
So he said to me

V2
I thought back to the time when we were hairy fools,
swinging from the trees, but we were making tools
As Eons passed, we needed a theology
Those gods we made reflected our psychology

REFRAIN
What’s that I see?
An Apogee
And its all in my head
Yes its all in my head
Out of nothing, nothing comes
and what is not, can’t be
So said Parmenides
And So he said to me

BRIDGE
And while I never thought, that I was qualified
I don’t have the need, for any type of guide
The world we see is just perceived reality
We are floating in a boundless, timeless sea
Oooooh

V2
I no longer have a fear of the unknown,
Everything is one and so we’re not alone
I think I see collisions but it’s poetry,
A still and moving natural cosmogeny

Chorus

credits

released June 11, 2020
Also Available on Big Stir Records

Written by John Fotiadis who provides vocals, guitars, bass, and keys on the track, “Parmenides” also features the ethereal and ambient guitar arrangements and lead guitars by famed session player and “One Man Wrecking Crew” Ira Siegel (he’s played with everyone folks), drums by the great session player Frank Vilardi (They Might Be Giants, Suzanne Vega), as well as backing vocals and the ”ancient temple horn” by the eminent and ever creative Marc Shearer (Octopus, Adem).

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about

Empty City Squares New Jersey

John Fotiadis (AKA "Yanni" to his friends), is an Architect by day and a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist the rest of the time. Over the last 15+ years he's written and recorded music for film, Theater, TV, and Podcasts.

Yanni loves old rock and roll and blues and a lot of music from the UK. Empty City Squares is his sometimes real / sometimes virtual band. ... more

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