Still Life

Van Der Graaf Generator's song 'Still Life' delves into the profound and often unsettling concept of immortality. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a world where death has been eradicated, and humanity is left to grapple with the consequences. The opening lines, 'Citadel reverberates to a thousand voices, now dumb / What have we become? What have we chosen to be?' set the tone for a reflective and philosophical exploration. The song questions the value of life when stripped of its natural endpoint, suggesting that without the threat of death, life loses its meaning and purpose.

The song's narrative progresses to describe the ennui and existential dread that accompany eternal life. The lines 'But soon we found that boredom and inertia / Are not negative, but all the law we know' highlight the monotony and lack of motivation that come with immortality. The lyrics suggest that the absence of death leads to a sterile existence, devoid of the passions and struggles that give life its richness. The repeated phrase 'Hers forever' at the end of the song underscores the inescapable and eternal nature of this bleak existence, likening it to a marriage with eternity itself.

'What have we bargained, and what have we lost?' the song asks, prompting listeners to consider the cost of achieving immortality. The lyrics imply that in our quest to conquer death, we may have sacrificed the very essence of what makes life worth living. The song's melancholic tone and introspective lyrics encourage a deep reflection on the human condition, the nature of existence, and the paradoxical relationship between life and death. Van Der Graaf Generator's 'Still Life' serves as a poignant reminder that the value of life is intrinsically tied to its impermanence, and that the pursuit of eternal life may lead to an existence devoid of true meaning.