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Seven ContinentsiTunes | Amazon | Google | Spotify Previous | Next
Terra Incognita map

Written by Max in 1981-1984 and newly arranged for the album Story of My Life.

"This most ambitious of all my songs began in 1981 as a Terra Incognita jam in 7/8 time. As that version of the band fell apart, I took a boom box and a tiny Casio keyboard into my loft bed at night and composed a vocal melody to ride on top of the rhythm. The lyrics were added last, inspired by a new long-distance love affair."

"When the next version of Terra Incognita began performing in San Francisco in 1985, Seven Continents became our show-stopping epic."

Lyrics

the river cuts the continent,
divides and then distributes it -
and on the coast, where darkness comes,
they lie awake, awaiting it.

here comes the rain, drumming on my tent -
here comes the rain, drumming on my tent -

when will i see you again?
when will i see you again?

the distant stars try to pierce the mist.

and when we kiss,
it's got to last
across the seven continents.

feet that walk different continents
to return like the tides -
this is how our story began,
this is how our story will end.

divided by the watchful sea,
the continents began to drift.
in sleepless nights, too sick to cry,
the continents began to drift.

i had to go when i heard that sound -
i had to go when i heard that sound -

i had to go, had to go -
i had to go, had to go -

i had to go, take a look around.

should not let go
without a fight,
defend our seven continents.

this was my land and this was my home -
i had my own way of life.
strangers never could understand -
how can i give it up to you?

behind my back, between the sheets,
between the times when we will meet -
behave yourself, be good to me -
between the times when we will meet.

here comes the rain, drumming on my tent -
here comes the rain, drumming on my tent -

when will i see you again?
when will i see you again?

the distant stars try to pierce the mist.

and when we kiss,
it's got to last
across the seven continents.

the walls go up, the lights come down -
what is that sound? what is that sound?
the faces cross the silver screen -
the walls go up, the lights come down.

show me pictures of your native land -
show me pictures of your native land -

show me the clothes that they wear -
show me the clothes that they wear -

i have to know, have to understand.

and in my dream,
i'm chasing you
from continent to continent.

africa the birthplace of man -
asia where religion began -
europe tried to conquer the world -
australia took many exiles -

north America dropping bombs -
south America cutting trees -
antarctica barren and cold -
seven continents growing old.

here comes the rain, drumming on my tent -
when will i see you again?
the distant stars try to pierce the mist.

and when we kiss,
it's got to last
across the seven continents.

and when we kiss,
it's got to last
across the seven
continents

Copyright © Max Carmichael 1981, 1984.

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