Steve Hackett

Released: September 23, 1996

Songwriter: Mike Rutherford Peter Gabriel Phil Collins Steve Hackett Tony Banks

Producer: Steve Hackett

From a dense forest of tall dark pinewood
Mount Ida rises like an island
Within a hidden cave, nymphs had kept a child:
Hermaphroditus, son of gods, so afraid of their love
As the dawn creeps up the sky
The hunter caught sight of a doe
In desire for conquest
He found himself within a glade he'd not beheld before

Hermaphroditus: / Narrator:
"Where are you, my father? / "Then he could go no further
Give wisdom to your son" / Now lost, the boy was guided by the sun"

And as his strength began to fail
He saw a shimmering lake
A shadow in the dark green depths
Disturbed the strange tranquility

Salmacis: / Narrator:
"The waters are disturbed / "The waters are disturbed
Some creature has been stirred" / Naiad queen Salmacis has been stirred"

As he rushed to quench his thirst
A fountain spring appeared before him
And as his heated breath brushed through the cool mist
A liquid voice called, "Son of gods, drink from my spring."
The water tasted strangely sweet
Behind him the voice called again
He turned and saw her, in a cloak of mist alone
And as he gazed, her eyes were filled with the darkness of the lake

Salmacis: / Narrator:
'We shall be one / 'She wanted them as one
We shall be joined as one' / Yet he had no desire to be one'

Hermaphroditus:
"Away from me, cold-blooded woman
Your thirst is not mine."

Salmacis:
"Nothing will cause us to part
Hear me, O Gods!"

Unearthly calm ascended from the sky
And then their flesh and bones were strangely merged
Forever to be joined as one

The creature crawled into the lake
A fading voice was heard:
"And I beg, yes I beg, that all who touch this spring
May share my fate."

Salmacis: / Narrator:
"We are the one / "The two are now made one
We are the one" / Demi-god and nymph are now made one"

Both had given everything they had
A lover's dream had been fulfilled at last
Forever still beneath the lake

Stephen Richard “Steve” Hackett (born 12 February 1950) is an English guitarist, musician, songwriter and singer. He gained prominence as lead guitarist of the British progressive rock group Genesis, which he joined in 1970 and left in 1977 to pursue a solo career. Hackett contributed to six Genesis studio albums, three live albums and seven singles.

In 1986, Hackett co-founded the supergroup GTR with another progressive guitarist, Steve Howe of Yes and Asia. The group released the self-titled album GTR, which peaked at No. 11 on the Billboard 200 in the United States and spawned the Top 20 single “When the Heart Rules the Mind”. When Hackett left GTR in 1987, the group disbanded.

After leaving GTR, Hackett resumed his solo career and has released albums and toured worldwide on a regular basis since. His body of work encompasses many styles, including progressive rock, world music, and classical. His playing has influenced guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen, Alex Lifeson, Brian May and Steve Rothery. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Genesis in 2010.

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