John WETTON


Voice Mail (Battle Lines)

(1994)



1. Right Where I Wanted To Be 4'55
(John Wetton / Bob Marlette)
2. Battle Lines 5'26
(John Wetton / Bob Marlette / Bob Mitchell)
3. Jane 4'19
(Jed Leiber / John Wetton)
4. Crime Of Passion 4'43
(John Wetton / John Young)
5. Sand In My Hand 3'48
(John Wetton / Bruce Turgon)
6. Sea Of Mercy 4'40
(John Wetton / Bob Marlette / Bob Mitchell)
7. Hold Me Now 5'59
(John Wetton / Bob Marlette)
8. Space And Time 4'07
(John Wetton / Jim Peterik)
9. Walking On Air 3'10
(John Wetton / Bob Marlette)
10. You're Not The Only One 4'58
(John Wetton / Bob Marlette)

Total Time: 46:05


  • John Wetton - All Vocals, Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Keyboards,
  • Robert Fripp - Guitar, Devices
  • Michael Landau - Guitars
  • Steve Lukather - Guitar
  • Claude Gaudette - Keyboards, Programming
  • Bob Marlette - Keyboards, Grand Piano, Synthesizer, Programming
  • Jed Leiber - Keyboards, Programming
  • Robbie Buchanan - Grand Piano
  • Dave Boruff - Alto Saxophone
  • Michael Cartellone - Drums
  • Simon Phillips - Drums

    Ron Nevison - Producer, Engineer
    Paul Buckmaster - Arrangements for Orchestra
    Roger King - Engineer
    Craig Brock - Assistant Engineer
    Andy Udoff - Assistant Engineer
    Chris Lord-Alge - Mixing
    Ben Wallach - Mixing Assistant
    Mastered by Doug Sax at
    The MASTERING LAB, Los Angeles
    Legal: Jody Graham Dunitz
    Accouncy: Richard Rosenberg
    Design & Art Direction: KOSH
    Photography: Cat Gwynn

    Recorded between April & July 1993 at RECORD PLANT Hollywood, CA
    RUMBO RECORDERS, Canoga Park, CA
    Mixed at
    IMAGE RECORDING, Hollywood, CA

    Thanks beyond the call of duty:

    Jordan Harris, Will Sharpe, Budd Carr

    Special Thanks:

    Les Bider, Rick Shoemaker, Patricia Patterson, Ken Hensley, Diandra Miller, Dr Edward Kantor, Gudni Gunarsson, Melanie Girton, Kathy Koehler, Nicole Clemens, Mickael Paeslack, Akemi Nakagawanishi, Ben Robbins, Steve Farms & John David Kalodmer

    John Wetton uses FERNANDES Basses & ALVAREZ Acoustic Guitars





    1. Right Where I Wanted To Be

      I have often thought of my life as fantasy
      That the dreams I bought did not belong to me
      But the grace I know as love
      Makes me thank my stars above… 'cause I'm

      Right where I wanted to be
      I found heaven on earth, and I set myself free
      There's the angel of destiny walking in front of me
      And I'm right where I wanted to be

      All the feelings that, as always, I've denied
      Left me chained with anger, shivering inside
      I was searching for a key
      But with eyes to blind to see… I was

      Right where I wanted to be
      I found heaven on earth, and I set myself free
      There's the angel of destiny walking in front of me
      And I'm right where I wanted to be

      And I'm right where I wanted to be

    2. Battle Lines

      And now I stand, forsaking pride
      The time has come to turn the tide
      I've drawn the line, I've built my wall
      And I won't let one more dream fall

      All days of innocence, I surrendered long ago

      Where's the wind that takes me higher
      The had that offers peace
      The heart that still gives shelter…

      I wanna go back to find
      The innocent days that I left behind
      I still believe they're holding ground
      Behind the battle lines
      If it takes a million miles over land and sea
      Gonna swim in the rivers of purity
      I know they still run free
      Behind the battle lines

      One more mountain I must climb
      I've scaled so many in my time
      And if the sun goes down on me
      The light of truth will help me see

      All days of innocence, I surrendered long ago

      Where's the voice that speaks of mercy
      The eyes that are not blind
      The love that's never ending…

      A vision of eternity
      Oh, Lord! Never take the dream from me
      Here I am, standing at the edge of destiny…

    3. Jane

      It's a dazzling morning
      With a blue sky dawning
      When all our sadness dies

      And the joy of waking
      To a new day taking
      The sleep from our eyes

      Sensing that you're just a breath away
      No shadow of doubt that will remain

      Jane
      Whenever I need a dream to hold on to
      Jane
      I can remember loving you

      With your spirit in me
      For as long as there'll be
      Stars up in the skies
      And it's never too late
      For this moment we'll wait
      All of our lives

      Sensing that you're just a breath away
      No shadow of doubt that will remain

      Jane
      Whenever I need a dream to hold on to
      Jane
      I can remember loving you

      I can feel you, night conceals you
      Waiting for me silently
      Jane, there's a light that shines from you

      No shadow of doubt that will remain
      Jane

    4. Crime Of Passion

      And you must stand and face the tale to tell
      Who would think that you would take the life of one you loved so well?
      And no-one else could see your point of view
      To one and one has always been the answer two, or so I'm told
      How does it feel, knowing you're guilty?
      How does it feel, to be all on your own?

      With a crime of passion
      A game of love and hate, but it's too late
      There's no compassion
      It's just a tug of war, that's lost before it's begun.
      It's never won
      It's a crime, it's a crime

      And so you have to face the world alone
      The life you took and tore apart without a care of your own
      And so he gazes in your eyes so cold
      The love you shared, when you were young
      Could never heal the pain you hold
      So how does it feel, knowing you're guilty?
      How does it feel, to be all on your own, on your own?

      With a crime of passion
      A game of love and hate, but it's too late
      There's no compassion
      It's just a tug of war, that's lost before it's begun
      It's never won

      With something you held so dear
      How could you throw it away ?
      Your fatal emotions win the day…

      How does it feel ?
      How does it feel ?

    5. Sand In My Hand

      You know you sell your soul
      Every time you lose control
      Is it Heaven here on earth?

      And you go through madness
      On your way to sadness
      It seems your prayers are never heard

      Well, if you wanna get high again
      Hit the sky again
      Girl, that's up to you

      For all this time, Marianne
      You've been sand in my hand
      I'll keep holding on
      But until you understand
      You're still sand in my hand

      You throw it all away
      You live to die one more day
      And I know you're going down
      So every night you look
      Try every trick in your book
      But the time is running out

      So if you wanna get high again
      Hit the sky again
      There's nothing I can do…

      All this time, Marianne
      You've been sand in my hand
      I'll keep holding on
      Until all my strength has gone
      Don't be sand in my hand

    6. Sea Of Mercy

      Dirty linen, in the cupboard
      Don't want it on my back
      Muddy water, in the system
      The monkey jumped the sack

      I'm looking for future love, who can I turn to?
      Looking for paradise, in the heartland
      Looking to everyone, who could be anyone
      Better turn around, turn around
      Don't drive that hammer down

      Rise up - in a sea of mercy
      Stand up - with the tree of life
      Rise up - in a sea of mercy
      Better gimme some, gimme some, gimme some air
      Sea of mercy

      Never had no shoeshine, worth the money
      Too much dust around
      Fishing with the wrong line, no milk and honey
      In this dried up ground

      I'm looking for sanctuary, where can I turn to?
      Looking for Shangri-La, in the heartland
      Looking to everyone, father and mother's son
      Turn around, turn around
      Lay that weapon down

      Now I can sleep, with my conscience for a pillow
      'Cause this tomorrow, I'm sure I'm gonna see
      If there are streams, that only dreamers follow
      Then say goodbye, goodbye to me

    7. Hold Me Now

      Here ends another day
      My emotions locked away
      And my darkness is complete as the midnight sky
      You steal my confidence
      My smile is my defense
      And I turn my face, so you won't see me cry

      How can you be so cold, and so out of control?
      As you pour salt into my deepest cut of all
      My shattered heart, in pieces now
      And I'm gazing at the fragments of my life

      Hold me now, maybe just pretend I could be someone that you might have loved before
      Hold me now, and let me believe in a kiss that means nothing to you…
      'Cause it means the world to me

      Lord above, you sanctify your love
      And the barrier you built, forces you not to care
      Break down that door, take my hand if nothing more
      So when I'm falling, then I know that someone's there

      I wondered a thousand times, if I could love again
      But I will overcome, what I can comprehend

      The honesty I offer you
      Is as naked as your fear of loving me

      Hold me now, let it never end
      Hold me like you've never done before
      Hold me now, we don't have to pretend
      Smash the chains and throw them to the floor
      Hold me now, and let me believe that a kiss is the way it should be…
      'Cause it means the world to me

      It means the world to me

    8. Space And Time

      Just a face, I saw for a moment
      Flashing eyes, inscribed on my soul
      I reach to you, through another dimension
      So if you feel a shiver, you'll know

      I can see you clearer and clearer
      Through the mist like a beacon's light
      You reflect in a distant mirror
      Moving through space and time tonight

      I am calling you, can you hear me?
      All alone on a midnight flight
      Is it foolish to think that feelings flow
      Through space and time tonight?

      It chills the air, like the feeling of danger
      A presence felt, an ethereal light
      A silhouette, the scent of a stranger
      I know it's you, with me tonight
      I can see you clearer and clearer
      Concentrate with all your might
      You reflect in a distant mirror
      Altering space and time tonight

      I am calling you, can you reach me?
      All alone on a midnight flight
      Is it foolish to think that feelings flow
      Through space and time tonight?
      I am thinking about you right now
      I'll arrive with the morning light
      It's a message I rush to you, alone
      Through space and time tonight

      Tell me do you believe in what can't be explained?
      What our reason will not allow
      Moving out of this world, passing through space and time
      To a love that is here and now…

    9. Walking On Air

      I'm walking on air, down a smoky corridor
      I'm barely aware, this is no dream
      I felt you were there, you spoke to me, beware of
      What I saw, yes I'm sure, I want more,
      And I'm walking on air

      Oily, dark and blue, the picture hangs in front of you
      Don't turn around, this is for real
      The walls of this place, imprisoning your pretty face
      I'm sure, what I saw, is no more and I'm walking on air

      I'm floating, I'm falling, I'm silently calling
      Adrift on an ocean, on waves of emotion

      I'm following the light, through centuries of endless light
      The soporific sky, the moon and the stars
      To Morpheus I fly, he holds me in a twilight that we share, in his lair
      If I dare, we'll go walking on air

      I'm floating, I'm falling, I'm silently calling
      Adrift on an ocean, on waves of emotion

      Say a prayer for me, in solace and sincerity
      Then sip your holy wine out of the silver spoon
      And when my soul shall rise, then realize you live with what you swore, and before, any more of your talking
      Feel a chill, at the door, it's just me
      And I'm walking on air…

    10. You're Not The Only One

      I see you now in the dead of night
      The shadows closing in
      You lie and wait for the morning light
      You'll just survive till then

      Loneliness only means you harm
      So try to raise a smile
      Don't you know that your open arms
      Can bridge a thousand miles?

      When there's no end to it all
      Try to surrender
      Let yourself fall and just
      Try to remember

      You're not the only one who feels pain
      Open your heart and live again
      The rule you depend upon
      From this day on
      You're not the only one

      Throw back the shutters and unlock the spell
      Let sunshine light your face
      The growing fears that you know so well
      Will vanish into space

      You're not the only one who needs faith
      Climbing the face of the unknown
      To tell you you're not alone
      And, above all else
      You're not the only one

      Free yourself
      Take a good look around
      There's a lot of love to be found
      Love will not let you down ...