Zero Hour
by Michael Berkeley with Neil Tennant and David Gilmour
Writers - Michael Berkeley, Neil Tennant
First released - 2024
Original album - Collaborations (Michael Berkeley)
Producer - Michael Berkeley (?)
Subsequent albums - (none)
Other releases - (none)
Michael Fitzhardinge Berkeley, Baron Berkeley of Knighton, became in 2013 a member of the English House of Lords, made a life peer in recognition of his decades of work in music as a composer, chorister, musician, teacher, curator, artistic director, and broadcaster. Although the vast majority of his music has been of the classical/"serious" variety (including operas, concerti, an oratorio, a ballet, choral works, and chamber music), he has performed rock music as well, particularly in his younger days. His 2024 album Collaborations consists of both old and new compositions performed with a number of fellow artists. Most of them hail from the world of classical/serious music, but at least one of them, "Zero Hour," features Neil Tennant as lyricist and singer as well as
"Zero Hour" is described (on Berkeley's own website) as "a song for Ukraine." The sounds of air-raid sirens permeate this ominous piece, in which piano, horns, and synthesizer(s) are also prominent. Neil sings a high-pitched lead, and Gilmour's distinctive guitar solo appears about halfway through, following the second verse. Amidst the dense sound of the music, it's somewhat difficult to make out Neil's lyrics aside from the oft-repeated title phrase itself, although there's a clear assertion at one point of "No escape" and the line "I pray when we meet again we'll be free"—an obvious statement of sympathy and support for the Ukrainian people during their struggle against the Russian invasion and devastation of their country.
List cross-references
- This song doesn't appear in any of my lists.
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